The House and Senate have both adjourned until Tuesday, February 9th. The Senate has appointed committees, and work on redistricting and the state budget is underway. Coming up next week, the Governor’s State of the State address will be telecast on Monday, February 1 at 7 pm.
Last week, both chambers unveiled their initial draft budgets. The text and scheduled hearings for SB 1 can be found on Texas Legislature Online and a comprehensive list of budget documents can be found on the Legislative Budget Board’s website. Both budgets start with general revenue levels set just under $120 billion, which constitutes a three percent decrease when adjusted for inflation and population growth.
The Senate Committee on Redistricting has also begun its work scheduling a list of regional hearings. The Redistricting Committee held five of its twelve scheduled hearings last week. Upcoming hearings include the regions of the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, El Paso, Austin, and the state as a whole. These hearings are virtual with no in-person testimony. A detailed list of instructions to virtually testify is provided in the hearing notice.