SENATE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
COMMITTEE: Finance
TIME & DATE: 10:00 AM, Wednesday, September 2, 2026
PLACE: E1.036
(Finance Room)
CHAIR: Senator Joan Huffman
The Senate Finance Committee will meet Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:
· Further Property Tax Cuts: The Homestead Exemption has proven overwhelmingly popular with voters. It has eliminated school property taxes for the average senior and reduced school taxes in half for those under 65. Study and report on the effect of the continued increasing of the Homestead Exemption. Assess the impact of reducing the senior homestead exemption from 65 to 55 years of age. This change would freeze home values 10 years sooner for over 3 million homeowners, saving 55 plus homeowners thousands of additional dollars.
· Preventing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse: Review state agencies' strategies to detect and mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse. Quantify the fiscal impact of financial impropriety on the state budget. Identify high-risk areas such as entitlement programs, contracted services, and technology contracts. Assess prevention and recovery efforts, including data analytics, reporting mechanisms, financial recoveries, and prosecutions. Make recommendations to strengthen oversight and better protect public funds.
Public testimony is limited to 2 minutes. Witnesses that wish to provide oral testimony need to fill out a paper witness registration card and submit it to the clerk. Witnesses that wish to register a position only, or only submit written testimony, should register electronically on the kiosk located outside of the hearing room. If submitting written testimony, please provide 40 copies, with your name on each copy, to the committee during the hearing.
NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WHO PLAN TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER OR PERSONAL ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES, ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT THE SENATE COMMITTEE COORDINATOR AT 512/463-0070, 72 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING SO APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.