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your partner in legislative research

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Week in Review, February 27th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Examine the air quality standards for ozone. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, February 2014)
  • Consider the effects of a minimum wage increase. (Congressional Budget Office, February 2014)
  • Review recent state laws on prescription drug identification. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed February 2014)
  • Read about the steep decline in the obesity rate in young children over the last decade. (The New York Times, February 25, 2014)
 

New Exhibit: Inspired By Texas

Inspired by Texas logo
A new library exhibit invites visitors to get "Inspired by Texas." The exhibit area will feature revolving themes from Texas culture, literature, and history. This month we are highlighting legislators who also are artists.
 
Sen. Craig Estes Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls, 2001-present) has loaned the library one of his paintings for display. The Senator studied art in college and has long been recognized for his artistic accomplishments. His work is primarily abstract, and he has a great eye for design and color.
 
The exhibit also showcases drawings by Representative Neil Caldwell (D-Alvin, 1960-1977). Caldwell's images, both whimsical and astute, are as timely in Texas politics today as they were when he sketched them. He had a masterful way of capturing the essence of elected officials and staff through portraiture. A compilation of his art was published in 1969.
 
We invite you to come into the library to enjoy this art or check out our Pinterest Boards, New Acquisitions and Young Texans Collection, to see books highlighted in the exhibit.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Week in Review, February 20th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other healpful research tools.
  • Read about rail transport of crude oil. (Congressional Research Service, February 6, 2014)
  • Check out a state-by-state overview of the tech trade. (TechAmerica Foundation, 2014)
  • Consider debit and prepaid cards offered to students by colleges. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, February 2014)
  • Explore state and county health insurance coverage estimates from the American Community Survey. (State Health Access Data Assistance Center, 2014)
  • Examine the School Breakfast Program and its impact on low-income children. (Food Research and Action Center, January 2014)

Interim Hearings – Week of February 24, 2014

Interim Hearings - Week of February 24th

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.

 

February 28th

House Committee on Technology

University Technology Commercialization

 Charge 5: Texas' competitiveness with other states in recruiting and cultivating the software industry, including entertainment software

Week in Review, February 13th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Examine U.S.–Mexico relations. (Congressional Research Service, January 30, 2014)
  • Consider the effect of child passenger restraint laws on child passenger fatalities and whether children are buckled up. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 2014)
  • See how a college degree affects earnings over a lifetime. (Pew Research Center, February 11, 2014)
  • Track the increasing number of earthquakes in the central and eastern U.S. (U.S. Geological Survey, January 17, 2014)

Interim Hearings – Week of February 17, 2014

Interim Hearings - Week of February 17th
Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.

 

February 21st

Topic: Trade and transportation infrastructure

February 19th

Topics: Overview of sunset process; organizational information; approval of review schedule, operating budget, and Commission rules; person-first respectful language in statutes; project to repair health and human services agencies' statutes

February 20th

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Charge: Child Protective Services

 Charge: Women's health

 

Library Resources Update, February 2014

This monthly post highlights new resources recently added to the library's website.
 
The following House and Senate Journals have been added to our online collection:
  • 32nd Regular Session (1911) - House journal
  • 48th Regular Session (1943) - House journal
  • 64th Regular Session (1975) - House and Senate journals
  • 66th Regular Session (1979) - Senate journal
  • 67th Regular and Called Sessions (1981-82) - Senate journal
  • 69th Regular and Called Sessions (1985-86) - House journal
  • 70th Regular and Called Sessions  (1987) - House and Senate journals
  • 72nd Regular and Called Sessions (1991-92) - House and Senate journals
We recently added House interim charges for the 83rd Legislature to our Legislative Reports database.  The list of charges also includes Senate charges that have been issued so far for the 83rd.
 
Recent additions to this online database of gubernatorial materials include governor speeches and messages from the 39th-46th Legislatures (1925-39), going back to Governor Miriam Ferguson.
 
A new webpage that lists current Texas legislators who have accounts on Twitter and provides a single feed where you can view Texas legislators' posts to Twitter.
 
New online collection of inaugural invitations, programs, and brochures.
 
Recent additions from the 65th Legislature (1977) include minutes from the Joint Advisory Committee on Educational Services to the Deaf and Senate Committee to Study Texas Beaches
 
 

Week in Review, February 6th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Track state funding of prekindergarten. (Education Commission of the States, January 2014)
  • Consider the benefits to consumers of improved fuel economy in medium and heavy duty trucks. (Consumer Federation of America, February 2014)
  • Read about the incidence of abortions in 2011 and the availability of abortion services. (Guttmacher Institute, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, March 2014)
  • Survey exonerations in 2013 state by state. (National Registry of Exonerations, February 4, 2014)
  • Explore scorecards of household financial security in the states, including Texas. (Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), 2014)
  • Examine antibiotic feed additives in chicken. (Natural Resources Defense Council, January 27, 2014)