House Committee on Energy Resources 

#6 Energy Industry Impacting Roads?  Evaluate the impact energy exploration and production have on state and county roads and make recommendations on how to improve road quality in areas impacted by these activities. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Transportation) 

#1 Harvey & Transportation.  Review the state’s response to Hurricane Harvey and natural disaster preparedness with respect to the transportation system and transportation infrastructure. Make recommendations for improving agency operations related to emergency preparedness and response. 

#2 TXDOT Contracting, Speed & Delivery.  Study the ability of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to deliver highway construction projects that reduce congestion and improve mobility, including the Department’s options and limitations related to contracting. Make recommendations to improve the Department’s ability to complete complex projects on time and under cost. 

#3 Trasnportation Funding Effective? Study the efficacy of existing transportation finance mechanisms from state, regional, and local perspectives. Identify opportunities to improve existing transportation finance mechanisms and investigate the feasibility of developing new ones. 

#4 Toll Transparency.  Study Texas’ various toll authorities and evaluate their transparency and stakeholder responsiveness. Make recommendations to improve the state oversight of toll authorities.

#5 Freight. Big Trucks.  Review the management of the oversize/overweight permitting system and ensure that the state is adequately protecting the driving public and road integrity. Make recommendations to improve operations. 

#6 Transportation Tech Trends.  Study emerging issues in transportation related to technology and evaluate the state’s preparedness for addressing challenges and opportunities posed by technological advances. Review the implementation of state and federal programs and legislation related to intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e. drones), and other technological changes. 

#7  Transportation Barriers to Trade. Review the current state of infrastructure at Texas’ international shipping ports and border ports of entry in Texas. Identify transportation-related impediments to international trade and estimate the impact of those challenges, including border wait times, on the state’s economy. Make recommendations for improvements to facilitate international trade and economic growth. (Joint charge with the House Committee on International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs) 

#8  Energy Industry Impacting Roads? Evaluate the impact energy exploration and production have on state and county roads and make recommendations on how to improve road quality in areas impacted by these activities. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Energy Resources) 

Senate Transportation Committee 

Funding Opportunities for Texas Ports: Review the state’s appropriations for Texas’ ports and the Ship Channel Improvement Revolving Fund and make recommendations for increased investment to meet future needs. 

Project Acceleration: Study and make recommendations regarding segregating state and federal transportation funding to accelerate project delivery. 

Toll Road Penalties: Review penalty practices employed by toll authorities throughout the state and make recommendations to improve customer service and eliminate unjustified penalties.