In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.
- Explore trends in workforce development. (National Conference of State Legislatures, February 4, 2020)
- Read about identity and community in Black Americans. (Pew Research Center, February 5, 2020)
- Review President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2021. (The White House, February 10, 2020)
- Consider ways to prevent children from accessing adults' prescription medication. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 12, 2020)
Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.
- 20.02.13 / "How a fringe idea went mainstream." By Vimal Patel. Chronicle of Higher Education, January 31, 2020, pp. A8-A12.
Examines the $1.5 trillion student loan debt problem that is increasingly affecting the middle class. Argues the debt is a clear case of exploitation with the investor class making money from students as the debt is repackaged and sold. Predicts a solution will be found since President Trump and many Democrats are seeking a remedy. - 20.02.14 / "Praying for a political payoff?" By Rob Boston. Church & State, February 2020, pp. 4-5.
Analyzes the Trump administration's guidelines on prayer and other religious activities in public schools, released on January 16, 2020. - 20.02.15 / "America's quiet policing crisis." By Charles Fain Lehman. City Journal (Manhattan Institute), February 5, 2020, pp. 1-3.
Reports police departments across the United States are confronting a recruitment crisis. Includes the Police Executive Research Forum's recommendations on how to improve recruitment efforts. - 20.02.16 / "Car trouble." By Jessica Wehrman. CQ Weekly, January 21, 2020, pp. 14-21.
Explores the transitioning auto industry and its struggles to navigate the federal regulatory complexity recently created by policies of the Trump administration. - 20.02.17 / "Testing and college admissions: What's SAT?" Economist, February 8th-14th, 2020, pp. 23-24.
Examines the debate over the use of college entrance exams, such as the SAT and ACT, as a requirement for college admissions. Discusses the lawsuit seeking to end the University of California System's use of these tests. - 20.02.18 / "Guns in political advertising over four US election cycles, 2012-18." By Colleen L. Barry, et al. Health Affairs, February 2020, pp. 327-333.
Observes that gun references have increased substantially in candidate-related ads in recent elections, particularly in communities more attuned to elections or that were near mass shootings. - 20.02.19 / "Implications of the rapid growth of the nurse practitioner workforce in the US." By David I. Auerbach, Peter I. Buerhaus, and Douglas O. Staiger. Health Affairs, February 2020, pp. 273-279.
Observes that the registered nurse [RN] workforce has been reduced following policy advocating for greater use of nurse practitioners to fill the health care gap left by physician shortages. - 20.02.20 / "State policy recommendations for addressing teacher shortages." By Ana Ramón. IDRA Newsletter (Intercultural Development Research Association), January 2020, pp. 1-2.
Identifies various alternative teacher certification programs that have been used in Texas, including the IDRA accelerated teacher certification model designed to prepare teachers for diverse classrooms. Presents seven policy recommendations for the Texas Legislature to consider in the areas of recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly qualified educators. - 20.02.21 / "Caring for tomorrow." By Alisa Chester. Internet Resource, January/February 2020, pp. 1-3.
Describes Texas hospitals' work to enhance access to pediatric mental health care, curb the outbreak of teen vaping, address the rising uninsured children rate, and use telemedicine to provide access to pediatric specialists in rural areas. - 20.02.22 / "Out-of-network bills for privately insured patients undergoing elective surgery with in-network primary surgeons and facilities." By Karan R. Chhabra, et al. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), February 11, 2020, pp. 538-547.
Evaluates out-of-network billing across common elective operations — like knee replacements, breast lumpectomies, and others — performed with in-network primary surgeons and facilities. Finds that almost 21 percent of episodes had an out-of-network bill. - 20.02.23 / "How Black Lives Matter is changing Black History Month." By Olivia B. Waxman. Time, February 17, 2020, pp. 18-19.
Examines how the Black Lives Matter movement is transforming how black history is being taught in public schools.
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.
