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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) has released the first round of interim charges directing Texas Senate committees to study specific policy issues in preparation for the 90th Legislative Session (2027). While interim charges do not result in immediate legislation, they play a meaningful role in shaping the legislative agenda, determining which topics receive sustained attention, and signaling how Senate leadership views major policy debates.
This first batch of interim charges provides an early look at the Senate’s priorities, while leaving significant room for additional charges and further refinement as the interim period continues to unfold.
Interim Charge on State Law Supremacy in Texas
The Senate Committee on State Affairs has been directed to study issues related to the application of state and federal law in Texas, with a focus on preventing the use of alternative legal systems and examining specific development and real estate activities tied to named entities.
This charge reflects ongoing concerns about legal uniformity and state sovereignty, as well as heightened scrutiny of certain development projects. Texas law already establishes the supremacy of state and federal law, so the ultimate value of this interim study will depend on whether it identifies enforceable gaps in current law or simply reinforces existing statutory principles.
Interim Charge
Preventing Sharia Law in Texas: Only state and federal laws apply in Texas and “Sharia law” or other secondary judicial systems have no place in Texas. Make recommendations to ensure all Texans benefit from our laws and the protections of our state and federal constitutions and are never held under the heel of “Sharia law” anywhere in our state. Examine entities such as the proposed East Plano Islamic Center (“EPIC City”) development in Hunt and Collin counties. Determine whether EPIC City, its directors, or any associated entities are violating state or federal law. Evaluate large real estate acquisitions by entities such as the “Community Capital Partners” limited partnership. Make legislative recommendations that will protect Texans from housing discrimination and unscrupulous developers.
Interim Charge on Texas Property Tax Relief
The Senate Committee on Finance is tasked with studying further property tax relief, including the continued expansion of the homestead exemption and the potential reduction of the age threshold for senior exemptions.
Property tax relief remains a top concern for Texas voters, and this charge signals that the Senate intends to keep the issue front and center heading into 2026. At the same time, this approach continues a familiar emphasis on exemption-based relief rather than direct examination of local spending growth and long-term structural drivers of rising property taxes.
Interim Charge
Further Property Tax Cuts: The Homestead Exemption has proven overwhelmingly popular with voters. It has eliminated school property taxes for the average senior and reduced school taxes in half for those under 65. Study and report on the effect of the continued increasing of the Homestead Exemption. Assess the impact of reducing the senior homestead exemption from 65 to 55 years of age. This change would freeze home values 10 years sooner for over 3 million homeowners, saving 55 plus homeowners thousands of additional dollars.
Interim Charge on Critical Infrastructure Security
The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce has been directed to evaluate supply chain integrity and security risks affecting the Texas electric grid and other critical infrastructure, including potential threats posed by hostile foreign entities.
This charge aligns with ongoing concerns about grid reliability and infrastructure resilience. Much of this terrain has already been explored in recent legislative sessions, so the committee’s work will be most meaningful if it identifies concrete vulnerabilities or implementation failures rather than revisiting previously studied issues.
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. 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.
Interim Charge on Fraud Prevention
The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services is instructed to study fraud and abuse prevention within Texas human services programs, including Medicaid and child care services.
Protecting taxpayer funds and improving program integrity are legitimate and longstanding concerns. As with similar past efforts, the impact of this interim charge will depend on whether the committee examines not only enforcement mechanisms but also the administrative and structural factors that contribute to waste and abuse.
Interim Charge
Protecting Taxpayer Funds – Preventing Fraud and Abuse: In support of Governor Abbott’s call to action to eliminate fraud, explore and recommend ways to prevent fraud and abuse in Texas human service programs including, but not limited to, Medicaid and Child Care Services programs
Interim Charge on Public School Practices
The Senate Committee on Education K-16 has been directed to examine public school practices related to partnerships, events, and associations involving foreign entities or designated hostile agents. The charge also emphasizes promoting American and Texas exceptionalism in public education.
This interim charge reflects continued interest in the role of values and civic identity in public schools. Whether the study results in substantive policy changes or remains largely symbolic will depend on how the committee approaches broader governance, accountability, and transparency issues within the public education system.
Interim Charge
Promoting America & Texas First in Our Schools: Examine the current practices of some public schools promoting events, partnerships, or associations with federal or state-designated hostile agents or their surrogates. Provide recommendations to strengthen laws stopping hostile countries or related entities from infiltrating our classrooms. Make recommendations to ensure public schools promote students’
learning about American and Texas exceptionalism.
Initial Takeaways from the First Round of Senate Interim Charges
This first round of Texas Senate interim charges should be understood as an opening signal rather than a final policy blueprint. The limited number of charges, combined with the expectation that additional directives will follow, suggests that Senate leadership is intentionally setting an early framework while reserving flexibility as political, fiscal, and policy conditions continue to develop during the interim.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has framed these interim charges as issues he is particularly focused on and as topics Texans have asked the Senate to examine. He has emphasized that senators are expected to submit recommendations during the interim and that additional charges will be released later, with the goal of allowing the Senate to move quickly once the next legislative session begins. That sentiment underscores the leadership’s intent to use the interim period to prepare legislative groundwork rather than to delay action, while also reinforcing the importance of how committees approach their work in shaping what ultimately reaches the Senate floor.
Taken together, these charges highlight the importance of framing as much as substance. How committees define problems, what evidence they prioritize, and which assumptions go unchallenged will likely influence the scope of legislation filed in the next session. More clarity will emerge as hearings are scheduled, testimony is taken, and interim reports are produced, making this initial round best viewed as the starting point of a longer policy process rather than a definitive statement of legislative outcomes.
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