Legislative library home page
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research

New Pinterest Board - Women's Firsts

The library has a new Pinterest board highlighting historic firsts of women in the Texas legislative community.  Learn about trailblazers such as Edith Wilmans and Barbara Jordan, two women who lived in different times but made great strides for women's history. Wilmans was the first woman to serve in the Texas legislature, and Jordan was the first African-American woman to serve. The board also focuses on lesser-known individuals, such as the first woman to chair a House committee, the first woman to filibuster in the Texas Senate, and the first woman to serve as a legislative officer.  We invite you to view the board at: http://www.pinterest.com/texaslrl/historic-firsts-for-texas-women/
Image of Pinterest board on Women's Firsts in the Texas legislative community.

Week in Review, June 5th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Examine scheduling practices and patient wait times at VA medical facilities. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, May 28, 2014)
  • Read about the EPA's Clean Power Plan proposed rule, a plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June 2, 2014)
  • Consider the rise in cases of measles in the country. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 29, 2014)
  • Try fostering seven habits of highly effective readers. (Book Riot, May 30, 2014)

Interim Hearings - Week of June 9, 2014

Interim Hearings - Week of June 9th

 

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.

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring, Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program 1115 Waiver

 

Charge: Impact of federal actions (including the federal government shutdown, sequestration, military force reductions, and potential base closure or realignment) on active-duty service members, the Texas Military Department, veterans, their families, defense-related contractors, small businesses, local governments, and state agencies

 

Charge: State Strike Force Team

 

Topic: Veterans Health Care Access

Week in Review, May 29th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Consider the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., three of which are in the Austin area. (U.S. Census Bureau, May 22, 2014)
  • See how Arkansas is using Medicaid premium assistance to expand coverage to more individuals. (Capitol Ideas, May/June 2014)
  • Read about some states that provide Medicaid coverage to qualifying college students by covering the cost of the undergraduate student health plan premium. (Kaiser Health News, May 27, 2014)
  • Find burial locations of veterans and their family members. (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, accessed May 2014)

Interim Hearings - Week of June 2, 2014

 

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.

 

Topic: Organizational meeting in accordance with Section 15.438 of the Texas Water Code

 

Charge: Implementation of SB 393 and SB 1114, 83rd Legislature, R.S., and determine school districts that have implemented graduated sanctions in SB 393

 

Charge: Implementation of statewide electronic filing as mandated by the Texas Supreme Court, and determine those jurisdictions that have imposed the local transaction fee, as created by HB 2302, 83rd Legislature, R.S.

 

Topic: Allegations requiring the forfeiture of future rights to nondisclosure as a condition of plea agreements in certain counties

 

Charge: Crisis resources for individuals with co-occurring mental illness and intellectual/developmental disabilities

 

Charge: STAR+PLUS managed care expansion/transition

  • STAR+PLUS Expansion, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
  • STAR+PLUS (Overview, Handbook, External Quality Review Organization Reports), Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Week in Review, May 22nd

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

Interim Hearings – Week of May 26, 2014

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.

House Committee on Business & Industry

Charge: Existing lien laws, specifically: enforcement of contract liens affecting real property; imposition of mechanics' liens on automobiles; and ad valorem tax lien lending after implementation of SB 247, 83rd Legislature, R.S.

Charge: Wage theft

 

House Committee on Business & Industry CANCELLED

The Committee will only meet if all testimony was not completed in Business & Industry's May 27th hearing. If all testimony was heard, this hearing for May 28th will be cancelled. 

 

House Committee on Ways & Means

Charge: Review state event trust fund accounts, including Major Events Trust Fund, Special Events Trust Fund, Events Trust Fund, and Motor Sports Racing Trust Fund

 

House Committees on Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V  and Corrections (Joint Hearing)

Charge: Correctional Managed Health Care system and forecasts for short and long-term criminal justice populations and health care cost trends

 

Charge: Information technology (IT) infrastructure, data center consolidation, and the Department of Information Resources' Cooperative Contracts Program

 

House Committee on Corrections

Charge: Correctional facilities and processes review, with emphasis on efficiencies, effectiveness, and recidivism

 

Week in Review, May 15th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Read about fraudulent charter school operators. (Integrity in Education, ©2014)
  • Consider how oyster walls can buffer the damaging effects of hurricanes. (The Atlantic, May 5, 2014)
  • Examine household food security in the U.S. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, April 30, 2014)
  • Review a report and webcast on the administration of capital punishment in America. (The Constitution Project, May 7, 2014)
  • Check out an interactive graph of college majors over the last four decades. (NPR, May 9, 2014)
  • Explore Your Art with a mobile app. (National Gallery of Art, accessed May 14, 2014)

Interim Hearings - Week of May 19, 2014

Interim Hearings - Week of May 19th

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.

May 19th  Top

Charge: Ammonium nitrate regulation and insurance

 

Charge: Role of state and local governments in disaster recovery

Charge: 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill funds

 

Charge: Progress on reducing the reliance on dedicated accounts for budget certification

 

House Committees on Government Efficiency & Reform and Technology (Joint Hearing)

Charge: Department of Information Resources' Cooperative Contracts

 

Charge: Public's accessibility to government services and agencies through the use of mobile applications and online services

 

Charge: State agencies using the Texas Workforce Commission's "Work in Texas" website for a more standardized applications process

 

Charge: Texas home equity laws

 

Charge: Intrastate equity crowd funding system in Texas

 

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies

 

House Committee on Technology

Charge: Feasibility of an integrated identity management program (IIMP) for state agencies

House Committee on Elections

Charge: Online voter registration systems

 

Charge: Secretary of State study required by HB 3103, 83rd Legislature, R.S., regarding moving the date of the Texas presidential primary election

 

Charge: Legislative oversight and monitoring of agencies

 

House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations

 

House Committee on Investments & Financial Services CANCELLED

 

House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations CANCELLED

 

 

 

Week in Review, May 8th

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Examine distracted driving in Texas. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute, April 21, 2014)
  • Review agricultural activity by state. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, May 2, 2014)
  • Read about Americans living on incomes that place them just above official poverty thresholds. (U.S. Census Bureau, May 2014)
  • Explore the National Climate Assessment and how climate change is affecting the U.S. (U.S. Global Change Research Program, ©2014)

Previous Entries / More Entries