Current Articles for June 12, 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.

• Deanda v. Becerra: The implications of the new legal attack on longstanding Title X policy. By Elizabeth Tobin-Tyler and Aidea Downie. American Journal of Law & Medicine, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2025, pp. 166-177.
  Considers Deanda v. Becerra, a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals case regarding adolescent access to reproductive services. Explains the roles of Title X policy and parental rights in the case.
  Related information at: https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/23/23-10159-CV0.pdf
  See: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-journal-of-law-and-medicine/article/abs/deanda-v-be ...
  
• Sustaining rural hospital access: Adjustments to Medicare rural hospital designations. By Emma Sheffert and Maya Sandalow. Bipartisan Policy Center, April 2025, pp. 1-23.
  Discusses rural health care and the financial challenges for rural hospitals, including Medicare rural designation programs. Presents policy recommendations relating to state flexibility in determining critical access hospital participation; stabilizing other rural designation and small prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals; the rural experience with Medicare Advantage; and rural emergency medical services.
  See: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/download/?file=/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/BPC_Rural_Hospitals_Issue_Br ...
  
• Texas embraces medical talent—Unless you’re from the "wrong" country. By Jeffrey A. Singer. Cato Institute, May 30, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Discusses HB 2038, 89th Legislature, that may significantly expand patient access to qualified physicians. Explains how international medical graduates that are licensed abroad may practice in Texas under this legislation. Notes that some physicians are excluded due to the countries in which they are licensed.
  See: https://www.cato.org/blog/texas-embraces-medical-talent-unless-youre-wrong-country
  
• Potential exile to El Salvador triggers the right to appointed counsel under the Criminal Justice Act and the Due Process Clause after Trump v. J.G.G. By Stephen R. Sady. Champion, June 2025, pp. 44-46, 50.
  Discusses the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. J.G.G., which unanimously held that persons facing transfer under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA) from the U.S. to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador have a right to notice and an opportunity to be heard regarding the lawfulness of the transfer.
  Related information at: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title50/chapter3&edition=prelim
  See: https://www.nacdl.org/Article/June2025-PotentialExiletoElSalvadorTriggerstheRigh
  Related information at: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24a931_2c83.pdf
  
• Tariffs tighten the screws. By Noor Adatia. Dallas Business Journal, May 30-June 5, 2025, pp. 18-19, 22.
  Discusses Texas' slowing construction industry, including the effects of higher tariffs; constricting supply chains; shrinking markets; and labor shortages.
• American science (1): Looming disaster. Economist, May 24th-30th, 2025, pp. 66-68.
  Describes various actions by the Trump administration that have upended established methods of the federal government for funding and conducting scientific research.
  See: https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/05/21/how-cuts-to-science-funding-will-hurt-or ...
  
• American science (2): Chilling effects. Economist, May 24th-30th, 2025, pp. 68-69.
  Argues reducing the federal workforce and cutting scientific research funds will negatively impact Americans. Includes examples of services provided by the federal government that have been affected by the current administration’s policies.
  See: https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/05/21/america-is-in-danger-of-experiencing-an- ...
  
• How tariff turmoil is affecting a local food manufacturer. By Janet Miranda. Houston Business Journal, May 30-June 5, 2025, p. 26.
  Profiles small-business owners Tai and Lucky Chen, who run the Houston-area Mr. Tai's Chili Flakes. Notes that the business was growing rapidly from its humble beginnings in a local gas station when it ran into trouble because the ingredients used to make its signature chili oil are sourced from China, which was targeted by the Trump administration's tariffs. Adds that the business is receiving advice and assistance from National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship, which recently took the Chens and others to Capitol Hill to ask for policy changes favorable to small business.
• Navigating the power of artificial intelligence in the legal field. By Andrea Bucher. Houston Law Review, Symposium 2025, pp. 819-842.
  Examines artificial intelligence (AI) use in the legal field including research, e-discovery, and document review. Considers emerging regulatory frameworks in the U.S. and abroad. Mentions Texas State Bar's Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law.
  See: https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/hulr62&i=851
  See: https://houstonlawreview.org/article/137782
  
• Retooling the definition of the skilled technical workforce. By Guy Leonel Siwe, et al. Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2025, pp. 69-72.
  Argues for an updated definition of skilled technical workforce (STW). Explains how the current definition was created and proposes two changes to make. Notes how policymakers may use this definition.
  See: https://issues.org/skilled-technical-workforce-siwe-lancaster-mcdonald-montalvo/
  
• Medicaid cuts could especially harm persons needing home-based supports. By Benjamin A. Barsky, Michael Ashley Stein, and Lisa I. Iezzoni. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), May 27, 2025, pp. 1767-1768.
  Considers how federal spending cuts may affect Medicaid coverage. Presents cost concerns related to individuals that require home- or community-based services who may see less or no Medicaid coverage of these types of services.
  See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2832150
  
• Blue hydrogen blues. By Rebecca Terrell. New American, June 9, 2025, pp. 17-18.
  Argues that hydrogen fuel marketed as clean energy is not going to be the fuel to use to reduce carbon emissions. Explains that high costs, high risks, and insufficient demand for hydrogen as fuel are stymieing the industry despite government incentives and subsidies.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=a20c7faf-56a9-388c-ad3d-042d3438998c
  
• States move toward "transactional gold." By Alex Newman. New American, June 9, 2025, pp. 14-16.
  Features states that are creating systems in which their citizens can buy, sell, use, and store gold and silver as legal tender. Includes Texas.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=e3bd7d14-21a6-3e7d-9287-d9df7ee81dd5
  
• CRE market faces $40M hit if THC ban enacted. By Jalen Lopez. San Antonio Business Journal, May 30-June 5, 2025, p. 7.
  Presents the results of an analysis of San Antonio real estate data showing that the city could lose approximately $45.3 million in commercial real estate rent if SB 3, the total ban on THC, is enacted.
• Can sunlight cure disease? By Rowan Jacobsen. Scientific American, June 2025, pp. 22-31.
  Considers how sunlight—UV light therapy—seems to relieve the severity and progression of symptoms of some autoimmune diseases. Provides background on the evolution of science's understanding of the benefits of UV light therapy. Expects UV light therapy may be beneficial for calming inflammation in other conditions and not only autoimmune diseases.
  See: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/surprising-ways-that-sunlight-might-heal-autoimmune-disea ...
  
• AI, technology, social media legislation roundup: Bills taken up during 89th session. By Cameron Abrams. Texan, June 5, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Presents a session wrap-up of artificial intelligence, technology, and social media legislation in the 89th Legislature, including the Texas Cyber Command (HB 150); the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (HB 149); age verification and parental consent for digital app stores (SB 2420); and the creation of a Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SB 21). Quotes Representatives Giovanni Capriglione and Jared Patterson.
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/ai-technology-social-media-legislation-roundup-bills-taken-u ...
  
• Education legislation roundup: Bills addressed during 89th session. By Cameron Abrams. Texan, June 4, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Summarizes significant public education legislation of the 89th Legislature, including the $8.5 billion school finance deal (HB 2); display of the Ten Commandments in public schools (SB 10); teaching of communism in social studies standards (SB 24); the "Teacher Bill of Rights" and school discipline (HB 6); and the classroom cell phone ban (HB 1481).
  See: https://thetexan.news/issues/education/education-legislation-roundup-bills-addressed-during-89th-ses ...
  
• New MAHA report plants seeds of doubt about U.S. food safety. By Julie Tomascik. Texas Agriculture, June 6, 2025, p. 22.
  Describes the controversy over a new report released by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission, which is drawing criticism from agricultural groups. Notes that organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Association claim that the report reduces public trust in the nation's food system and farming practices, that it paints an incomplete picture of agriculture's role in public health, and that it ignores decades of scientific research and regulatory oversight that demonstrates the safety of the food supply.
  See: https://texasfarmbureau.org/maha-report-plants-seeds-of-doubt-about-u-s-food-safety/
  Report at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MAHA-Report-The-White-House.pdf
  
• USDA suspends Mexican livestock imports over screwworms. By Julie Tomascik. Texas Agriculture, June 6, 2025, p. 13.
  Discusses the spread of New World screwworm and the dangers the pest poses for livestock, leading to the suspension of livestock imports from Mexico. Notes that effective eradication requires a three-pronged approach: robust field surveillance; controlled animal movement; and sustained sterile insect dispersal.
  See: https://texasfarmbureau.org/usda-suspends-mexican-livestock-imports-over-screwworm-concerns/