Interim Hearing | College Affordability, Research Security & Competitiveness
Event Details
The Texas House Committee on Higher Education will hold an interim hearing on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in Room E2.036 of the Texas Capitol.
The committee will examine strategies to improve postsecondary education affordability for Texas students, including financial aid, institutional affordability, and the impact of recent federal legislation on student aid. Lawmakers will also study ways to increase credential completion through improved advising, transfer opportunities, and access to short-term workforce credentials.
Additional charges focus on protections against foreign adversarial influence and research security risks at Texas institutions of higher education. The committee will examine institutional compliance, screening and oversight processes, and the effectiveness of the Higher Education Research Security Council.
Lawmakers will also consider the ability of Texas public higher education institutions to compete for and secure federal research funding, including whether state policies adequately support research competitiveness. Invited and public testimony will be heard.
