Texas House
Standing Committee
Oversees state policy, government administration, electric and telecommunications utilities, energy, cybersecurity, state agencies, and the Ethics Commission.
Committee Leadership
Committee Composition
Committee Size
15 Members
Republicans
9
Democrats
6
Committee Partisan Split
9R – 6D
Committee Membership
Most Recent Session Activity
Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.
Legislation Referred
657
Legislation Voted Out
186
Overall Efficiency
28.31%
Committee Meetings
31
Interim Charges
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature, including HB 14 (nuclear energy), HB 143 (Railroad Commission and PUC electrical power line authority), HB 144 (distribution pole inspection plans), HB 145 (risk mitigation planning for electric service providers), HB 4211 (residential property interests), SB 6 (electrical loads and water supply corporations), and SB 1789 (electric service quality and reliability).
- Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery: Review the application of current state law as it relates to state and local disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Review state agency and local government requirements related to training, licensing, education, coordination, and mass fatality operations. Identify beneficial disaster management practices to improve coordination of communications between governmental entities and streamline response and recovery efforts.
- Pole Attachments: Study the impact of pole attachments and other potential impediments to the provision of broadband service. Evaluate the need for a standardized pricing model, or other mechanisms to ensure consistency in pole attachment fees, while considering the costs to utility infrastructure owners and the safety and reliability of the electric system.
- Battery Storage and Safety: Examine the current rules and regulations regarding battery storage and safety. Evaluate potential risks to communities and make recommendations to allow the continued deployment of battery storage without compromising public safety.
- Strengthening Interoperable Communications: Examine the establishment of a formal Interoperability Council to coordinate a statewide emergency communications strategy, set interoperability standards, support regional systems, and improve coordination among local, state, and federal first responders. Make recommendations on the council’s governance, membership, authority, funding, and implementation.
- Safeguarding Workforce Security: Examine whether Texas has sufficient visibility into employer use of the federal H-1B visa program to identify patterns that may impact the Texas workforce or raise security concerns. Review risks related to foreign influence, intellectual property theft, data security, technology transfer, and access to sensitive systems or critical infrastructure.
- Microgrids and Distributed Energy Resources: Evaluate existing aggregate distributed energy resource projects and microgrids across the state. Study existing programs, determine their efficacy, and consider how these projects improve reliability, reduce consumer costs, and support overall grid resilience.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Evaluate state and local public-private partnerships governed by Chapter 2267, Government Code, for effectiveness, competitiveness, and taxpayer transparency. Recommend statutory revisions that encourage public-private partnerships by streamlining and clarifying procedures and obligations.
- Data Centers: Study the development of data centers in Texas, including its importance to global competitiveness and national security. Evaluate direct and indirect economic growth potential, identify education and training opportunities, review the existing regulatory framework, and study the implementation of SB 6 and the Large Load Batch Study Process as it relates to data centers and grid resilience.
- Agency Oversight: Monitor the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable. The jurisdiction of the State Affairs Committee includes the following agencies:
- The Council of State Governments;
- The National Conference of State Legislatures;
- The Office of the Governor;
- The Texas Ethics Commission;
- The Texas Facilities Commission;
- The Inaugural Endowment Fund Committee;
- The Public Utility Commission of Texas; and
- The Office of Public Utility Counsel.
- Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Broadband — Broadband Development: Monitor the activities of the Broadband Development Office and review awards made through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, and the Broadband Infrastructure Fund.
Committee Jurisdiction
The committee shall have 15 members, with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to:
- Questions and matters of state policy, the administration of state government, and the organization, operation, powers, regulation, and management of state departments, agencies, and institutions.
- The duties and conduct of officers and employees of the state government, and of candidates for public office and persons with an interest in influencing public policy.
- The operation and regulation of public lands and state buildings.
- The regulation and deregulation of electric utilities, telecommunications utilities, and other industries not specifically assigned to another committee.
- Pipelines and pipeline companies operating as common carriers in the state.
- Advances in science and technology, including telecommunications, electronic technology, and automated data processing by state agencies; cybersecurity.
- The following organizations and state agencies: the Council of State Governments, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Office of the Governor, the Texas Ethics Commission, the Texas Facilities Commission, the Inaugural Endowment Fund Committee, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and the Office of Public Utility Counsel.
The committee has one permanent standing subcommittee: a Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Broadband, to consider all matters relating to the regulation and deregulation of telecommunications utilities and the provision of broadband services.
Committee Contact Information
Capitol Location
Capitol Extension, E2.108
Phone Number
(512) 463-0814
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