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Week in Review, September 29th

Sep 29

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools. 
  • Examine the impact of Medicaid in Texas. (American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, American Lung Association, and Families USA, September 2011)
  • Review a Medicaid managed care 50-state survey. (Kaiser Family Foundation, September 13, 2011)
  • Read about the Texas Medicaid proposal. (Kaiser Health News and Politico, September 26, 2011)
  • Explore the state of border security at the Texas–Mexico border. (Texas Department of Agriculture, Barry R. McCaffery, and Robert H. Scales, September 26, 2011)
  • Check out how Texas saves money by enforcing child support orders with innovative strategies and programs. (Stateline, September 21, 2011)
  • Note that a challenge to election monitoring in Alabama was dismissed by a federal judge. (Jurist, September 21, 2011)
  • See that drug screening welfare recipients has been challenged in a federal court in Florida. (Jurist, September 27, 2011)

This entry was posted on September 29, 2011 at 3:15 PM and has received 997 views. Print this entry.

Use NCSL Databases to Research Legislation from all 50 States

Sep 27

posted by TexasLRL in Search tips

Interested in recent state legislation related to federal health care laws?  Do you ever need to see what state legislatures are doing about immigration, juvenile justice or other important topics?
 
Searchable bill databases created by the National Conference of State Legislatures can help.
 
Each database covers a different topic, and can be searched by state, topic, and keyword.   Search results include a summary of each bill, along with bill numbers and bill status and history information.  Most databases are updated every two weeks.

This entry was posted on September 27, 2011 at 8:30 AM and has received 2091 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 22nd

Sep 22

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools. 
  • Consider ways to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 16, 2011)
  • Review the quality and safety performance of hospitals. (Joint Commission, September 13, 2011)
  • Map the average cost of individual health insurance premiums by state. (Kaiser Family Foundation, July 2011)
  • Read testimony of H.B. "Trip" Doggett, president and CEO of ERCOT, related to the EPA's cross-state air pollution rule. (House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, U.S. House of Representatives, September 14, 2011)
  • View this summer's extreme heat records all over the country. (September 15, 2011)

This entry was posted on September 22, 2011 at 3:15 PM and has received 878 views. Print this entry.

State Budget Timeline

Sep 21

posted by TexasLRL in LRL news, Legislative process

The library has just released an interactive Texas state budget timeline. Using information from the drafting of the 2012-2013 biennial budget, this comprehensive guide presents a month-by-month overview of the budget process. The timeline begins in May 2010 with the Legislative Budget Board's instructions for agency appropriations requests and ends in December 2011 with the state comptroller's Annual Cash Report. Budget bills and related documents are mentioned within the timeline and are linked as they are released. The library will update the timeline when the 2013-2014 budget process gets underway, so be sure to check back.

This entry was posted on September 21, 2011 at 12:30 PM and has received 1262 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 15th

Sep 15

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools. 

This entry was posted on September 15, 2011 at 3:15 PM and has received 1058 views. Print this entry.

Legislative Wrap-Ups

Sep 14

posted by Admin in Legislation, 82nd Session

Following each legislative session in Texas, organizations, state agencies, and other entities publish "wrap-ups" summarizing new laws and key legislative developments on various issues such as education, the environment and criminal justice. Wrap-ups can range from a simple list of bills to a detailed report that includes background information and expert analyses. 

 

Below is a short selection of legislative wrap-ups for the 2011 Legislative Session. More are available, and some are still being written. To find one on a topic that interests you, check the websites of state or national organizations that focus on the issue, or of state agencies, or visit  the library and search the Current Articles database.
 
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Legislative Update: Focus on 2011 Legislation
http://window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx96_237_3_11.pdf


Texas Public Employees Association

TPEA Legislative Update - June 2011

 

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Summary of Selected Legislation enacted by the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session 6/13/2011

 

Texas Department of Public Safety

New Texas traffic, criminal laws set to go into effect Sept. 1

 

Texas Department of State Health Services

82nd Legislative Session Summary

 

Texas Medical Association

TMA’s 2011 Legislative Report Card

 

Texas Education Agency

Texas Education Today - Bill Summaries from the 2011 Legislative Session

 

Texas Classroom Teachers Association

The 82nd Legislative Sessions: Game over, reset

 

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Legislative Wrap-Up Report - 82nd Texas Legislature

 

Texas Transportation Institute

Summary of the 82nd Legislative Session

 

League of Women Voters

Wrap-Up of 82nd Texas Legislature—Regular & Special Sessions


 
 

This entry was posted on September 14, 2011 at 2:00 PM and has received 1839 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 8th

Sep 8

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research toolsn
  • Keep up with the wildfires burning throughout Texas. (Texas Forest Service, September 2011)
  • Read about potential effects on water resources from new oil shale development. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, August 24, 2011)
  • Review a report on the preservation of historical Texas state court records. (Texas Court Records Preservation Task Force, August 31, 2011)
  • Get a state-by-state map of recent state budget actions for early care and education. (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2011)
  • Explore recent statistics related to sugary drinks consumption in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2011)
  • Consider Amazon's lobbying efforts to suspend a California sales tax law. (Stateline, September 1, 2011)

This entry was posted on September 8, 2011 at 3:08 PM and has received 1169 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Weeks of September 5, 12, and 19, 2011

Sep 6

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 82nd Session

INTERIM HEARINGS

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. The following may be helpful resources for upcoming hearings.

Thursday, September 08, 2011
Joint Committee on Environmental Flows
Topic: Recommendations and work plans for major Texas rivers and bays

Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Senate Committee on Natural Resources

Topic: Environmental Protection Agency's rules, including the Cross State Air Pollution Rule

Joint Committee on Oversight of the Edwards Aquifer

Topic: Updates on the status and funding of the Edwards Aquifer Authority and the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program

Thursday, September 15, 2011
House Committee on County Affairs
Topic: Texas Healthcare on Transformation and Quality Improvement Program Medicaid 1115 Waiver
  Thursday, September 22, 2011

House Committee on State Affairs

Topic: Environmental Protection Agency's rules, including the Cross State Air Pollution Rule

This entry was posted on September 6, 2011 at 3:28 PM and has received 1347 views. Print this entry.

Database of Legislators Now Goes Back To The 1st Session

Sep 5

posted by TexasLRL in Members of the Legislature

Texas Legislators: Past & Present now includes members of the Texas Legislature who served from the first state legislature in 1846 through the present day.
 
You can search by name, session, chamber, leadership role, committee membership, and home city and county.
 
The database includes biographical information, terms of service, and committee information.
 
If you have biographical information or photographs you would like to share with the library, please e-mail or call us at 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on September 5, 2011 at 8:00 AM and has received 1094 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 1st

Sep 1

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools. 
  • See how Hispanics are narrowing gaps in college enrollment. (Pew Hispanic Center, August 25, 2011)
  • Consider the Texas congressional redistricting plan, its supporters and opponents, and the impending trial the plan faces. (National Journal, August 19, 2011)
  • Read about the development, uses, and consequences of Tasers. (LLRX, August 18, 2011)
  • Map child food insecurity in America. (Feeding America, August 2011)
  • Note that the New Jersey Supreme Court has created new guidelines for how eyewitness-based evidence should be treated by New Jersey courts. (Jurist, August 25, 2011)

This entry was posted on September 1, 2011 at 3:05 PM and has received 1406 views. Print this entry.