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Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research

Interim Hearings - Week of November 12, 2012

Nov 9

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 82nd Session

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.

 

November 12th (Dallas), November 13th (San Antonio), and November 14th (Houston)

House Interim Committee on Manufacturing

Charge: Taxes, incentives, regulations, and infrastructure as they relate to manufacturing in Texas

House Interim Committee on Manufacturing

November 12th (Texas Instruments, Dallas), November 13th (Toyota Manufacturing Texas, Inc., San Antonio), and November 14th (Port of Houston Authority, Houston)

Work Sessions – tours for members and staff

 

November 12th

 

 

November 13th

  • Commission Decisions

    • Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 
    • State Pension Review Board
    • Office of Fire Fighters' Pension Commissioner
    • Port of Houston Authority
    • State Employee Charitable Campaign Policy Committee
    • Texas Commission on the Arts
  • Staff Presentation and Public Testimony
    • Texas Board of Architectural Examiners
    • Texas Board of Professional Engineers
    • Self-Directed Semi-Independent Agency Project Act
    • Texas Education Agency

 

This entry was posted on November 9, 2012 at 3:58 PM and has received 2520 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, November 8th

Nov 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 tools.
  • Read about the Electoral College and how it works today. (Congressional Research Service, October 22, 2012)
  • Explore the Electoral College and materials related to each states' electors. (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, accessed November 7, 2012)
  • Find employment resources online. (LLRX.com, November 4, 2012)
  • Track annual estimates of arrests over the past two decades. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, October 31, 2012)
  • Check out state-by-state and local tax burden rankings. (Tax Foundation, October 23, 2012)
  • Get tips for managing student loan repayment. (Consumer Federation of America, November 5, 2012)

This entry was posted on November 8, 2012 at 3:15 PM and has received 1925 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of November 5, 2012

Nov 2

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 82nd Session

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.

 

November 7th, 8th, and 9th

House Interim Committee on General Revenue Dedicated Accounts

Charge: Examine the growth of constitutionally and statutorily dedicated accounts and their use in the budget, consider recommendations to reduce the state's reliance on such accounts for budget certification, and identify ways to maximize the use of dedicated funds

Specific accounts to be considered include:

     5050 9-1-1 Service Fees

     5064 Volunteer Fire Department Assistance

     5084 Child Abuse Neglect and Prevention Operating

     5085 Child Abuse Neglect and Prevention Trust

     5111 Designated Trauma Facility and EMS

     5137 Regional Trauma

     5144 Physician Education Loan Repayment Program

     0151 Clean Air

     0655 Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation

     5000 Solid Waste Disposal Fees

     5071 Emissions Reduction Plan

     0009 Game, Fish, and Water Safety

     5100 System Benefit Fund

 

 

November 7th

House Committee on Ways & Means

Charge: Tax administration in Texas, including tax appeals and procedural requirements

 

November 8th

Joint Select Committee on Economic Development

Charge: State and local economic development policy

 

This entry was posted on November 2, 2012 at 4:20 PM and has received 2224 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, November 1st

Nov 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.
  • Review Medicaid program spending and a 50-state survey of Medicaid budgets. (Kaiser Family Foundation, October 25, 2012)
  • Consider the gender gap in pay and when it starts. (American Association of University Women, October 2012)
  • Explore state laws regarding universal mandated child maltreatment reporting policies. (Child Welfare State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center, September 20, 2012)
  • Read about how Hurricane Sandy could affect the upcoming election and the legal issues that may arise. (Poitico, October 29, 2012)
  • Find coverage of major political issues prior to the upcoming election. (OnTheIssues.org, accessed October 31, 2012)
  • See where those who work from home live. (The Atlantic, Cities, October 11, 2012)

This entry was posted on November 1, 2012 at 3:15 PM and has received 1623 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, October 25th

Oct 25

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 Americans without health insurance. (Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2012)
  • Explore the efficacy of federal funding programs for rural water infrastructure. (Government Accountability Office, October 2012)
  • Consider how difficult it is to gauge the effect of states' voter laws. (The Wall Street Journal, October 19, 2012)
  • See how income stagnation is affecting upcoming elections. (The New York Times, October 23, 2012)
  • Examine whether retraining the jobless results in employment. (ProPublica, October 10, 2012)
  • Chart ups and downs in the housing market and creation of new households in the wake of the Great Recession. (The Atlantic, Cities, October 23, 2012)
  • Check out a visual depiction of the benefits of working from home. (Fast Company, October 19, 2012)

This entry was posted on October 25, 2012 at 3:15 PM and has received 1620 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 29, 2012

Oct 23

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 82nd Session

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.

 

October 30th

Senate Committees on Criminal Justice and Education  (Joint Hearing)

Charge: School discipline practices, Alternative Education Programs (DAEP), and Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEP)

 

Senate Committee on Criminal Justice (upon adjournment of Joint Hearing with Education)

Charge: Prescription drug abuse trends

 

Charge: Implementation of SB 321, 82nd R.S., Relating to an employee's transportation and storage of certain firearms or ammunition while on certain property owned or controlled by the employee's employer

 

Senate Committee on Education (upon adjournment of Joint Hearing with Criminal Justice)

Charge: Monitor implementation of legislation, specifically, the following:

 

November 1st

Topic: Windstorm insurance in this state

 

This entry was posted on October 23, 2012 at 8:09 AM and has received 2737 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, October 18th

Oct 18

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.
  • Explore the 2013 State Business Tax Climate Index. (Tax Foundation, Fiscal Year 2013)
  • Read about the fees lawmakers are considering to raise money for roads in Texas. (The Texas Tribune, October 16, 2012)
  • Consider how choosing what to study in college affects lifetime earnings. (U.S. Census Bureau, October 10, 2012)
  • Examine a state-by-state review of laws affecting unaccompanied homeless children. (National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty / National Network for Youth, September 2012)
  • See resources to help check the facts during this election year. (LLRX.com, October 16, 2012)
  • Track which bad health habits Americans can't seem to quit. (Scientific American, October 15, 2012)

This entry was posted on October 18, 2012 at 3:15 PM and has received 2137 views. Print this entry.

New: State Symbols on Pinterest

Oct 15

posted by Admin in LRL news

In 1901, Texas legislators designated the Bluebonnet (Lupinus Subcarnosus) the Official State Flower. Shortly after that, in 1919, they named the Pecan Tree the State Tree of Texas. Since then, more than 60 state symbols have been designated, ranging from Official State Footwear (cowboy boot) to Official State Cooking Implement (cast iron Dutch oven).
 
See the entire collection of state symbols on our new Pinterest page, "State Symbols of Texas." For each symbol we included an image and linked to the resolution or bill that designated it.
 
Screenshot of State Symbols Pinterest board
 

This entry was posted on October 15, 2012 at 8:21 AM and has received 7727 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, October 11th

Oct 11

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 Latinos registered to vote, past Latino voter turnout, and the number of eligible Latino voters in Texas. (Pew Hispanic Center, October 1, 2012)
  • Consider the funding challenges of public research universities. (National Science Foundation, 2012)
  • Examine teen drinking and driving statistics. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 2012)
  • See which states have laws related to traumatic brain injury and youth sports-related concussions. (National Conference of State Legislatures, updated September 2012)
  • View a map of dried-out vegetation across America. (NASA Earth Observatory, October 3, 2012)

This entry was posted on October 11, 2012 at 3:15 PM and has received 1754 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Weeks of October 15 and 22, 2012

Oct 9

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 82nd Session

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, and a list of upcoming Budget Hearings.

 

October 15th

House Committee on Public Health

Charge: Texas Health Care Transformation and Quality Improvement Program  Medicaid 1115 Waiver

Charge: Delivery of dental services in Medicaid

 

Joint Committee on Cruise Industry Development

Charge: Cruise industry in South Texas

 

October 17th

Charge: Timing imbalance of state's revenues and expenditures, ways to minimize short-term borrowing need

 

Charge: Monitor performance of agencies, including operating budgets

 

 

October 18th

Charge: Invasive aquatic species

 

Charge: Effect of drought and wildfires on tourism and recreation

 

Charge: Implementation of HB 3726 (administration of the Alamo)

 

Topic: Status of Battleship Texas

 

Senate Committee on State Affairs  CANCELLED

Charge: State authority and protection from federal overreach

 

 

October 19th

House Committee on Higher Education

Charge: Master plan for higher education beyond 2015

 

Joint Committee on Oversight of Windstorm Insurance  CANCELLED  (meeting will be rescheduled)

Charge: Windstorm insurance in Texas

 

October 22nd

House Committee on Ways & Means CANCELLED

Charge: Property tax administration

 

Senate Committee on State Affairs CANCELLED

Charge: Texas Workers' Compensation system

 

Charge: Monitor the implementation of legislation, specifically, SB 100, 82nd Regular Session, relating to implementation and impact of the Military Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act

 

October 24th

House Committee on County Affairs

Charge: Population growth in unincorporated areas and provision of services, including garbage disposal, fire protection, road maintenance, electricity, and water and wastewater service

 

Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction and 82nd legislation:

House Committee on State Affairs 

Charge: Resource adequacy in the Texas electricity market

 

Charge: Inefficiencies in the regulation of public utilities to minimize cost to consumers

 

Upcoming Budget Hearings

October 19th

Public Safety, Department of

 

This entry was posted on October 9, 2012 at 8:58 AM and has received 3718 views. Print this entry.

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