Legislative Services

New AI Training Deadline Approaches

House Bill 3512 by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake), enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature, requires state and local government officials and employees who use artificial intelligence systems in their work to complete approved AI training at least once every 12 months. Training must be completed by Aug. 31. Counties must also verify and report training completion to the Texas Department of Information Resources by Aug. 31 each year. Read more here.

TAC’s County Information Resources Agency offers the required training free of charge. Sign up here.

Abbott, Patrick and Burrows Instruct Belt Tightening

With the Aug. 31 end to fiscal year 2026 fast approaching, the state’s three chief officers, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows, issued a joint directive to state agencies, appellate courts and institutions of higher education to reduce their base appropriation requests by 3%. Some exemptions were provided. Read more here.

Appointments Install New Statewide Officials

Gov. Greg Abbott moved quickly to fill vacancies created by the departures of former Secretary of State Jane Nelson and former acting Comptroller of Public Accounts Kelly Hancock. Republican candidate for comptroller and former state Sen. Don Huffines now serves as comptroller until the Nov. 3 general election, when he faces Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin) in his bid for a full four-year term. Texas is one of nine states in which the governor appoints the secretary of state, so new Secretary of State Robert Howden will serve pending confirmation by the Senate, likely sometime after the Jan. 12 opening day of the 90th Legislature.

Additional Senate Interim Charges Issued

In March, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a second round of interim charges, and left open the possibility of additional forthcoming study topics for Senate committees. On July 27, Patrick announced a third round of interim charges. The new study topics relate to religious liberty, online gaming and event ticket resale, among other topics. See the full list.

House and Senate Committees at Work

In March, Speaker Dustin Burrows issued interim charges directing House committees to study a wide range of perennial and emerging issues in Texas. Committees continue their work on the task.

Several hearings have taken place since our last update (click links to view archival footage). Recent hearings include:

Land & Resource Management, July 20: Examined methods to improve housing attainability and affordability by evaluating local government development-related fees, strategies to expedite residential permitting (including third-party reviews) and the feasibility of pre-approving reusable residential building plans.

Additional hearings are available in the House’s archive.

Senate hearings to examine Lt. Gov. Patrick’s interim charges (both the initial round and the subsequent) are also underway. A selection:

Health & Human Services, July 7: Examined the societal impacts of THC product consumption, including health care costs, mental health emergency detentions and criminal justice outcomes, and recommended strategies to reduce associated health care and criminal justice costs. Examined the state's mental health and homelessness services, including competency restoration and civil commitment processes and recommended ways to prioritize treatment for the most acute populations and reduce public safety threats. Testimony by Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne and Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp begins at around the 2:40:10 mark.

Additional hearings are available in the Senate’s archive.

Notices of upcoming meetings will be posted on dedicated House and Senate websites.

Applications Now Open for the 2027 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards
(From the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality)

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is accepting applications for the 2027 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards (TEEA) through Friday, Aug. 28.

The TEEA is an annual awards program that honors achievements in environmental preservation and protection by citizens, communities, businesses and organizations throughout Texas. The awards are presented across 10 categories, which can be found on the TEEA webpage. 

Go to the How to Apply webpage for instructions on each application method. If you have any questions or need assistance with the application, TCEQ staff are available at awards@tceq.texas.gov. 

Texas Historical Commission Accepting Preservation Award Applications
(From the Texas Historical Commission)

The Texas Historical Commission is inviting communities across the state to nominate outstanding individuals and groups for their annual Preservation Awards. These awards recognize accomplishments and exemplary leadership in the fields of archeology, historic architecture, museums, community heritage and more. Nominations are open through Aug. 15.

Month in Review is a collaborative column from TAC Legislative Services.