Month in Review: A Digest of Capitol News

Race to Decide Next Speaker Off to Early Start

Election season is not typically when Capitol observers fill their time speculating on who will lead the House of Representatives next session. After all, the 89th Legislature's would-be representatives must first win their seats to earn a vote in the Speaker's race. But with the May 28 runoffs still weeks away, let alone the Nov. 5 general election that will set next year's House membership, Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) sprung a big surprise when he announced on March 21 that he will seek the confidence of those yet-to-be-determined members to elect him as the next Speaker.

Local Elections Approach

On May 4, political subdivisions, school districts and other governing bodies will hold elections to decide officeholders, bond proposals and elect officials. Perhaps the highest profile matter to be decided is who will represent Senate District 14 until early January. The seat has been vacant since former Sen. John Whitmire won election as Houston Mayor in December. More information is available here.

Panhandle Wildfire Committee Gets to Work

The Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires met April 2-4 in Pampa. The Committee is charged with studying the cause of the fire, identifying additional resources the state needs to provide to mitigate future fires, and examining the coordination between local, state and federal partners. Hutchinson County Judge Cindy Irwin, Hemphill County Judge Lisa Johnson, Roberts County Judge Mitchell Locke and Gray County Judge Christopher Porter testified on April 3. The group shared how they navigated the natural disaster, how they coordinated with state partners and what they would like regarding future resources. The committee is now drafting a report of its findings for submission to the Texas House of Representatives in May. A full list of witnesses and submitted testimony is available here.

Judicial Education Takes Place

TAC's Spring Judicial Education Conference was held March 26-29 in Lubbock. Attendees participated in an educational mock DWI trial at the Texas Tech School of Law, where they served as interactive participants in the proceedings. The mock trial demonstrated best practices that judges may use to conduct a DWI trial in their home county. Attendees also learned about matters regarding a motion to suppress, changes to occupational driver licenses and mental health diversion funding, among others.

Legislative Exchange Series Gets Underway

TAC held its first Legislative Exchange meeting of 2024 on April 3 in Yoakum County. Judge Michael Ybarra welcomed about 40 attendees, stating that it falls to locally elected officials to preserve rural Texas' voice in Austin and Washington, D.C. Yoakum County Commissioner and TAC Board President Tim Addison noted that while only about 15% of Texas' population lives in rural areas, many races are won or lost because of the rural vote. He encouraged attendees to step up and speak out on issues important to their communities.

Sen. Kevin Sparks (R-Midland) was a featured guest at the event. He shared his legislative priorities from last year's session, highlighting his work to support rural Texas through measures that protect election integrity and bolster the region's natural resources, which create jobs and spur economic growth. Attendees engaged in an insightful discussion with Sen. Sparks, covering topics such as juvenile diversion options, changes to voting location requirements and property tax laws.

On April 11, TAC held the year's second Legislative Exchange in Jefferson County. Judge Jeff Branick kicked off the event, welcoming attendees and fostering a robust dialogue on issues confronting various county associations. Discussions included proposed changes to county election requirements and the use of Senate Bill 22 funds. More discussion was had surrounding the new appraisal review board requirements and the upcoming first election in May to fill those newly created positions. Some counties had a race for the position while others are struggling to find individuals interested in serving on the board.

Both Legislative Exchange meetings provided county officials with a platform to share ideas and strategies regarding issues of significance to their respective regions. A prevailing theme was the importance of engagement and collaboration in strengthening counties and their collective voice.

Lt. Gov. Patrick Issues Interim Charges

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued the Senate's interim charges on April 11, outlining his legislative priorities for next year's session. Interim charges assign subjects to each Senate legislative committee, including several directly related to county government. Stay informed about the topics the Senate will be discussing in the coming months.

Speaker Phelan Creates Select Committees

Speaker Dade Phelan has created a total of three select committees to study current events and report their findings to the Texas House in May.

On March 21, Phelan created the Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires. He charged this committee with studying factors contributing to the wildfires, examining the resources available for wildfire disaster preparedness and response, and looking at the emergency response coordination between local, state and federal governments. The membership:

• Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian), Chair
• Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock)
• Rep. Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi)
• Jason Abraham, Public Member
• Ashley Cash, Public Member

The committee conducted three days of hearings this month and is working on a report to the Legislature. (See "Panhandle Wildfire Committee Gets to Work" above for information on county judge testimony.)

On March 25, Phelan created the Select Committee on Protecting Texas LNG Exports. The committee is charged with analyzing the legal authority of the federal action taken regarding export permits for the sale of liquefied natural gas (LNG), assessing potential economic damage to Texas, looking at strategies to mitigate the adverse effects on the LNG industry, and formulating legislative recommendations. The membership:

• Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco), Chair
• Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa)
• Rep. Christian Manuel (D-Beaumont)
• Rep. Mary Ann Perez (D-Houston)
• Rep. Cody Vasut (R-Angleton)

Committee hearings for the LNG Select Committee have yet to be announced.

On April 2, Phelan created the Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies. The Committee is charged with examining the current use of AI/ET by public and private sectors, determining the impact of AI/ET, identifying policies for responsible deployment of AI/ET in public and private sectors, and creating legislative recommendations. The membership:

• Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake), Chair
• Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano)
• Rep. Oscar Longoria (D-Mission)
• Rep. Angelia Orr (R-Itasca)
• Rep. Armando Walle (D-Houston)

Committee hearings for the Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies have yet to be announced.

For more information about this article, please contact Katy Estrada, Caroline Love or Pete Winkler.

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