** REVISION **
SENATE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

COMMITTEE:    State Affairs 

TIME & DATE:  9:00 AM, Monday, December 10, 2012 

PLACE:        E1.016 (Hearing Room) 
CHAIR:        Senator Robert Duncan 

The Committee on State Affairs will meet to take up and consider the following interim charges:

Charge 1: Study the policies and actions the State can pursue to preserve state authority and protect Texas citizens from federal overreach in the form of conditional federal grants, conditional federal preemption, and excessive legislation and regulation interfering with states' enumerated powers by Congress.

Charge 2: Examine the Texas Workers Compensation system and make recommendations for changes to meet the needs of Texas employers and employees. Specifically, review the following

·                the dispute resolution process and benefits available from employers that do not subscribe to workers compensation;

·                the adequacy of income benefits in the workers' compensation system, specifically on high wage earners receiving the maximum compensation rate;

·                identify and report on fatalities in the Workers' Compensation System, including the amount of death and burial benefits paid to beneficiaries and the Subsequent Injury Fund since 2000;

·                the return-to-work numbers and results for injured employees in the Workers' Compensation System that are referred to the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services.

Charge 9: Examine the effectiveness of the Private Real Property Rights Preservation Act (Chapter 2007, Government Code), and whether it should apply to municipalities.

Charge 10: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the State Committee on State Affairs, 82nd Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the following:

·                implementation of SB 100, relating to the implementation of the MOVE Act, and the impact on local and statewide elections and military voters.

* Public testimony will be limited to three minutes per person.

* If submitting written testimony, please provide 20 copies with your affirmation card to committee staff prior to testifying.

** See Committee Coordinator for previous versions of the schedule **