Texas Scorecard By Brandon Waltens April 23, 2026
The committee is expected to guide legislation on local regulations, taxpayer-funded nonprofits, transparency laws, and other issues ahead of the next session.
Texas House lawmakers are eyeing a broader crackdown on local governments, taxpayer-funded nonprofits, and outside influence on public officials, as a new oversight committee begins its work ahead of the next legislative session.
The panel’s wide-ranging agenda includes everything from regulatory policy to examining whether parts of neighboring New Mexico could join Texas.
State Rep. Cody Vasut (R–Angleton), who chairs the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight, told Texas Scorecard the committee’s work will focus on identifying gaps in current law and determining whether existing statutes are being followed.
“Our main role is to study several very important issues to understand whether or not current law is being complied with, or whether there’s gaps in the law,” Vasut said. “That’s kind of the theme that goes across each item … and I hope that what we find is going to guide a lot of good bills next session, critical bills.”
Among the committee’s top priorities is a review of the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act—often referred to by critics as the “Death Star” law—which limits the ability of local governments to impose regulations beyond state law in key areas like labor and business practices.
Vasut signaled that lawmakers are already considering expanding the law’s reach and strengthening how it is enforced, saying the effort could amount to “Death Star 2.0.”
“The premise of the bill is a very good premise, which is that Texas businesses ought to be able to have predictability and an easy time doing business in Texas, regardless of whether they’re in the panhandle, the valley, or Southeast Texas,” he said.
-----
One of the more unusual charges assigned to the committee—examining the potential for parts of New Mexico to join Texas—has already drawn attention. But Vasut emphasized the issue is being taken seriously.
“It is serious. This is a real deal,” Vasut said.
He pointed to frustration among some counties in New Mexico that feel overlooked by their state government and said lawmakers want to explore whether a path exists for those areas to leave.
“They feel neglected by their state government. They feel left behind. They feel probably more naturally aligned with Texas, culturally and perhaps politically, perhaps economically,” Vasut said.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/new-mexico-annexation-death-star-2-0-on-agenda-for-new-house-oversight-committee/
