The Texas Legislature is in session every other year, with 2022 as the interim. After a robust regular session, followed by three special sessions and a new spike in COVID-19 cases, legislators have not been quick to return to the capitol. However, over the next 12 months, Texas will begin shaping its legislative agenda for the upcoming 2023 legislative session, which is set to begin Jan. 10, 2023.
Expect the release of interim charges over the coming weeks. These charges will give a preview into issues legislators and the legislative committees will tackle ahead of the 2023 session.
Elections
Until interim committee hearings start, all eyes will be on the 2022 primary elections set to begin March 1. Seven statewide seats — governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, comptroller and one of three seats on the Railroad Commission — are up for election.
In November, candidates from congressional and legislative offices will face off in district-based elections. Every seat in the 31-member Texas Senate is up for election with 16 Republican incumbents drawn into safe districts. Additionally, five incumbent members of the Texas Senate are not seeking reelection, and 25 incumbent members of the Texas House are not seeking reelection.
During the second called special session, Texas adopted new legislative maps. Multiple lawsuits have challenged the newly drawn maps. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus filed suit opposing these congressional and house district maps, arguing that the new maps dilute the Latino vote. Unless the courts step in, the Texas primary election will continue forward with the new maps.
Finance Committee Update
On Jan. 18, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named Sen. Joan Huffman as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, to replace Sen. Jane Nelson, who is retiring. Huffman has served on the Senate Committee on Finance since 2013. She also served as the chair of the Senate Committee on State Affairs for three regular legislative sessions, chair of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice. This past year, she was chair of the Senate Committee on Redistricting.
Sunset Advisory Commission
The Sunset Advisory Commission will convene during the interim. The Sunset Advisory Commission conducts a regular assessment of the continuing need for a state agency or program to exist in Texas. Below is a list of the agencies that will be assessed this interim:
- Anatomical Board of the State
- Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District
- Economic Development and Tourism
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Office of Independent Ombudsman for the Juvenile Justice Department
- Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee
- Texas Juvenile Justice Department
- Lavaca-Navidad River Authority
- Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (limited scope review)
- Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission
- Public Utility Commission of Texas
- Office of Public Utility Counsel
- San Antonio River Authority
- San Jacinto River Authority
- Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
- Office of State-Federal Relations
- Upper Guadalupe River Authority
- State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (limited scope review)
- Texas Water Development Board
- State Water Implementation Fund for Texas
Texas COVID-19 Update
On Jan. 18, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit on behalf of Gov. Greg Abbott regarding President Biden’s recent vaccine requirement for members of the military. The suit states that neither the president nor federal military officials can order non-federalized Texas National Guardsmen to comply with a vaccination mandate or to direct disciplinary action for failure to comply with the mandate.
As of Jan. 21, Texas reported approximately 5.7 million cases, with 4.8 million confirmed cases and 959,832 probable cases reported since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations increased by 1,441 patients the week of Jan. 16, bringing the number of hospitalized patients to 13,094. Approximately 57.5 percent of Texas residents are vaccinated.
