Texas House Speaker Joe Straus has released his charges for the House Interim Committees. To view the full list of charges, please click here.

The following are charges that we expect to be most relevant to TACT.

House Committee on Appropriations

• Monitor the performance of state agencies and institutions, including operating budgets, plans to carry out legislative initiatives, caseload projections, performance measure attainment, implementation of all rider provisions, and any other matter affecting the fiscal condition of the agencies and the state.


• Monitor the use of funds, adherence to state and federal reporting requirements, and ongoing development of federal rules and regulations provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Evaluate the impact of those funds on the state's economy. Joint Interim Charge with House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding


• Evaluate programs designed to assist students and families in paying the costs of accessing the state's higher education system, including financial aid programs and the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan. Examine the impact these programs have on student achievement and the Closing the Gaps initiative.


• Examine the state's higher education funding mechanisms, including approaches to funding capital improvement projects at public institutions of higher education. Evaluate modifications that would improve the institutions' national peer rankings and help the state to achieve its Closing the Gaps objectives, including improved community college transfer pathways and the impact of shifting the basis of the formula funding methodologies from attempted to completed hours. Joint Interim Charge with House Committee on Higher Education

House Committee on Higher Education

• Evaluate the state's continuing effort to close achievement gaps in success, participation, excellence, and research by 2015. Study how state public education institutions compare to peer institutions around the country.


• Study current financial aid programs, tuition and fee exemption programs, loan repayment programs, and professional incentive programs. Evaluate the impact of need-based versus merit-based assistance. Recommend changes where appropriate to improve the alignment of these programs to meet state needs.


• Review the structure and operation of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Evaluate the board's data collection systems, including costs to higher education institutions, and make recommendations for improvements.


• Study and recommend strategies for reducing the costs of instructional materials in higher education institutions, including electronic textbooks, open source materials, and other web-based resources.


• Examine the state's higher education funding mechanisms, including approaches to funding capital improvement projects at public institutions of higher education. Evaluate modifications that would improve the institutions' national peer rankings and help the state to achieve its Closing the Gaps objectives, including improved community college transfer pathways and the impact of shifting the basis of the formula funding methodologies from attempted to completed hours. Joint Interim Charge with House Committee on Appropriations

House Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services

• Examine Texas school districts' administration of their employees' optional retirement investments.


• Examine the performance and accountability of the Texas public pension funds and make recommendations as needed.