The Legislative Reference Library produces a weekly list of current journal articles for members of the legislative community. New lists are available most Thursdays at 3pm. The most recent list is below.

"Flexible telehealth policies bridge the rural health gap." By Catherine Murphy. Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, June 18, 2024, pp. 1-3
Explains the benefits of telehealth opportunities for increasing healthcare access to rural areas. Discusses recent federal legislation to expand telehealth services.
See:https://www.astho.org/com ...

"Avian flu: Is an H5N1 pandemic brewing?" Economist, June 1st-7th, 2024, p. 67
Provides the latest information about the H5N1 virus.
See:https://www.economist.com ...

"The complicated fight over four-day school weeks." By Mark Lieberman. Education Week, June 12, 2024, p. 8
Presents the ongoing debate between state legislatures and school districts about the length of the school week. Looks at the varying reasons why school districts choose to move to a four-day school week.
See:https://search.ebscohost. ...

"Metal machine music: Can AI think creatively? Can we?" By Laurent Dubreuil. Harper's Magazine, July 2024, pp. 31-36
Details cognitive science experiments at Cornell University on GPT-3, the generative large language model (LLM) developed by the tech company OpenAI. Discusses how GPT-3 bots performed when asked to write poetry. Argues that society is at a pivot point with artificial intelligence (AI), in which private companies, organized lobbies, and autocratic governments want to use AI to control everything, but the quality of meaningful creation must also be addressed.
See:https://harpers.org/archi ...

"Back to 'normal.'" By Chandler France. Houston Business Journal, June 7-13, 2024, pp. 20-22
Examines the changing rate of job growth in the Houston metro area, pointing out that post-pandemic gains in job growth are starting to slow. Notes that in April 2024, the metro area added 13,400 jobs for a total of 3.44 million, a 2.4 percent annual increase — but slower than the 5-plus percent growth rate of the previous year. Opines that this slowdown is nothing to panic about, and that the job growth rate is merely returning to its pre-pandemic normal.
See:https://www.bizjournals.c ...

"The roots that ward off disaster." By Samantha Montano. Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2024, pp. 64-65, 67-74
Lists the many types of disasters that have occurred in the Gulf Region. Provides a brief history of the emergency management system. Focuses on the coordination between the local, state, and federal governments.
See:https://issues.org/gulf-m ...

"Red line." By Stephania Taladrid. New Yorker, June 10, 2024, pp. 14-20
Discusses the negotiations and clashes over border policy between the U.S. and Mexico, particularly in Texas. Traces the history of Mexican immigration policy. Mentions Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the ongoing legal fight over the buoy barrier placed in the Rio Grande.
See:https://search.ebscohost. ...

"States of play." By Eyal Press. New Yorker, June 10, 2024, pp. 38-45
Discusses the belief among some in the legal profession that state supreme courts can and should issue rulings that push beyond protections enshrined in federal law. Notes that the protections of state constitutions in many cases extend beyond the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of federal law. Mentions San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, a 1973 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that inequalities in Texas' public education system did not violate the U.S. Constitution; the backlash in state courts eventually led the Texas Supreme Court to order the creation of a more equitable system.
See:https://search.ebscohost. ...
Related information at:https://tile.loc.gov/stor ...
See:https://www.newyorker.com ...

"Biden approves new crossing." By James McCandless. San Antonio Business Journal, June 14-20, 2024, p. 10
Describes a new trade corridor set to take shape in South Texas with the recent approval of a permit authorizing a rail, vehicular, and pedestrian border crossing near Eagle Pass. Notes that the new crossing, the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge, will provide additional infrastructure for the ever-increasing trade between the U.S. and Mexico. Adds that the project, estimated to cost $648 million in its first phase, received support from federal and state officials in both countries, as well as business groups involved with border trade.

"ERCOT grid reforms taking shape as Texas' population, business footprint booms." By Brad Johnson. Texan, June 24, 2024, pp. 1-6
Reviews recent interim legislative hearings on the reliability of the Texas power grid and the implementation of legislative directives. Discusses the applications for the Texas Energy Fund, the demise of the Performance Credit Mechanism, and the new reliability standard for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
See:https://thetexan.news/iss ...

"Self-defense and political rage." By Erin Sheley. Texas A&M Law Review, May 10, 2024, pp. 1-65 (Note Length)
Considers how political polarization and partisanship in the U.S. affect how self-defense claims in the context of political protests are handled in the courts and in the court of public opinion.
See:https://scholarship.law.t ...

"Lawmakers elevate public ed issues before next session." By Dax González. Texas Association of School Boards, June 4, 2024, pp. 1-3
Summarizes Senate interim charges for the 88th legislative session related to public education.
See:https://www.tasb.org/news ...

"Can you love a river to death?" By Sasha von Oldershausen. Texas Monthly, July 2024, pp. 21-22, 24, 26, 28
Discusses plans to develop the land around the Devil's River, one of the most inaccessible and pristine rivers in the state, to make it more accessible for boating, fishing, and swimming. Notes that other stakeholders on the river, including landowners, fear that increased crowds will spoil the natural beauty of the area.
See:https://search.ebscohost. ...
See:https://www.texasmonthly. ...

"How U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is navigating America's AI future." By Will Henshall. Time, June 24, 2024, pp. 14-16
Discusses how U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo is navigating the challenge of artificial intelligence (AI), including controlling access to the specialized semiconductor chips required to train the most advanced AI systems.
See:https://search.ebscohost. ...
See:https://time.com/6985335/ ...