Current Articles for September 12, 2024

The Legislative Reference Library produces a weekly list of current journal articles for members of the legislative community. Each week, librarians select and abstract articles of interest to the legislature from the latest issues of over 300 journals, newsletters, state documents, and trade publications. Electronic copies of the Current Articles list are distributed to legislative offices each Thursday.

The Legislative Reference Library is located on the second floor of the State Capitol building in Room 2N.3. For more information, please call the Library at 512-463-1252.

• Designing state funding formulas for public higher education to center equity. By Kelly Rosinger, et al. Brookings Institution, August 9, 2024, pp. 1-6.
  Examines inequities in funding for public institutions of higher education in the U.S. Recommends ways to improve funding and make it more equitable.
  See: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/designing-state-funding-formulas-for-public-higher-education-to-c ...
  
• To strengthen economic security and advance equity, states should invest more TANF dollars in basic assistance. By Aditi Shrivastava and Maria Manansala. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, August 29, 2024, pp. 1-13.
  Argues that states should spend more Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds on basic cash assistance to low-income families, rather than unrelated state budget areas. Includes 50-state tables of federal TANF funds allocated to each state in 2022 and basic assistance spending by state in 2022.
  See: https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/8-29-24tanf.pdf
  
• Bitcoin and electricity markets: Power hungry. Economist, August 31st-September 6th, 2024, pp. 19-20.
  Provides a brief overview of the cryptocurrency industry in Texas. Reports on increased scrutiny and criticism of the industry's impact on the electric grid. Includes quotes from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Donna Campbell.
  See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/08/27/why-texas-republicans-are-souring-on-crypto
  
• Legally, breastfeeding teachers can pump at work. But can they, really? By Elizabeth Heubeck. Education Week, August 22, 2024, p. 9.
  Reveals obstacles preventing breastfeeding educators from pumping at work despite federal protections mandating accommodations. Focuses on a Texas teacher forced to stop pumping due to a lack of accommodations.
  See: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=179154919&site=ehost-live
  See: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/legally-breastfeeding-teachers-can-pump-at-work-but-can-the ...
  
• Should the Bible be taught in public schools? By Evie Blad. Education Week, August 22, 2024, pp. 16-17.
  Debates whether the Bible should be taught in public schools. Discusses the benefits and potential issues of using the Bible as an educational document. Examines the Texas Education Agency's open education resource textbooks as an example.
  See: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=179154924&site=ehost-live
  See: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/should-the-bible-be-taught-in-public-schools/2024/07
  
• Space to grow. By Jishnu Nair. Houston Business Journal, August 23-29, 2024, pp. 20-21.
  Describes the recent growth in the space manufacturing industry in Houston, the home of NASA. Notes that the recent NASA payload contract that took Houston-based Intuitive Machines to the moon, as well as other space missions by Houston companies, are catalysts for increased federal, state, and local funding. Highlights the work of several of these local companies, including Intuitive Machines, Novium, and Axiom Space.
• Texas tallies use of trash bags for foster youth. By John Kelly. The Imprint: Youth & Family News, September 8, 2024, p. 1.
  Discusses recent Texas legislation (HB 3765, 88th Legislature, R.S.) requiring the provision of luggage for youth in foster care and mandating a report by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on the instances in which trash bags are used by foster youth. Notes related legislation in Maryland and Oregon.
  See: https://imprintnews.org/youth-services-insider/texas-tallies-use-trash-bags-foster-youth/251612
  Report at: https://www.dfps.texas.gov/About_DFPS/Reports_and_Presentations/CPS/documents/2024/2024-08-30_HB3765 ...
  
• Strengthening oversight of education savings account (ESA) funding for private and at-home schooling. By Luis A. Huerta and Trevor Baisden. National Education Policy Center, September 5, 2024, pp. 1-33.
  Encourages greater oversight for education savings accounts (ESAs) for private schools and for homeschooling. Examines the skepticism of alternative education entities towards ESAs. Recommends oversight policies for ESAs. Profiles the ESA opinion landscape in Texas.
  See: https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/esa-vouchers
  
• The next school-choice battles: Realizing Milton Friedman's vision of a 'competitive private educational market'. By Nicole Stelle Garnett. National Review, October 2024, pp. 58-61.
  Considers impediments to state implementation of school-choice programs. Explains forthcoming issues for school choice in the context of litigation, regulation, innovation, resistance, and expansion.
  See: https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2024/10/the-next-school-choice-battles/
  
• The rule of mayhem: Federalism in the Roberts Court. By Michael Greve. National Review, October 2024, pp. 46-50.
  Discusses two recent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, National Pork Producers Council v. Ross and Mallory v. Norfolk Southern, that impact how states interact with other states' laws, characterized as the "horizontal" type of federalism. Examines how the Roberts Court decisions may affect states' laws and regulations and their enforcement, especially in relation to other states' laws and regulations.
  See: https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2024/10/how-the-roberts-court-mangles-federalism/
  Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-1168_kifl.pdf
  Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-468_5if6.pdf
  
• The last day: How declining enrollment threatens education nationwide. By Alec MacGillis. New Yorker, September 2, 2024, pp. 12-16.
  Discusses the state of public school enrollment, which has declined by about a million students since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notes that researchers attribute the drop to families switching to private schools and to homeschooling, as well as up to 50,000 students who are unaccounted for. Uses the Rochester, New York school district as a case study on why and how school districts lose students and close schools.
  See: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/09/02/school-closures-public-education-charters-homeschoolin ...
  
• Should we eliminate local property taxes? Research Report (Texas Taxpayers and Research Association), August 2024, pp. 1-4.
  Outlines the policy considerations in eliminating local property taxes. Reviews past legislative efforts to reduce property taxes.
  See: https://ttara.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Research_Report_Eliminating_Local_Taxes.pdf
  
• Hot days or heat waves: A split over how to count heat deaths. By Vivian La. Science, August 30, 2024, p. 922.
  Explains two metrics used to track heat-related deaths. Suggests that only looking at excess deaths during heat waves does not capture the entirety of deaths related to warmer temperatures. Notes that a lack of data from the global south also complicates obtaining a complete assessment of heat-related deaths.
  See: https://www.science.org/content/article/hot-days-or-heat-waves-researchers-debate-how-count-deaths-h ...
  
• Modernizing state sales taxes: A policymakers' guide. By Jared Walczak. Tax Foundation, September 2024, pp. 1-33.
  Provides a detailed overview of the sales tax as the second-largest source of state tax revenue, a stable and economically efficient tax, and a critical component of state and local government revenue. Argues state policymakers should explore sales tax base broadening while being cautious about the revenue available from taxation of digital products and services.
  See: https://taxfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FF845.pdf
  
• Judge blocks part of SCOPE Act requiring content 'monitoring and filtering' for minors. By Cameron Abrams. Texan, September 3, 2024, pp. 1-2.
  Reports on federal district judge Robert Pitman's ruling blocking the "monitoring-and-filter requirements" of the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act (HB 18, 88th Legislature, R.S.).
  Related information at: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172798016/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172798016.25 ...
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/social-issues-life-family/judge-blocks-part-of-scope-act-requiring-cont ...
  
• Texas' water supply dilemma subject of Senate committee hearing. By Brad Johnson. Texan, September 4, 2024, pp. 1-2.
  Summarizes a recent hearing of the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs on water supplies in Texas. Quotes Senator Charles Perry.
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/texas-state-senate-news/texas-water-supply-dilemma-subject-o ...
  
• In 2025, the Texas Legislature can help working families access the high-quality child care they need. By David Feigen. Texans Care for Children, September 2024, pp. 1-7.
  Recommends three strategies to strengthen child care in Texas, build up a supply of child care programs, and ensure child care programs can recruit and retain qualified staff.
  See: https://txchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Child-care-policy-brief-September-2024.pdf
  
• When will Texas workers finally get protections from heat exposure? By Josephine Lee. Texas Observer, September 5, 2024, pp. 1-4.
  Discusses the timing and impact of a new federal workplace heat safety proposed rule with U.S. Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas). Notes that from 2011 to 2022, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 479 workers in the United States died from heat exposure while nearly 34,000 suffered heat-related illnesses or injuries while on the job.
  Related information at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/30/2024-14824/heat-injury-and-illness-prevention-i ...
  See: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-workers-heat-exposure-osha-casar/