Interim Study

Interim studies are studies of legislative and policy issues that may be requested by any member of the House or Senate. They often address issues that have been the subject of legislation that failed to pass in previous sessions, or emerging issues that are deemed worthy of more in-depth consideration.

Interim studies must be requested by House and Senate members by a deadline set by each chamber. Interim studies are assigned by each chamber’s leadership to committees, whose chairs then decide whether to schedule a meeting on the subject. In some cases, House study requests on similar subjects are combined into a single study. Some studies may be considered jointly by the House and Senate. In 2025, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert approved 154 interim study requests, while Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton approved 91 interim studies. 

Interim studies are typically held from September to November and usually meet at the State Capitol. A committee may devote from a single hour to several full meetings to each study. Local and national experts may be invited to testify at interim study meetings. Interim studies rarely generate formal reports or recommendations, but their work can guide future legislation.