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Capitol Spirits

Oct 30

posted by TexasLRL in Texas history

Leading up to Halloween each year, we gather stories of supernatural and strange happenings in the Lone Star State. Below you'll find tales of epidemic, treasure, a curse, feuds, and more. You can find these and more stories on our Capitol Spirits Pinterest board. 

From the Legislative Reference Library, we hope you have a fun and safe Halloween!!

Shoal Creek

The environs of Shoal Creek have been the scene of many happy and hard times. Early settler Gideon White was killed along the creek by Indians in 1842. His daughter's husband, Edward Seiders, developed a popular recreation area there in the 1870s. General George Custer's troops camped by the creek during Reconstruction; some of the men died due to a cholera epidemic and were buried nearby. Perhaps their spirits still remain…

Shoal Creek Treasure

Tales of hidden treasure along Shoal Creek have captured the imagination of many Austinites, from O. Henry to a former county treasurer who was driven to suicide. A January 1897 article in the Austin Weekly Statesman stated, "It is a fever that is sapping the very foundation of our citizenship. It is making maniacs out of sensible men." Do ghostly figures still look for the gold on dark nights?

 

Abner Cook's bricks

Woodlawn Mansion was built in the 1850s by Abner H. Cook for James B. Shaw, Texas Comptroller. Shaw sold the house after the untimely deaths of his wife and young daughter. Along with other Cook buildings such as the Governor's Mansion and the Neill-Cochran House, the Woodlawn Mansion is associated with sad events or ghostly sightings. Could they carry the Shoal Creek curse through the energy imbued in their bricks that were created from clay and a kiln near the creek? [Photo credit: Austin History Center].

Columbus County Feud and Senator Marcus Harvey Townsend

Marcus Harvey Townsend served in the Texas Legislature representing Colorado County, first as a representative in the 18th Legislature and then as a senator in the 21st and 22nd Legislatures. He and his family gained notoriety with their violent feud with the Stafford family and then with their inter-family trouble known as the Colorado County Feud. These violent events occurred around the town of Columbus, Texas, which perhaps explains why it has been described as "profoundly haunted."  

Fort Colorado

In 1836 Robert M. Coleman established Fort Colorado in Eastern Travis County. His tenure as commander was short-lived, either due to a dispute with Sam Houston or the death of a Ranger under his command. However, legend offers another story: Coleman was meeting secretly with a Comanche medicine man to bring about peace when the medicine man was shot by a soldier. Coleman was relieved of duty and drowned within a year. Are the ghostly figures seen on foggy nights Coleman and the medicine man, still discussing peace?

Bertram Store / Clay Pit

Rudolph Bertram ran a thriving wholesale grocery, saloon, and general store on Guadalupe Street in the 1880s. Business was conducted downstairs, with living quarters up above. The space now houses the popular Clay Pit Restaurant, but diners may share the space with previous inhabitants. Is the apparition of a small child Bertram's young son who died of typhoid fever? And are the upstairs party noises an echo of wild times at the brothel that was joined to the saloon through a basement tunnel?

 

Cover image by Daniel Mingus

This entry was posted on October 30, 2018 at 2:30 PM and has received 1598 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 25

Oct 25

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Research Resources

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community. 

  • Examine redistricting laws state by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, October 1, 2018)
  • Review protections from financial harm for older consumers. (Federal Trade Commission, October 18, 2018)
  • Consider the drawbacks of medical crowdfunding. (Health Affairs Blog, October 23, 2018)
  • Explore the national shortage of poll workers. (Stateline, October 22, 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252. 

  • "Prescription for profit." By Jen Skerritt. Business Week, October 15, 2018, p. 17.
    Points out that several countries have legalized medical marijuana. Observes that pharmaceutical companies are exploring ways that medical marijuana could curb the use of opiates or replace opiates for pain management.
  • "Expanding access to health care, from bedside to webside." By Debra Miller. Capitol Ideas, September/October 2018, pp. 24-26.
    Describes four types of current telehealth applications: live video, store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring, and mobile health.
  • "After #MeToo, state legislatures make changes." By Rebecca Asoulin. Christian Science Monitor, October 8, 2018, pp. 18, 20.
    Charts the progress state legislatures have made in protections against sexual misconduct through enhanced training, improved policies, or legislation.
  • "AT&T's service for first responders sees strong demand as effort ramps up." By Brian Womack. Dallas Business Journal, October 12, 2018, p. 28.
    Discusses AT&T's role in building FirstNet, America's first nationwide public safety broadband network. Related information at: https://firstnet.gov/.
  • "Democratic policies: Universal pictures." Economist, October 13th-19th, 2018, pp. 27-28.
    Considers whether Medicare could become a workable single-payer system for all health insurance claims. Notes the obstacles, including lack of agreement as to what Medicare for all actually means.
  • "Long-term obligations and the Texas Legacy Fund." Fiscal Notes, September-October 2018, pp. 1-16.
    Provides an overview of Texas' long-term financial obligations in state employee pensions (ERS), health care benefits for retired teachers and TRS-Care solvency, prepaid tuition, and deferred maintenance on state buildings. Proposes creation of an endowment fund from a portion of the Economic Stabilization Fund ("Rainy Day Fund"), to be known as the Texas Legacy Fund, which would be used for investment in higher returns and to retire long-term obligations.
  • "Assessing the impact of state policies for prescription drug monitoring programs on high-risk opioid prescriptions." By Yuhua Bao, et al. Health Affairs, October 2018, pp. 1596-1604.
    Analyzes three approaches to state policies on prescription drug monitoring programs [PDMPs]. Supports comprehensive use mandates and delegate laws to optimize prescribers' use of PDMPs.
  • "Harvard's discrimination problem." By Robert Verbruggen. National Review, October 15, 2018, pp. 34-36.
    Reviews the legal reasoning in Fisher v. University of Texas and similar United States Supreme Court cases. Describes some of the legal arguments and principles that come into play in the case currently in federal district court dealing with whether Harvard University is disfavoring Asian Americans, an overrepresented minority group. Related information at: https://www.clearinghouse.net/detail.php?id=14188.
  • "Melting pot or civil war?" By Reihan Salam. National Review, October 15, 2018, pp. 23-26.
    Argues the United States immigration system needs a greater emphasis on skill-based immigration and lesser emphasis on extended family ties. Suggests that is the only way to build a middle-class, multiracial community and egalitarian economy.
  • "Waters of U.S. rule blocked in Texas, two other states." By Justin Walker. Texas Agriculture, October 5, 2018, p. 33.
    Reports that the Waters of the United States [WOTUS] rule has been blocked by a federal judge for Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Explains that WOTUS allows the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate ponds, streams, and other bodies of water on private land.
  • "EPA proposed to replace Clean Power Plan with new rule." By Paul Ciampoli and Ethan Howland. Texas Public Power, September 2018, pp. 3, 6, 9.
    Discusses the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule to replace the Clean Power Plan. Includes the American Public Power Association's response, as well as a summary of a report, addressing this proposal. Report at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-08/documents/utilities_ria_proposed_ace_2018-08.pdf. Related information at: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-08-31/pdf/2018-18755.pdf.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on October 25, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1162 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 29, 2018

Oct 24

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

 

For recent posts on Interim Hearings, see Interim Hearing Resources on the LRL homepage. The "Recent Entries" list on the left provides quick access to interim hearings posts from previous weeks.

 

October 30

Topic: The State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) Advisory Committee advises the Texas Water Development Board on the administration of SWIFT funds. This committee will review the overall operation, function, and structure of the fund at least semi-annually and advises the board on any water related matter.

This entry was posted on October 24, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1064 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy List: October 2018

Oct 23

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the six titles from our October 2018 New & Noteworthy list. 

Check out and delivery of New & Noteworthy titles is available to legislative staff in Capitol and District offices. To arrange check out and delivery of any of these items, you can submit an online request through the New & Noteworthy page on our website, contact the library at 512-463-1252, or use our PDF request form.

 

1. American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis — and How to End It
By Ryan Hampton
Presents a new agenda for addressing the opioid crisis from the perspective of an addiction recovery activist and former opioid user. Discusses the challenges addicts face, the drawbacks of current treatments, and the roles of politics and large pharmaceutical companies. Challenges the decades-old recovery model and offers a comprehensive plan of action to take on the crisis and fix it.
All Points Books, 2018. 290 pages.
362.29 H189A 2018


 

 

2. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America
By Beth Macy
Weaves together stories from drug abusers and their families, dealers, doctors, and pharmaceutical companies, to explain how opioid addiction has come to afflict American communities across geographic, race, gender, and class lines. Provides historical context starting in the late 1800s for opioid abuse and treatment. Describes interventions that have been proven to work, such as drug courts, medication-assisted treatment [MAT], and drug monitoring programs to promote responsible prescribing practices.
Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 311 pages.
362.290973 M259D 2018


 

 

3. Saudi America: The Truth About Fracking and How It's Changing the World
By Bethany McLean
Examines the cycles of the U.S. oil industry and the development of hydraulic fracturing and the shale revolution, particularly in the Permian Basin in Texas. Profiles fracking pioneer Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy.
Columbia Global Reports, 2018. 138 pages.
333.8230973 M132S 2018


 

 

4. Shale Boom: The Barnett Shale Play and Fort Worth
By Diana Davids Hinton
Profiles the development and proliferation of fracking and its impact on the Fort Worth area and the petroleum industry. Chronicles the rise of the Barnett Shale boom and the factors that led to its eventual bust.
TCU Press, 2018. 229 pages.
333.8 H597S 2018


 

 

5. Texas Ethics Laws: An Annotated Guide to Lobby and Campaign Finance Laws in Texas
By Andrew Cates
Provides text of Texas campaign finance and lobby laws along with pertinent primary and secondary sources that are illustrative of the statutes' applications. Features cross-references to Texas Ethics Commission advisory opinions, Attorney General opinions, case law, practice notes, and the Texas Administrative Code.
Independently published, 2018. 467 pages.
328.33 C283T 2018

 

 

6. Texas Cemeteries: The Resting Places of Famous, Infamous, and Just Plain Interesting Texans
By Bill Harvey
Explores the final resting places of notable and fascinating Texans by highlighting Texas cemeteries. Profiles the stories of individuals who were significant figures in Texas history or who made important cultural contributions to the state. Presents heroes and villains, including activists, outlaws, educators, athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, politicians, veterans, and more.
University of Texas Press, 2003. 274 pages.
976.4 H262T 2003

This entry was posted on October 23, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1117 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 18

Oct 18

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Research Resources

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community. 

  • Find information about early voting in Texas. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed October 17, 2018)
  • Examine analysis of Trump administration proposals to restructure and reform government. (Congressional Research Service, July 25, 2018)
  • Consider public opinion on social media bots. (Pew Research Center, October 15, 2018)
  • Read about water quality in Texas freshwater and at beaches. (Environment Texas Research & Policy Center, August 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252. 

  • "Too old to execute?" By Mark Walsh. ABA Journal: The Lawyer's Magazine, October 2018, pp. 20-21.
    Discusses a case before the United States Supreme Court, Madison v. Alabama, which questions whether a state can execute a person whose mental disability, such as dementia, leaves the person with no memory of committing the capital offense. Related information at: http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/madison-v-alabama/.
  • "There's an (updated) app for that." By Courtney Daniel. Capitol Ideas, September/October 2018, pp. 10-13.
    Explores how technological innovations, including cloud computing and drone deployment, help state and local governments improve services to citizens. Notes the use of AirMap's drone technology in Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
  • "Student leader quits over funds from Turning Point." By Michael Vasquez. Chronicle of Higher Education, October 5, 2018, p. A18.
    Highlights the recent resignation of Texas State student body president, Brooklyn Boreing, amid allegations of improperly taking campaign donations from Turning Point USA. Explains this conservative group is actively pursuing influence with student body presidents and that Texas State has rules against accepting funds from outside organizations.
  • "Trying times." By Liz Hayes and Kate Perelman. Church & State, October 2018, pp. 12-13.
    Provides a timeline of the Trump administration's stances on the separation of church and state.
  • "Rising vaper pressure." By Andrew Siddons. CQ Weekly, September 24, 2018, pp. 21-24.
    Discusses the harsh penalties the vaping industry is facing if it does not develop plans to prevent the underage use of flavored e-cigarettes. Addresses the complexities of regulating vaping products, which are also seen as promising smoking cessation devices.
  • "Ending gerrymandering: Mad scrap." Economist, October 6th-12th, 2018, pp. 26, 28.
    Reports on four states' efforts to use the ballot initiative process to remove control of legislative redistricting from legislators. Reviews Michigan's proposal for an independent redistricting commission. Related information at: https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Proposal_2,_Independent_
    Redistricting_Commission_Initiative_(2018)    .
  • "North American trade: NEWFTA." Economist, October 6th-12th, 2018, pp. 31-32, 34.
    Discusses the biggest changes in the re-negotiated version of the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], re-named the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA]. States the USMCA does not eliminate all the uncertainties related to trade relations and may face obstacles in getting Congress' approval.
  • "Basic economic security in the United States: How much income do working adults need in each state?" By Joo Yeoun Suh, et al. Fact Sheet (Institute for Women's Policy Research), October 2018, pp. 1-8.
    Measures how much income working adults of different family types need to be economically secure in each state. Shows 67 percent of working adults in Texas are economically secure.
  • "Addressing maternal mortality and morbidity in California through public-private partnerships." By Elliott K. Main, Cathie Markow, and Jeff Gould. Health Affairs, September 2018, pp. 1484-1493.
    Details the cooperative work of the California Department of Public Health and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative to investigate maternal deaths and improve maternity care. Notes that while the national mortality rate has worsened in the 2010s, by 2013 California's rate had been cut in half.
  • "School funding: The role of the courts." By Michael A. Rebell. Internet Resource, September 2018, pp. 1-6.
    Examines the role judicial intervention has played in states' efforts to achieve adequate and equitable funding in education. Highlights legal challenges in Texas.
  • "Drones, AI, IoT, and the brave new world of cybersecurity." By Elisa Wood. Public Power, September-October 2018, pp. 16-18, 20-23.
    Considers potential cybersecurity-related threats utilities face from drones, artificial intelligence [AI], and the Internet of things [IoT].
  • "This way out." By Devika Subramanian, Robert M. Stein, and Leonardo Dueñas-Osorio. Scientific American, October 2018, 74-79.
    Discusses the evolution of a detailed risk map developed for the Houston area to inform people of risks of flooding, wind damage, and storm surge, and whether they should evacuate during a weather event.
  • "Texas property taxes soar as homeowners confront rising values." By Jason L. Saving. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Third Quarter 2018, pp. 7-11.
    Explores a "precipitous rise" in property taxes in Texas, along with large increases in property tax valuations.
  • "'A sea of blood and smoking ruin': Reflections on Sam Houston and slavery." By Randolph B. Campbell. Southwestern Historical Quarterly, October 2018, pp. 134-142.
    Describes Sam Houston's evolving beliefs on slavery through his personal history and speeches. Addresses Houston's stance in light of today's moral standard where slavery is concerned.
  • "Halting harassment." By Jon Griffin. State Legislatures, September/October 2018, pp. 22-23, 25.
    Reports the #MeToo movement has prompted state lawmakers to review sexual harassment policies and to rework training programs and investigative processes. Notes states have introduced more than 125 bills in 2018 relating to sexual harassment issues. Related information at: http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2018-legislative-sexual-harassment-legislation.aspx.
  • "Advanced education?" By Joey Berlin. Texas Medicine, October 2018, pp. 28-31.
    Recommends that Texas increase its regulation over advanced practice registered nurse [APRN] training. Notes that unlike the state's authority over registered nurse and licensed vocational nurse programs via the Texas Board of Nursing, the Higher Education Coordinating Board does not have the ability to set specific education standards for APRN programs.
  • "Rounds: News from America's best medical society." Texas Medicine, October 2018, pp. 14-16, 18.
    Discusses Texas Medical Association [TMA] advocacy concerns, including updates to the state's prescription process for certain controlled substances, proposed state rules for chiropractors and informed consent, maternal morbidity and mortality study recommendations, and support for vaccinations.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on October 18, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1057 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 22, 2018

Oct 17

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

 

For recent posts on Interim Hearings, see Interim Hearing Resources on the LRL homepage. The "Recent Entries" list on the left provides quick access to interim hearings posts from previous weeks.

 

 

October 22

House Committee on International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs (Jasper) CANCELED

Charge: State's communications with the federal government in response to Hurricane Harvey

Charge: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature

 

 

October 23

House Committee on Human Services

Charge: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature; implementation of HB 4, HB 5, HB 7, and SB 11, 85th Legislature, R.S.

 

 

October 25

House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics

Charge 10: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of legislation: Oversight of the Texas Health & Human Services Commission

 

Charge 1: Local and state occupational licensing and regulations

Charge 2: Technology-based alcohol and industry services

Charge 3: Monitor the statutory changes enacted through SB 2065, 85th Legislature, R.S., the Committee's omnibus deregulation omnibus bill. In particular, monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's (TDLR) role in regulating the applicable occupations and activities including but not limited to Vehicle Protection Product businesses, Temporary Common Worker Employers, For-Profit Legal Service Contract Companies, Barbering and Cosmetology, and Vehicle Booting and Towing Operators. Review TDLR's current strategic planning efforts and the potential recommendations for occupations and activities which may undergo regulation changes in the future.

This entry was posted on October 17, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 968 views. Print this entry.

Research Minute: Linked Minutes Available for 63rd–77th Legislatures

Oct 16

posted by TexasLRL in Committees, Research minute

Scanned committee minutes have been linked to bills in the Legislative Archive System (LAS) for the 63rd–77th Legislatures (1973–2001).

 

If we have committee minutes for a bill in that time period, there will be a "Committee information" tab in the bill's LAS record, and you can see links to committee minutes at the bottom of the History tab view.

 

Linking bills to scanned minutes from the 62nd Legislature and prior is underway. You also can search minutes by committee name, chamber, and session. More recent committee minutes can be accessed via the Committees tab on Texas Legislature Online.

This entry was posted on October 16, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1166 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 11

Oct 11

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Research Resources

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community. 

  • Consider the amicus brief joined by Texas related to the Second Amendment. (Attorney General of Texas, October 9, 2018)
  • Read about how the USMCA could improve on NAFTA. (National Conference of State Legislatures, October 4, 2018)
  • Examine the economic impact of breweries by state. (U.S. Census Bureau, October 3, 2018)
  • Explore how common it is for teachers to have additional summer employment. (National Center for Education Statistics, October 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252. 

  • "Losing the democratic habit." By Yoni Appelbaum. Atlantic Monthly, October 2018, pp. 74-77.
    Argues that historically, civic participation has been the norm with United States citizens joining mostly apolitical, democratically-governed associations. Explains we are "no longer a nation of joiners" and public faith in democracy has eroded due to this.
  • "A $250M pill to ease Austin's housing ills?" By Daniel Salazar. Austin Business Journal, September 28, 2018, pp. 4-6.
    Describes Austin's affordable housing bond proposition — one of seven bond proposals on the city's November 6 ballot. Notes the 2018 bond package is 285 percent larger than the $65 million housing package in 2013.
  • "Possible effects of border wall policy take shape." By Daniel Salazar. Austin Business Journal, October 5, 2018, p. A6.
    Reports the latest developments associated with an Austin City Council resolution [No. 20180201-067] directing the city manager to review the economic effects a border wall would have on Austin and to develop a policy requiring companies seeking to do business with the city to disclose their ties to the proposed border wall on the United States–Mexico border. Related information at: http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=292709.
  • "Stops along the way to driverless trucks." By Sean Slone. Capitol Ideas, September/October 2018, pp. 40-43.
    Discusses recent Wisconsin and Mississippi legislation allowing driver assistive truck platooning technology, in which the lead truck controls the other trucks following behind, in a step toward autonomous or "driverless" trucks. Considers the implications of automation in the trucking industry.
  • "Violence against women in rural communities: What we know and what we don't know." By Walter DeKeseredy. Criminal Justice Research Review, Fall 2018, pp. 2-4.
    Explores the study of violence against women in rural communities.
  • "Texas Supreme Court asked to decide 'Jarndyce v. Jarndyce' boundary dispute." By Janet Elliott. Dallas Business Journal, September 14, 2018, p. 69.
    Highlights SB2242, 85th Legislature, R.S., a local bill that gave the Texas Supreme Court original jurisdiction to determine the outcome of a tax boundary dispute that began in 1972, as well as the allocation of property tax refunds.
  • "Teachers running for office show strength in primaries." Education Week, September 26, 2018, pp. 1, 13.
    Discusses what is behind the surge in teachers competing for state legislative seats this election year, which is being referred to as the "year of the teacher."
  • "California's drug transparency law: Navigating the boundaries of state authority on drug pricing." By Katherine L. Gudiksen, et al. Health Affairs, September 2018, pp. 1503-1508.
    Analyzes California's drug transparency bill, comparing it to other states' efforts to address pharmaceutical pricing trends. Considers the political and legal boundaries of state action to rein in drug prices. Related information at: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB17.
  • "Math pathways: Expanding options for success in college math." By Elizabeth Ganga and Amy Mazzariello. Internet Resource, October 2018, pp. 1-9.
    Reviews three math pathway models, including one developed in Texas, that allow college students to study math relevant to their academic or career pursuits.
  • "Everything you know about state education rankings is wrong." By Stan J. Liebowitz and Matthew L. Kelly. Reason, November 2018, pp. 20-25.
    Argues traditional school rankings are riddled with methodological flaws. Presents new rankings which concentrate on student performance, not educational funding, and disaggregate students by age, subject, and race to produce a new quality score. Lists Texas as ranking fifth in quality and second in efficiency.
  • "Opioid bill expands treatment options." By Christine Vestal. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), October 4, 2018, pp. 1-4.
    Highlights proposed federal legislation that would give states more options to expand access to opioid addiction treatment and invests in new law enforcement efforts to curb illicit drugs. Related information at: https://votesmart.org/bill/25268/64254/opioid-crisis-response-act-of-2018#.W74djehKi71.
  • "The battle over biometrics." By John G. Browning. Texas Bar Journal, October 2018, pp. 674, 676.
    Examines variations in laws relating to the collection, storage, and use of biometric data, focusing on the three states that have adopted such laws: Illinois, Texas, and Washington.
  • "The cost of going to law school." By Angela Morris. Texas Lawyer, October 2018, pp. 22-24, 26.
    Provides important data metrics about Texas law schools to help prospective applicants analyze the affordability of law school and to envision their finances after graduation.
  • "Something is wrong with the sex offender registry, and deregulation is the only tool we have to fix it." By Matthew Ferrara and Emma Hamilton. Voice for the Defense, September 2018, pp. 20-30.
    Reports that the vast majority of studies measuring the impact of the registration and community notification of sexual offenders have found that there has been no impact on the number of sexual re-offenses, and that registries might even increase the chance of recidivism by isolating the offender from the community.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on October 11, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1154 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 15, 2018

Oct 10

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

 

For recent posts on Interim Hearings, see Interim Hearing Resources on the LRL homepage. The "Recent Entries" list on the left provides quick access to interim hearings posts from previous weeks.

October 16

House Committee on Natural Resources (Waco)

Charge 4: Water markets in Texas  

Charge 5: Information and awareness campaign regarding water issues in Texas

Charge 7: Water Availability Models for river basins in this state 

Charge 10: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature

 

 

October 17

House Committee on County Affairs (Houston)

Charge 1: Emergency response activities, impact of natural disasters on county finances

Charge 2: County ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas

Charge 3: Defendants' and inmates' behavioral health needs, mental health services upon release from the criminal justice system

Charge 5: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature: indigent defense

This entry was posted on October 10, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1023 views. Print this entry.

Exploring the Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Oct 9

posted by TexasLRL in Texas history, Members of the Legislature

Locating photos of Texas legislators from the pre-Civil War period is no easy task. The composites that currently decorate the Capitol's ground floor halls were not yet a tradition, and photography was a relatively new technology.

 

That rarity means the Legislative Reference Library was especially pleased to learn about The Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature. The album is an early attempt to document all of the state's officials, created by a traveling photographer, William DeRyee and his business partner, R.E. Moore. DeRyee took individual albumen portraits of the Eighth Legislature (1860), along with Governors Hardin R. Runnels and Sam Houston, Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark, and Speaker Marion DeKalb Taylor. A short biography and the counties the member represented accompany many of the portraits. Most of the biographies are the usual recitations of the member's family and work, but Rep. George McKnight's stands out—his bio page includes an original poem, "The Wanderer," musing on the loss of his parents and siblings.

 

Original copies of the album are held by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), the Bancroft Library at University of California-Berkeley, and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Looking at the different copies, you can see evidence of their prior owners' use. In the TSLAC edition, someone scribbled over the faces of some of the officials. They also wrote little notes in the margins, like—on Sam Houston's photo page—"Old Uncle Sam father of Texas — Sam 72 years old."

 

Many of the photos in the Bancroft copy have faded, and someone attempted to recreate some of the disappearing eyes, mouths, and other features—not to good effect. (Trying to pencil in eyes and noses on a photo never works well.) In some instances where the photo was missing all together, a previous owner attempted penciled-in portraits. Let us say that these portraits are more cartoonish than realistic. See page 237's cartoon of Rep. L.B. Camp—who has a perfectly respectable portrait in TSLAC's copy—as one example, and scroll to the end of our digital album to check out more caricatures/doodles. (Some of the drawings at the end of the album appear to be women; however, there were no biographies to go with them.) The photos and the bios in Bancroft's album are also jumbled up: Sam Houston's photo is almost 350 pages after his biography.

 

In an effort to pull the best of the originals together, the LRL has compiled a digital album and integrated photos and information from it into our Texas Legislators: Past & Present database, where you can view information about legislators in Texas from 1846 through the present.

 
Interesting historical side note: Following the 1860 publication of The Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature, photographer William DeRyee continued his photography business a little longer, but the Confederacy saw another use for his chemistry background. He was appointed state chemist and put in charge of the Texas Percussion Cap Manufactory. He also worked with the Confederate Nitre and Mining Bureau. He made various innovations and developments in explosives, but the Confederacy lacked well-trained chemists to assist him with his work. Following the Civil War, he opened a drugstore in Corpus Christi and developed a treatment of chlorine water with creosote as an antiseptic that helped alleviate a yellow fever epidemic. His son, Charles DeRyee, is credited with first documenting the presence of the boll weevil in Texas.

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