Current Articles for February 27, 2025

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.

• Abbott's voucher schemes could be devastating to public schools. Advocate (Texas State Teachers Association), Winter 2024, pp. 10-13.
  Advocates against the implementation of education savings accounts. Considers other school-related subjects, such as cellphone bans; book bans resulting from HB 900, 88th Legislature, R.S.; school safety; restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; and other topics.
  See: https://indd.adobe.com/embed/bae1dd12-67e7-4c1c-aa1a-03b5b634e36d?startpage=6
  
• The Trump doctrine: A new Gilded Age of trade tariffs and territorial expansion. By Ned Temko. Christian Science Monitor, February 24, 2025, pp. 6-7.
  Considers President Donald Trump's foreign policy moves in the first month of his administration.
  See: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2025/0206/trump-mckinley-territory-expansion-tariffs
  
• Political exodus? Presidencies 'under siege'. By David Jesse. Chronicle of Higher Education, January 31, 2025, pp. 8-9.
  Considers the reality and potential future of presidents at public colleges and universities that face current political pressures. Uses former University of Texas at Austin President Jay Hartzell as a case study.
• Why stressed-out teachers should heed new health warnings about alcohol. By Elizabeth Heubeck. Education Week, February 5, 2025, p. 7.
  Discusses how alcohol abuse can affect teacher performance and health outcomes. Explores factors that contribute to teacher stress and mental health issues.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=ea06659f-425c-3dee-bb26-5a3c716f7d0b
  
• Texas communities face elevated wildfire threats. By Spencer Grubbs. Fiscal Notes, February 2025, pp. 1-4.
  Discusses the wildfire risk for large metro areas in Texas, including Austin and San Antonio. Notes that 85 percent of Texas wildfires start within two miles of a community in areas called wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones, where manmade structures meet undeveloped land with easy-to-ignite vegetation.
  See: https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/fiscal-notes/infrastructure/2025/fire-cost/
  
• Artificial intelligence in health and health care: Priorities for action. By Michael E. Matheny, et al. Health Affairs, February 2025, pp. 163-170.
  Explores the benefits and drawbacks of AI (artificial intelligence) in health care. Considers AI use, development, research, and awareness in health care settings.
  See: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.01003
  
• The number of family caregivers helping older US adults increased from 18 million to 24 million, 2011–22. By Jennifer L. Wolff, Jennifer C. Cornman, and Vicki A. Freedman. Health Affairs, February 2025, pp. 187-195.
  Reports on the significant increase in family caregivers attending older adults in the U.S. Considers impacts to number of care hours, employment, mental health, and child care responsibilities.
  See: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00978
  
• Bullets as pathogen—The need for public health and policy approaches. By Eric W. Fleegler, et al. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), February 18, 2025, pp. 565-566.
  Argues for bullet-centered regulation to lessen the burden of gun violence injuries and deaths in the U.S.
• Study finds limited evidence to support more than 40 predictive machine learning algorithms used in primary care. By Yulin Hswen and Jennifer Abbasi. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), January 17, 2025, pp. 1-5.
  Presents an interview with the author of a study related to AI (artificial intelligence) use and effectiveness in medicine. Offers perspectives on the usefulness and the drawbacks of employing AI in a health care context and to what extent AI should be regulated.
  See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2829486
  Report at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2823631
  
• The potential economic implications of the new administration. By M. Ray Perryman. Perryman Report and Texas Letter, February 2025, pp. 1-4, 6-7.
  Analyzes possible effects of the new presidential administration on the U.S. and Texas economy. Notes that some of the newly issued executive orders "are in conflict with Constitutional requirements" and that others face legitimate legal challenges. Adds that sweeping tax cuts may increase the already massive federal debt; that tariffs will lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers; and that while border security is crucial, responsible immigration is vital to the economy. Concludes overall that despite these challenges, the new administration is unlikely to hamper moderate economic growth.
• Where does all the water go? By Taka'aki Taira and Roland Bürgmann. Science, February 14, 2025, pp. 714-715.
  Considers a new method of measuring groundwater and groundwater storage more accurately by using seismic ground vibrations. Explains that areas which rely on groundwater would need a network of seismometers installed to track groundwater storage over time.
• Texas House unveils education package, setting table for policy fights. By Brad Johnson. Texan, February 24, 2025, pp. 1-3.
  Describes the education legislation recently introduced in the House, including school finance; teacher pay raises; and education savings accounts (HB 2 and HB 3, 89th Legislature). Mentions related bills on STAAR testing (HB 4), teacher's bill of rights (HB 6), applied sciences (HB 20), instructional materials (HB 100), junior reserve officer training corps (HB 120), and tutoring (HB 123).
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/education/texas-house-unveils-education-package-setting-table-for-polic ...
  
• Texas Senators approve constitutional amendment to deny bail for violent offenders. By Holly Hansen. Texan, February 21, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Discusses SJR 5, 89th Legislature, recently passed by the Senate, regarding bail for defendants charged with certain first degree felony offenses; violent offenses; or continuous trafficking of persons.
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/criminal-justice/texas-senators-approve-constitutional-amendment-to-den ...
  
• 'Texas two step': House school choice, public education funding bills filed. By Cameron Abrams. Texan, February 20, 2025, pp. 1-3.
  Explores two major education bills filed recently in the House: HB 2, 89th Legislature, addressing public school finance, teacher pay raises, funding formulas, teacher incentives, and administration procedures; and HB 3, 89th Legislature, relating to school choice and education savings accounts.
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/education/texas-two-step-house-school-choice-public-education-funding-b ...
  
• Speaker Burrows remodels Texas House with all-Republican chairs. By Joelle DiPaolo. Texas Observer, February 14, 2025, pp. 1-3.
  Reports on the recent assignment of House committees for the 89th Texas Legislature. Notes that the newly elected Speaker, Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), remodeled the House power structure to require that members of the majority party lead all of the now-30 standing committees. Adds that as part of the rules package, Burrows eliminated six committees and created two new ones, including the Delivery of Government Efficiency committee, modeled on Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
  See: https://www.texasobserver.org/speaker-burrows-new-gop-chairs-texas-house/
  
• Trans Texans are under attack (again), but advocates aren’t giving in. By Joelle DiPaolo. Texas Observer, February 11, 2025, pp. 1-4.
  Discusses how LGBTQ+ groups in Texas are preparing for the current legislative session, which has already introduced more than 50 new anti-transgender bills. Mentions SB 14 and SB 15, 88th Legislature, R.S., which banned gender-affirming care for minors and expanded an earlier ban on trans girls competing in women's sports, as well as HB 1655, HB 344, HB 1123, HB 847, HB 477, and SB 115, 89th Legislature. Mentions SB 110, 88th Legislature, R.S.
  See: https://www.texasobserver.org/trans-texans-advocates-fight-2025-legislative-session/
  
• How Trump's tariffs could hike prices in the U.S. By Alana Semuels. Time, February 24, 2025, p. 11.
  Explains how President Donald Trump's tariffs on China and threatened tariffs on Mexico and Canada may raise prices on some goods in the U.S., including automobiles; housing; and items bought at online retailers.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=f08914d1-c7ff-3346-a7ab-067a3709687b
  
• A thousand cuts. By Simon Shuster and Brian Bennett. Time, February 24, 2024, pp. 7-10.
  Discusses the ongoing purge of the federal government by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which over the last few weeks has shut down some agencies; hobbled others; and put thousands of federal employees out of work. Notes that some experts are celebrating the moves as necessary cost-cutting, while others are filing lawsuits to try to stop the pace of the changes.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=eaf8f2db-b4fd-3941-aac9-abecf148cab2