Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced new Senate committee chairs and assignments for the 2026 interim, establishing leadership that will help shape priorities for the 90th Texas Legislature in January 2027.

Key education-related appointments include Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) as Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) will continue to lead the Senate Finance Committee. 

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had previously released the first round of Senate interim charges, directing committees to study key issues ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature. These initial charges focused on several priority areas:

• Property Tax Relief (Finance): Continued expansion of the homestead exemption and potential changes to eligibility, with direct implications for school district funding.
• Education Policy (Education): Review of school partnerships and activities to ensure alignment with “America and Texas-first” priorities.
• State Governance (State Affairs): Examination of legal frameworks and development practices, including a directive to review concerns related to the application of foreign legal systems (referred to in the charge as “Sharia law”) in Texas.
• Infrastructure & Supply Chain (Business & Commerce): Evaluation of risks to the electric grid and other critical systems, including foreign influence.
• Fraud Prevention (Health & Human Services): Identification of strategies to reduce fraud and abuse in state-funded programs.

These charges will guide committee hearings and recommendations throughout the interim and provide an early indication of issues likely to be prioritized in the next legislative session.

We anticipate charges from the House, as well as additional charges from the Senate, to be released in the coming weeks.