Current Articles for August 15, 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.
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Plenty of opinions: Forum shopping happens, but has the Northern District of Texas gone too far?
By Anna Stolley Persky.
ABA Journal: The Lawyer's Magazine, August/September 2024, pp. 30-31.
Highlights the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Amarillo and the ways its case assignment process encourages forum shopping by conservative activist lawyers. Discusses the judges of the Northern District of Texas and their reticence to adopt rules aimed at curbing judge shopping, such as random case assignment for judges.
See: https://abajournal.com/magazine/article/forum-shopping-happens-but-has-the-northern-district-of-texa ...
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The future belongs to American companies, not necessarily to Americans.
By Tom Orlik.
Bloomberg Businessweek, August 2024, pp. 25-27.
Outlines the growing influence of large corporations in U.S. government and politics. Questions the relationship between corporate interests and the wellbeing of the American public.
See: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-18/ai-revolution-boosts-market-value-of-us-companies
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Moody v. NetChoice settles little on platform transparency.
By Becca Branum.
Center for Democracy and Technology, August 6, 2024, pp. 1-6.
Discusses the recently decided U.S. Supreme Court case Moody v. NetChoice, which focused on the constitutionality of social media platform transparency mandates. Notes that although the Court was unanimous in its judgment that the cases be remanded for further consideration, and a majority of justices stated clearly that the First Amendment protects the curation and compilation of online and offline speech, there is still much work to do to understand the intricacies of how the First Amendment protects social media platforms and their users.
See: https://cdt.org/insights/moody-v-netchoice-settles-little-on-platform-transparency/
Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-277_d18f.pdf
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Chinese migrants arriving in the US find robust supports and harsh realities.
By Francine Kiefer.
Christian Science Monitor, July 29, 2024, pp. 8-11.
Continues a previously published report about Chinese immigration in the U.S. Explores the expansive network of community-led resources for Chinese immigrants in California. Highlights issues arising from the sharp rise of Chinese migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
See: https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2024/0522/chinese-migrants-border-jobs-housing
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Closing the door: The anti-immigration revolt.
Economist, July 27th-August 9th, 2024, pp. 61-62.
Reports on current anti-immigration policies in different countries. Considers how these policies might affect the economy. Includes examples from the past.
See: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2024/07/21/the-rich-world-revolts-against-sky-high-i ...
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Native spirit: Life, liberty and the pursuit of liquor.
Economist, July 27th-August 9th, 2024, p. 23.
Discusses the Hobby Distillers Association v. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau opinion issued by a federal district court judge in Texas.
Related information at: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.384014/gov.uscourts.txnd.384014.49.0_1.pdf
See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/07/25/a-texas-judge-gives-a-nod-to-americas-at-home-dis ...
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State information request: Cell phone use policies.
By Erin Whinnery.
Education Commission of the States, July 11, 2024, pp. 1-3.
Reviews state policies about cellphone use in schools. Considers both enacted legislation and legislation that did not pass. Notes SB 2375, 88th Legislature, R.S. from Texas.
See: https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/State-Information-Request_Cell-Phone-Use-Policies.pdf
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Ten years into the Gulf Research Program.
By Lauren Alexander Augustine.
Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2024, pp. 75-77.
Summarizes the work of the Gulf Research Program (GRP), which was created in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon criminal settlement agreement.
See: https://issues.org/gulf-research-program-augustine/
Related information at: https://www.nationalacademies.org/gulf/gulf-research-program
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Return of the 'scorpions'.
By Mario Loyola and Richard A. Epstein.
National Review, September 2024, pp. 47-50.
Considers how the current U.S. Supreme Court is paring away federal agency regulatory authority in Loper Bright v. Raimondo which overturned Chevron v. National Resources Defense Council. Provides the historical context of the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions striking down Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs. Notes other landmark cases that have impacted the amount of power wielded by federal agencies
See: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=178602202&site=ehost-live
Related information at: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep467/usrep467837/usrep467837.pdf
Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-451_7m58.pdf
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Congressional efforts to minimize the impacts of wildfires.
By Liz Johnson.
Natural Resources & Environment, Spring 2024, pp. 54-55.
Discusses recent federal legislative actions addressing wildfires.
See: https://www.bdlaw.com/publications/congressional-efforts-to-minimize-the-impacts-of-wildfires/
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Pore space: The final frontier.
By Abigail M. Jones.
Natural Resources & Environment, Spring 2024, pp. 55-57.
Considers the ownership of pore space within the context of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Summarizes the current status of pore space ownership in each of the states that make up the four regional hydrogen hubs with proposed CCS projects. Includes information about Texas. -
States push back against 4-day school week.
By Matthew Lysiak.
Newsmax, August 2024, p. 26.
Reviews steps state legislators are taking to incentivize schools retaining a five-day school week. Mentions Senator Donna Campbell. -
How we reached our goal: Finding a path to affordable clean energy.
By Susan Partain.
Public Power, May-June 2024, pp. 6-8, 10-11.
Profiles efforts by three public power utilities to reach significant clean energy milestones, including Denton Municipal Electric in Denton, Texas.
See: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/how-we-reached-our-goal-finding-path-affordable-clean ...
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Is it the humidity, or just the heat?
By Meredith Wadman.
Science, August 2, 2024, pp. 480-481.
Explores the role of humidity in heat-related deaths. Considers the urgency of the problem in the context of warmer global temperatures.
See: https://www.science.org/content/article/does-humidity-make-heat-more-deadly-scientists-are-divided
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Attorney General Paxton to investigate CenterPoint Energy for alleged fraud, waste.
By Holly Hansen.
Texan, August 12, 2024, pp. 1-2.
Discusses Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent announcement that he had opened an investigation into possible violations of state law amid allegations that CenterPoint had engaged in fraud, waste, and improper use of taxpayer dollars. Notes that the allegations stem from the company's slow progress on repairs after Hurricane Beryl, which left at least eight dead and some residents without power for nearly two weeks.
See: https://thetexan.news/issues/energy/attorney-general-paxton-to-investigate-centerpoint-energy-for-al ...
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Texas Senate committee requests documents related to Big Tech election interference investigation.
By Cameron Abrams.
Texan, August 12, 2024, pp. 1-2.
Notes that Meta, Google, TikTok, and X have all been formally issued document requests as part of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs. Adds that the document requests stem from a May committee hearing at which whistleblowers offered testimony that included allegations of election interference at the big tech platforms. Mentions state Senator Bryan Hughes, who chairs the committee, and Senator Paul Bettencourt.
See: https://thetexan.news/state/texas-state-news/texas-senate-committee-requests-documents-related-to-bi ...
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Hurricane Beryl barreled across Texas, leaving behind damages.
By Shelby Shank and Emmy Powell.
Texas Agriculture, August 2, 2024, p. 23.
Discusses the damage done to Texas farms and ranches by Hurricane Beryl, which hit the Houston area in July and moved through East Texas. Notes that Beryl impacted 235,000 acres of crops in Wharton and Matagorda Counties, the hardest-hit areas for crop damage.
See: http://texasagriculture.texasfarmbureau.org/articles/hurricane-beryl-barreled-across-texas-leaving-b ...
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Texas lawmakers push for Mexico to deliver on water debt.
By Shelby Shank.
Texas Agriculture, August 2, 2024, p. 22.
Discusses attempts by Texas Congressional lawmakers to force Mexico to deliver on its water debt owed to the U.S. under the 1944 Water Treaty. Mentions an amendment introduced as part of the National Defense Authorization Act by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, which would restrict federal aid and prohibit trade and development funds for Mexico if it fails to deliver the agreed-upon amount of water.
See: https://texasfarmbureau.org/texas-lawmakers-push-for-mexico-to-deliver-on-water-debt/
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Texas' AI pioneers: Texas medical students take the lead in technology.
By Alisa Pierce.
Texas Medicine, August 2024, pp. 36-38.
Details the first-ever dual degree program in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and medicine, offered at the University of Texas as San Antonio. Discusses the foundation and the creation of the program, including the need for the study of AI in medicine.
See: https://www.texmed.org/TexasMedicineDetail.aspx?id=64555
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Waiting out the storm in prison.
By Michelle Pitcher.
Texas Observer, July 26, 2024, pp. 1-2.
Describes the experiences of Texas inmates who sheltered in place during Hurricane Beryl and who experienced hardships such as a loss of power, leaks due to heavy rain, and stifling heat. Outlines the steps the Texas Department of Criminal Justice usually takes to prepare for and weather storms.
See: https://www.texasobserver.org/waiting-out-beryl-in-prison/