Current Articles for June 05, 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.

• Meat, the future: The role of regulators in the lab-grown revolution. By Joseph B. DaVault and Michael S. Sinha. American Journal of Law & Medicine, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2025, pp. 69-99.
  Considers the benefits and drawbacks of lab-grown meat. Reviews the current regulatory landscape surrounding lab-grown meat. Provides policy recommendations.
  See: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-journal-of-law-and-medicine/article/abs/meat-the-fu ...
  
• Reincorporation: The Trojan horse of self-dealing. By Angela N. Aneiros. Baylor Law Review, Winter 2025, pp. 67-130.
  Examines the emerging trend of Delaware corporations reincorporating in states like Texas and Nevada, which offer robust liability protections to officers and directors. Argues that reincorporation—a tactic which ostensibly grants general shareholders greater decision-making authority—actually diminishes the rights of shareholders by vesting greater power in directors and controlling shareholders.
  See: https://law.baylor.edu/sites/g/files/ecbvkj1546/files/2025-04/08 Aneiros.pdf
  
• Early action for youth mental health and substance use: Prevention, identification, and support. Bipartisan Policy Center, April 2025, pp. 1-29.
  Presents recommendations of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force to promote youth mental health and prevent substance abuse. Focuses on four main areas: strengthening substance abuse prevention and early intervention programs; enhancing data-driven decision-making and accountability; leveraging the child welfare, school, and military systems for youth mental health promotion; and expanding and investing in access to prevention and early intervention services. Discusses the importance of federal funding and support to the states for opioid response, children's mental health, and children-focused cabinets or commissions.
  See: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/download/?file=/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BPC-Early-Action-for-Youth-M ...
  
• Making the DTPA effective at protecting vulnerable consumers. By Kyle Henk. Houston Law Review, Symposium 2025, pp. 843-866.
  Discusses the enforcement of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) from its establishment by HB 417, 63rd Legislature, R.S., to how it can be interpreted today to allow county attorneys to serve as a solution for consumer protection. Provides legislative intent and history for sections of the Business & Commerce Code. Provides fraud statistics.
  See: https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/hulr62&i=875
  See: https://houstonlawreview.org/article/137783-making-the-dtpa-effective-at-protecting-vulnerable-consu ...
  
• Long-running lawsuit against Texas' foster care system appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. By Eleanor Klibanoff. The Imprint: Youth & Family News, May 21, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Discusses the appeal by lawyers representing children in Texas foster care to the U.S. Supreme Court requesting intervention in the state's foster care lawsuit. Notes the removal of U.S. District Judge Janis Jack in October 2024.
  See: https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/long-running-lawsuit-against-texas-foster-care-system-appealed-t ...
  Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public\24-1168.html
  Related information at: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/16/texas-us-supreme-court-foster-care/
  
• Supplying state legislatures with scientific expertise. By Adam C. Jones, Jonathan Z. Kaye, and Harvey V. Fineberg. Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2025, pp. 78-79.
  Discusses how some state legislatures utilize science policy fellows as a way to provide specialized and technical expertise in fields in which legislators may have less familiarity.
  See: https://issues.org/state-science-technology-fellows-jones-kaye-fineberg/
  
• How AI could reshape health care—Rise in direct-to-consumer models. By Kenneth D. Mandl. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), May 20, 2025, pp. 1667-1669.
  Considers artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in health care settings and in direct-to-consumer health care platforms.
  See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2830738
  
• Casino capitalism 2.0: The legalization and rapid spread of sports betting has made problem gambling everyone's problem. By John Semley. Nation, June 2025, pp. 40, 42-45, 67.
  Chronicles the expansion and commercialization of legalized sports betting and the resulting rise in problem gambling. Notes the correlation between severe gambling problems and mental health concerns, including suicide. Discusses the "gamblification" of other arenas of American life, including betting on politics as a form of civic engagement.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=5b5e8f02-4fac-3662-8d8f-4fa80ccfc9b2
  See: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/online-gambling-sports/
  
• When IVF met MAHA. By Leah Libresco Sargeant. National Review, July 2025, pp. 28-29.
  Reflects on pro-life conservatives, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Suggests that researching and treating women's infertility rather than jumping to IVF may align better with a pro-life stance. Considers whether MAHA will be adequate to address women's fertility concerns.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=25373715-9fc6-3405-834d-3eebf478755f
  
• 30-day forecasts? Weather prediction has room to run. By Paul Voosen. Science, May 22, 2025, pp. 800-801.
  Relates the limits of weather forecasting, explaining forecasts beyond two weeks have long been considered grossly inaccurate. Projects that artificial intelligence may eventually provide means to accurate weather forecasting a month in advance or more.
  See: https://www.science.org/content/article/30-day-forecast-weather-prediction-might-be-able-look-beyond ...
  
• Duty to warn. By Ripley Cleghorn. Scientific American, June 2025, p. 14.
  Discusses how laws affect the presence of toxic ingredients in consumer products. Explains that companies replace ingredients that legally require warnings on package labels with safer ingredients. Presents a California law as an example.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=0f9f0933-eb4e-3df9-8f4d-d8fbfdf069fd
  
• Artificial intelligence in Texas: Navigating the risks, benefits, and uncharged boundaries of an emerging technology. By Jordanna Tobias. St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics, Summer 2025, pp. 321-348.
  Analyzes artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on the law profession in Texas. Explores the risks and benefits of incorporating AI technology into the legal industry and emphasizes the need for a dedicated regulatory framework addressing AI integration. Discusses legislative initiatives related to AI usage in the legal profession from Texas and other states.
  See: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1184&context=lmej
  
• Asegurar la frontera: Expansion of Greg Abbott's powers of border security. By Marshall B. Lloyd. St. Mary's Law Journal, Spring 2025, pp. 553-620.
  Posits that despite the limited authority envisioned by the authors of the Texas Constitution, minimal restraint from the Republican-controlled legislature has led to an ongoing effort to expand the governor's powers. Describes this effort starting with former governor Rick Perry and traces it to the current administration, noting Governor Abbott's consolidation of power despite opposition from civil liberties groups, Republican officials, and other elected officials. Uses border security and the COVID-19 response as examples.
  See: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2805&context=thestmaryslawjournal
  
• Who owns lithium? The wild, wild west of the future. By Celia C. Flowers and Melanie S. Reyes-Rawls. State Bar of Texas: Oil, Gas and Energy Resources, Spring 2025, pp. 34-46.
  Reports on the growing interest in extracting minerals, such as lithium, from brine. Explores various questions addressing who owns lithium, who owns brine, and the rights of developers. Refers to relevant Texas case law and statutes.
• 2025 Texas legislative session ends after passing education funding, school choice, THC ban. By Brad Johnson. Texan, June 2, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Provides a session wrap-up of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, including property tax relief; education savings accounts; school finance; water infrastructure; the Texas Lottery; and the THC ban.
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/89th-session/2025-texas-legislative-session-ends-after-passi ...
  
• Abortion legislation roundup: Bills taken up during 89th session. By Mary Elise Cosgray. Texan, June 3, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Summarizes the final status of abortion legislation in the 89th Legislature, including the Life of the Mother Act (SB 31); taxpayer-funded abortion travel (SB 33); medication abortion (SB 2880); the Thriving Texas Families program (SB 1388); and amendments to the state budget.
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/social-issues-life-family/abortion-legislation-roundup-bills-taken-up-d ...
  
• GOP priority legislation dies in Texas Legislature following constitutional deadlines. By Brad Johnson. Texan, May 30, 2025, pp. 1-3.
  Reviews notable bills that perished at legislative deadlines in both chambers, including legislation on public libraries, transportation infrastructure, abortion pills, and "Death Star 2.0" (local government preemption).
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/89th-session/gop-priority-legislation-dies-in-texas-legislat ...
  
• Texas House and Senate strike last-minute deal on judicial pay raises, lawmaker pension increases. By Brad Johnson. Texan, June 2, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Discusses legislation relating to judicial salaries and legislative pensions in SB 293, 89th Legislature, and negotiations between the House and Senate.
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/texas-taxes-spending/texas-house-and-senate-strike-last-minute-deal-on- ...