The commissioners generally hold a work session every month. These work sessions usually last approximately two hours.

The commissioners' work sessions are informal meetings of the agency leadership where potential rules, policy issues, national issues, and other issues of interest to the commission are discussed. From time to time, work sessions may also be used to provide guidance to staff regarding policy direction and priorities. Like agenda meetings, work sessions require a quorum of the commissioners and, therefore, are subject to the Open Meetings Act.

Who participates in the work sessions?
Work session participants include the commissioners, the general counsel, the executive director, the deputy executive director, appropriate deputy directors, and staff. Public testimony may be received for items posted for public comment.

Beginning October 2003, the commissioners added a public comment item to the work session. This public comment may last for up to one hour. There is a sign in process at the meeting for anyone who wishes to comment and the commission may limit the comment time of each speaker to accommodate as many speakers as possible. The laws governing agency procedure prohibit comments regarding specific pending permit applications or enforcement matters.

How are issues referred to and scheduled for work sessions?
Issues may be referred to a work session by any commissioner, their executive assistants, the general counsel, executive director, deputy executive director, or the respective deputy director. Future work session items may be identified during the meeting.

How may the public learn what issues are scheduled?
Once a work session agenda has been approved, the Chief Clerk's Office will forward a notice to the Secretary of State for the open meetings Web page. The public may view the agenda either on the TCEQ Agendas Web page or the Secretary of State Open Meetings Web page.

What happens to the materials submitted by staff?
Four days prior to the scheduled work session, agency staff will prepare a briefing packet of all executive summaries and support materials that have been received for the work session. Copies of the packet are distributed to all work session participants, the commissioners' executive assistants, and any program staff involved in the preparation of executive summaries.

Copies of these briefing packets are generally available at the work session for other staff and members of the public, or the information, when available, may be downloaded from the work session Web page for the upcoming work session. Some items may not have briefing packets, but those that do will generally be accessible through this Web site the day before the work session. The agenda and backup are maintained in the Chief Clerk's Office for a period of two years.

What happens at a work session?
Scheduled items will be presented by the appropriate program deputy and support staff. The commissioners may respond to the staff presentation by asking questions, discussing their respective points of view, providing direction or instructions, and/or requesting more information.

Are minutes from work sessions available?
Yes, as with the agenda meetings, the chief clerk maintains recordings of all work sessions. Copies of recordings may be obtained by contacting the Chief Clerk's Office at 512/239-3300. Staff prepare a brief summary of action taken by the commissioners. These summaries, called Marked Work Session Agendas, are available from the Work Sessions -- Marked Agendas Web page.

Who may I contact if I have questions about the Work Sessions?
Contact Steve Brachel of the Chief Clerk's Office at 512/239-2207.