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Interim Hearings - Week of August 31, 2015

Aug 31

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 31st

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.

 

September 3rd

Topic: Chronic Wasting Disease

 

This entry was posted on August 31, 2015 at 10:47 AM and has received 1138 views. Print this entry.

New Texas State Symbols, 2015

Aug 28

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation

During the 84th Regular Session, lawmakers added seven new official state symbols to the more than 60 state symbols that represent Texas. Texas now has three official hashtags: #txlege, #Texas, and #TexasToDo. In addition, the cowboy hat is now the official state hat of Texas, the western honey bee is now the official state pollinator, "The Lone Star State" is now the official nickname of Texas, and the Texas gulf shrimp is now the official state crustacean.
 
See the entire collection of official Texas symbols on our Pinterest page, State Symbols of Texas. Each symbol includes an image, as well as a link to the resolution that designated it.
 
Did you know?  Three species of shrimp are native to the Texas gulf: the brown shrimp, the white shrimp, and the pink shrimp. Of those three, the brown shrimp is nocturnal, and Texas shrimpers must fish at night to catch them.  
 
Image of honeybee by flickr user autan.
 
 

This entry was posted on August 28, 2015 at 10:32 AM and has received 2736 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 27th

Aug 27

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.
  • Read about McAllen's response to undocumented immigrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. (The Guardian, August 20, 2015)
  • Explore the economic outlook for retirement security by state. (National Institute on Retirement Security, released July 30, 2015)
  • Track commuters from where they live to where they work. (The Washington Post, August 18, 2015)
  • Consider gender pay gaps for top executives of public companies. (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, August 25, 2015)
 

This entry was posted on August 27, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 929 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 20th

Aug 20

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 prison population projections and demographic information on incarcerated populations. (Urban Institute, accessed August 19, 2015)
  • Read about the link between credit scores and auto insurance premiums. (Consumer Reports, ©2006-2015)
  • Review a snapshot of the U.S. economy. (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, August 2015)
  • Check out online resources to find people. (LLRX.com, August 16, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on August 20, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1130 views. Print this entry.

Legislative Wrap-Ups, 84th Regular Session

Aug 17

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 84th Session

Texas organizations and state agencies are beginning to release their summaries of the Texas Legislature's 84th Regular Session. Below is a list of summaries we've seen so far. Summaries can be a good source of information if you are trying to find descriptions of new laws.

 

General

League of Women Voters of Texas

 

Lloyd Gosselink, Attorneys at Law

 

Texas Freedom Network

 

Texas Public Policy Foundation

 

Texas Star Alliance

 

Center for Public Policy Priorities

Texas Watch

 

Agriculture

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

 

Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance

 

 

Animals

Texas Humane Legislation Network

 

Children & Families

TexProtects (Texas Association for the Protection of Children)

 

Children at Risk

 

Texans Care for Children

 

One Voice Texas

 

Texas Alliance of Child & Family Services

 

Texas CASA

 

Courts

Office of Court Administration/Texas Judicial Council

 

Texas Civil Justice League

 

Criminal Justice

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

 

Texas District & County Attorneys Association (TDCAA)

 

Education

Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)

 

Texas Education Agency

 

Texas Home School Coalition Association

 

Raise Your Hand Texas

 

Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA)

 

Texas Association of School Administrators

 

Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers)

 

Career & Technology Association of Texas

 

Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities

Department of Aging and Disabilities Services

 

The Coalition of Texans with Disabilties

 

Energy

Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA)

 

SHALE Oil & Gas Business Magazine

 

Environment

The Sierra Club

 

Air Alliance Houston

 

Texas Water Conservation Association

 

Health & Human Services

Texas EMS Trauma & Acute Care Foundation (TETAF)

 

Texas Medical Association (TMA)

 

Texas Nurses Association

 

Higher Education

Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC)

 

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

 

Homeowners & Property Owners Associations

 

Local Government

Texas Association of Counties

 

Texas Municipal League

 

Mental Health

Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

 

Miscellaneous

Texas Alliance of Recreational Organizations, Inc. (TARO)

 

Texas Economic Development Council

 

Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA)

 

Occupational Regulation

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

Parks & Wildlife

Texas Deer Association

 

Public Employees

Texas Public Employees Association

 

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)

 

Public Safety

Texas Department of Public Safety

 

Rural Areas

Association of Rural Communities in Texas (ARCIT)

 

Taxes

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

 

Popp/Hutcheson PLLC

 

 

Technology

Department of Information Resources (DIR)

 

Transportation

Texas Department of Transportation

 

Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF)

 

Locke Lord LLP

 

Veterans

Texas Veterans Commission

 

 

Cover image by Pixabay user skeeze.

 

This entry was posted on August 17, 2015 at 9:41 AM and has received 6913 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 13th

Aug 13

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 climate risks Texas and the southeastern U.S. may face. (Risky Business Project, July 2015)
  • Read about Google tracking air quality via its Street View cars. (Gizmag, July 30, 2015)
  • Consider the fate of statuary on the University of Texas at Austin campus. (UT News, August 10, 2015)
  • Review statistics related to guns and see how the U.S. compares to other countries. (Economist, August 10, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on August 13, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1305 views. Print this entry.

Constitutional Amendment Election, November 2015

Aug 7

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation

On November 3, 2015, voters will have a chance to consider seven constitutional amendments proposed by the 84th Legislature. The proposed amendments cover a wide range of topics, including property taxes, transportation, state official residency requirements, and more.
 
For background and analysis of the ballot propositions, see the House Research Organization's Constitutional Amendments Proposed for Nov. 2015 Ballot, and the Texas Legislative Council's Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments.
 
The Texas Constitution is one of the longest in the nation and it's still growing. The Constitution is changed through amendments, which are proposed by the Texas Legislature and accepted or rejected by the voters.
 
Since the current Texas Constitution was adopted in 1876, over 480 amendments have been accepted.  
 
Constitutional Amendments Proposed for the November 3, 2015 ballot
84th R.S.
Prop. 1
The constitutional amendment increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $15,000 to $25,000, providing for a reduction of the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed for those purposes on the homestead of an elderly or disabled person to reflect the increased exemption amount, authorizing the legislature to prohibit a political subdivision that has adopted an optional residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation from reducing the amount of or repealing the exemption, and prohibiting the enactment of a law that imposes a transfer tax on a transaction that conveys fee simple title to real property.
84th R.S.
Prop. 2
The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran who died before the law authorizing a residence homestead exemption for such a veteran took effect.
84th R.S.
Prop. 3
The constitutional amendment repealing the requirement that state officers elected by voters statewide reside in the state capital.
84th R.S.
Prop. 4
The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct charitable raffles.
84th R.S.
Prop. 5
The constitutional amendment to authorize counties with a population of 7,500 or less to perform private road construction and maintenance.
84th R.S.
Prop. 6
The constitutional amendment recognizing the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife subject to laws that promote wildlife conservation
84th R.S.
Prop. 7
The constitutional amendment dedicating certain sales and use tax revenue and motor vehicle sales, use, and rental tax revenue to the state highway fund to provide funding for nontolled roads and the reduction of certain transportation-related debt.
 

 

This entry was posted on August 7, 2015 at 3:29 PM and has received 7254 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 6th

Aug 6

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.
  • Read about Texans who lack health insurance coverage. (Rice University's Baker Institute / Episcopal Health Foundation, July 2015)
  • Examine the relationship between health insurance coverage and income security. (The Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2015)
  • Compare the effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners on health. (National Geographic, August 3, 2015)
  • Consider recent changes to states' minimum wage laws. (Economic Policy Institute, July 24, 2015)
  • Trace the decline in newspaper industry jobs since 1990. (Poynter, July 30, 2015)
  • Track injuries state by state. (Trust for America's Health, June 2015)
 

This entry was posted on August 6, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1181 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10, 2015

Aug 4

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10th

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.

 

August 11th

House Committee on Transportation

Topic: Update from the Department of Motor Vehicles on legislation passed in 84th or related issues

Topic: Utility relocation issues on state right-of-way construction and maintenance projects

Topic: Update on HB 1 from the 3rd called Special Session of the 83rd Legislative Session

 

Topic: Update on any proposed policy changes or revisions to the Unified Transportation Program (UTP)

Topic: Update on toll collection issues, contracts, and third party monitoring

Topic: Update on development of the ten year plans for Metropolitan Planning Organizations

 

This entry was posted on August 4, 2015 at 10:25 AM and has received 1699 views. Print this entry.