LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL
Seal of the Senate of the State of Texas Welcome to the Official Website for the Texas Senate
Seal of the Senate of the State of Texas
Welcome to the official website for the
Texas Senate
 
Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
NOTE: This is archived committee information from the 86th Legislative Session.

Committee Information

CHAIR
Kelly Hancock

VICE-CHAIR
Robert Nichols

MEMBERS
Donna Campbell
Brandon Creighton
José Menéndez
Angela Paxton
Charles Schwertner
John Whitmire
Judith Zaffirini

 

TEL:
(512) 463-0365

LOCATION:
Sam Houston Building, 370

Hearing Documents and other Downloads

Interim Charges

  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Examine current state and local laws regulating unmanned aerial vehicles. Identify any legislative changes needed to streamline regulation in a manner that promotes commerce and innovation while protecting public safety and the privacy and property rights of Texans.
  • Electricity: Assess the electricity market in Texas. Examine changes in customer demand, such as on-site storage, distributed generation, and electric vehicles. Study the usage of "non-wires alternatives," including energy storage, and recommend legislative changes if needed. Identify barriers to the electric market at the state or local level. Make recommendations to maintain grid reliability and encourage the continued success of the electric market.
  • Health Care Costs: Study the cost of health care in Texas. Make recommendations to increase access to affordable quality health care. Explore potential opportunities and recommend best practices to continue to curb rising health care costs. Study and report on ways to increase consumer health care options, provide flexibility in the market, and decrease the uninsured rate in Texas, including 1115 and 1332 waivers.
  • Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce passed by the 86th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:
    • Senate Bill 14, relating to broadband service or facilities provided by an electric cooperative;
    • Senate Bill 1264, relating to consumer protections against certain medical and health care billing by certain out-of-network providers;
    • House Bill 2536, relating to transparency related to drug costs; and
    • Senate Bill 1004 (85th Legislature), relating to the deployment of network nodes in public right-of-way.