The next Texas legislative session won’t start until early 2027, but lawmakers are already laying out their priorities.
The Texas Legislature meets every two years — during off years, legislative committees meet to shape legislation, bolster stakeholder engagement and find policy solutions in advance of the coming session. The priorities for those early meetings are known as “interim charges.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the interim charges for the Texas Senate last week and state Sen. Cesar Blanco was among those to see some of his priorities included. Blanco offered up action focused on water planning, economic accountability, infrastructure and public safety.
“These charges set the foundation for the next session,” Blanco, D-El Paso, said in a news release. “This is where we do the work to better understand the challenges we’re facing and develop practical, responsible solutions for our communities.”
Following is a breakdown of the issues Blanco advanced:
“I’m grateful to the Lt. Governor for including several of my recommended charges as part of the Senate’s interim work,” Blanco said. “Water security, infrastructure demands, and accountability in how we use public resources are issues communities are dealing with right now. These studies are an important step toward making sure state policy keeps up with that reality.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas lawmakers set priorities for 2027 legislative session
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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