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On the budget front, state agencies are gearing up to start preparing their legislative appropriation requests for the 2028-2029 biennium, which will start on September 1, 2027. Soon, the Governor’s office will distribute guidance for those requests. If this cycle is anything like the last several, agencies can expect that, despite the state’s robust saving accounts and relatively favorable economic prospects, they will nevertheless be instructed to plan for budget cuts.
For the agencies that make up the state’s health and human services system, the budget process will be happening concurrently with the sunset review process. For all agencies, budgets generally are at least partially contingent on federal funds and policies that may be in flux.
While the executive branch is making spreadsheets (so many spreadsheets), the legislative branch will be holding hearings to review the progress of legislation passed in 2025 and to prepare for the 2027 session, which will be Texas’ 90th Regular Legislative Session. These hearings are “interim hearings” because they occur during the “legislative interim,” the period between two legislative sessions. Legislators cannot consider or pass bills during the interim, but they can lay groundwork, including drafting legislation and soliciting stakeholder feedback, that will expedite the process when the next legislative session starts.
On April 1, the Senate Business and Commerce Committee will kick off the interim with a hearing on the interim charge “Securing Critical Infrastructure and Supply Chain Integrity: Evaluate the integrity of the supply chain for the Texas electric grid and other critical infrastructure.” This charge directs the committee to “identify any vulnerabilities or potential risks posed by hostile foreign entities of concern including, but not limited to, China, Russia, and Iran. Make recommendations for improvements and an ongoing evaluation process to remain vigilant in maintaining a reliable and secure Texas electric grid.”
Read all the Senate interim charges so far
On April 10, the House Administration Committee will hold a hearing on potential penalties for Democrats who broke quorum during last year’s special sessions on redistricting.
Neither hearing will include an opportunity for public testimony, but to the extent committee members are in the Capitol, it might be a good opportunity to visit their offices.
See the committee rosters here:
House Administration
Senate Business and Commerce
These are just the first two of what will be many interim hearings. If you have not watched an interim hearing before, the one on April 1 should be a good introduction to how this kind of hearing proceeds. At least some future hearings likely will include opportunities for public testimony.
Want to learn more about the legislative and budget processes in Texas? Check out Faith in Democracy, Texas Impact’s award-winning YouTube series on how stuff works in the Texas Capitol. |
