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

• Read about stare decisis and the U.S. Supreme Court's role in legal precedent. (ABA Legal Fact Check, June 24, 2022)
• Explore polarization in American politics. (University of Chicago Institute of Politics, accessed June 28, 2022)
• Consider how journalists view their job and the press. (Pew Research Center, June 14, 2022)
• Review an economic outlook for the U.S. (Congressional Research Service, June 28, 2022)

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on June 30, 2022 at 3:18 PM and has received 581 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our June 2022 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 or contact the library at 512-463-1252.

1. Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics
By Susan J. Carroll, Richard L. Fox, and Kelly Dittmar, editors
Examines the role that gender and race played in the recent 2018 and 2020 elections. Reflects on how elections in the U.S. are acutely gendered, from perceptions of candidates to the disparity between the number of men versus women vying for political office.
Cambridge University Press, 2022, 337 pages
320.082 G285 2022

 

 

2. One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America
By Nick Seabrook
Provides historical examples of gerrymandering to illustrate how the practice has affected modern politics, including efforts by Patrick Henry, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and former Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, the namesake of the term. Highlights the Redistricting Majority Project (REDMAP), a Republican Party program dedicated to taking control of state legislatures after the 2010 census. Discusses the role of the judiciary in resolving disputes over redistricting. Recommends strategies states can use to reform the redistricting process.
Pantheon Books, 2022, 362 pages
328.3 SE438ON 2022

 

 

3. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission: Sunset Staff Report
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Reports on the functions and governance structure of the Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact. Identifies public distrust and confusion over TCEQ's decision making process. Recommends changes in monitoring, enforcement, and review processes, including reform of the Commission's practices for gathering public input and promoting transparency.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2022, 94 pages
S1500.8 EN89 2022

 

 

4. Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Office of the Independent Ombudsman: Sunset Staff Report
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Reviews the functions and governance structure of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Focuses on TJJD's critical staffing issues, noting the employee turnover rates are the worst among large state agencies, and resolving this issue is necessary. Recommends changes to the board structure, while cautioning against a significant leadership shift, and requests a shortened six-year period until Sunset's next review of this agency.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2022, 102 pages
S1500.8 J800 2022

 

 

5. Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America
By Mark Follman
Explores the field of behavioral threat assessment as a strategy for preventing mass shootings in the United States. Examines the method's origins, through it's use in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Secret Service investigations, to its expansion after attacks in schools. Shows how trained teams, with their focus on recognizing concerning behaviors, can be scaled-up to aid the entire nation. Discusses school shootings and provides accounts from perpetrators, survivors, and behavior and legal experts.
Dey Street Books, 2022, 286 pages
364.152 F668T 2022

 

 

6. Sexual Harassment and Misconduct: An Encyclopedia
By Gina Robertiello, editor
Presents a comprehensive overview about the scope, nature, and prevalence of sexual harassment and misconduct in the United States. Includes relevant laws, codes of conduct, and court decisions. Explains past and current events, claims, various reforms and responses, as well as scandals pertaining to issues of sexism and sexual harassment.
ABC-CLIO, 2021, 395 pages
305.420973 R642S 2021

 

 

This entry was posted on June 28, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 608 views. Print this entry.

This entry was posted on June 24, 2022 at 9:29 AM and has received 579 views. Print this entry.

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.

• June 27, 2022
  • Senate Committee on Border Security
  • Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
• June 28, 2022
  • House Committee on Human Services
  • Senate Committee on Finance
• June 29, 2022
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting
  • Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
• June 30, 2022
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting

June 27, 2022
Senate Committee on Border Security
Topic: Review border security appropriations and their directed purposes. Invited testimony from the following:

• Office of the Attorney General
• Texas Division of Emergency Management
• Texas Facilities Commission

Border Security: Appropriations and Reporting Requirements (Presented to House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee), Legislative Budget Board, May 2022

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Charge: Public Health Data: Review the processes for public health data collection and coordination by local and state entities as well as regional trauma centers. Identify any continuing barriers to the real-time dissemination of data concerning health care facility capacity-including data that can expedite timely care-and morbidity rates, as well as other information that can assist in public policy decisions.

• Pew Proposes Steps to Strengthen the Country’s Response to Future Health Crises (Recommendations Related to Public Health Data), Pew Charitable Trusts, March 11, 2022
• Barriers to Dissemination of Local Health Data Faced by US State Agencies: Survey Study of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Coordinators, Journal of Medical Internet Research, July 13, 2021
• Assessment of Epidemiology Capacity in State Health Departments — United States, 2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 1, 2021
• Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC), Texas Department of State Health Services

Charge: Pandemic Response: Examine the impact of state and federal pandemic policies-including agency guidance, licensing and regulatory actions, and health care industry policies-on patient care and treatment delivery. Examine how regulatory guidance impacts the patient-doctor relationship. Recommend any changes needed to ensure Texas can develop its own data-driven guidance during public health emergencies.

• State Action on Coronavirus (COVID-19), National Conference of State Legislatures, June 20, 2022
• COVID Relief Provisions Stabilized Health Coverage, Improved Access and Affordability, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March 10, 2022
• Compact for Care: Texas Joins Interstate Agreement for Out-of-State Licensure, Texas Medical Association, last updated on January 25, 2022
• COVID-19: State Health Actions, National Conference of State Legislatures, September 27, 2021
• COVID-19 Health Policy Snapshots, National Conference of State Legislatures, March 1, 2021
• Telehealth After COVID-19: Clarifying Policy Goals for a Way Forward, RAND Corporation, January 2021

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June 28, 2022
House Committee on Human Services
Charge: Examine the long-term services and support system of care in Texas. Study workforce challenges for both institutional and community services. Assess opportunities to improve patient safety at senior living facilities. Consider mechanisms to promote a stable, sustainable, and quality-based long-term care system to address current and future needs of the state.

• Long-term Care Funding (Presented to Senate Committee on Finance), Legislative Budget Board, June 2022
• Nursing Facility Staffing Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kaiser Family Foundation, April 4, 2022
• Protecting Seniors by Improving Safety and Quality of Care in the Nation's Nursing Homes, The White House, February 28, 2022
• Employer Nurse Staffing Studies Archive (Long Term Care), Texas Department of State Health Services, last updated March 4, 2021
• Long-term Care Providers, Texas Health and Human Services
• Evidence-based Best Practices, Texas Health and Human Services
• AHRQ's Quality & Patient Safety Programs by Setting: Long-Term Care, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including:

• HB 3041, related to the implementation of the Family Preservation Services Pilot Program.

Charge: Monitor the current status of the state hospital system, including the forensic bed waitlist.

• Semi-Annual Reporting of Waiting Lists for Mental Health Services, As Required by 2022-2023 General Appropriations Act, Senate Bill 1, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021 (Article II, HHSC, Rider 50), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, November 2021
• Semi-Annual Reporting of Waiting Lists for Mental Health Services, As Required by 2020-2021 General Appropriations Act, House Bill 1, 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 58), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, April 2021
• Addendum: A Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services, In Response to S.B. 1, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 147), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, January 2021
• State Hospital Bed-Day Allocation Methodology and Utilization Review Protocol for Fiscal Year 2020, As Required by Health and Safety Code Section 533.0515(e), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, December 2020

Senate Committee on Finance
Charge: Mental Health Delivery: Examine the state mental health service delivery system. Study the state's Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services and the Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan and evaluate the existing state investments in mental health services and state hospital capacity. Review current forensic and civil mental health service waitlists, and recommend ways to improve coordination and outcomes to reduce waitlists. Explore and report on options for additional mental health service capacity, including building state hospitals in the Panhandle and Rio Grande Valley areas.

• Texas Statewide Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Strategic Plan, Texas Health and Human Services, January 13, 2022
• HHS System Annual Federal Funds Report for State Fiscal Year 2021, Texas Health and Human Services, December 16, 2021
• Texas Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan: Progress Report, Texas Health and Human Services, December 7, 2021
• Semi-Annual Reporting of Waiting Lists for Mental Health Services, As Required by 2022-2023 General Appropriations Act, Senate Bill 1, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021 (Article II, HHSC, Rider 50), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, November 2021
• Semi-Annual Reporting of Waiting Lists for Mental Health Services, As Required by 2020-2021 General Appropriations Act, House Bill 1, 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 58), Texas Health and Human Services Commission, April 2021
• Addendum: A Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services, In Response to S.B. 1, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 147), Texas Health and Human Services, January 2021
• All Texas Access Report, Texas Health and Human Services, revised January 2021
• Texas Statewide Behavioral Health, Fiscal Years 2017 – 2021: Strategic Plan Update and the Foundation for the IDD Strategic Plan, As Required by the 2016-17 General Appropriations Act, H.B. 1, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015 (Article IX, Section 10.04), Texas Health and Human Services, February 2019
• A Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services, As Required by S.B. 1, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 221), Texas Health and Human Services, August 2017

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June 29, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
Charge: Broadband and Telecommunications: Study broadband and other telecommunications related issues impacting Texans, including:

• Monitoring the implementation of House Bill 5 and House Bill 1505, 87th Legislature; discuss anticipated federal infrastructure funding dedicated to broadband initiatives;
  • Texas Broadband Plan, Texas Broadband Development Office, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, June 15, 2022
  • NTIA IIJA Broadband Programs: Overview for State and Local Governments and State Preparation for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Broadband Grant Programs, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, January 2022
  • A Guidebook to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments, and Other Partners (Broadband), The White House, January 31, 2022
  • Funding Resources, Texas Broadband Development Office
  • Grants, National Telecommunications and Information Administration
  • Legislation, Texas Broadband Development Office
• Reviewing the Texas Universal Service Fund and reporting what, if any, changes should be made through a review of both the fund's contributions and disbursements, as well as the impact of technology on the long-term stability of the Texas Universal Service Fund; and
  • Filings for 53140: Review of Texas Universal Service Fund, PUC Interchange Filer, Public Utility Commission of Texas, 2022
  • Internet and Phone Services in Rural Texas Threatened as State Slashes Subsidies for Providers, Texas Tribune, January 25, 2021
  • 2020 Texas Report (Texas Universal Service Fund), Governor's Broadband Development Council, November 2020
  • Letter to Texas Representatives re: Financial Shortfall of the Texas Universal Service Fund, Public Utility Commission of Texas, November 9, 2020
  • Report to the 83rd Texas Legislature: Review and Evaluation of the Texas Universal Service Fund Pursuant to Senate Bill 980, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, Public Uitility Commission of Texas, November 1, 2012

• Monitoring the implementation of House Bill 2911, 87th Legislature, relating to next generation 9-1-1 service and the establishment of a next generation 9-1-1 service fund.

Charge: Electricity: Study issues impacting the Texas electric grid, including weather preparedness and the natural gas supply chain. Evaluate potential benefits of real-time transparency of the intrastate gas market with respect to the functions of ERCOT and the Texas Energy Reliability Council.

• Severe Cold Weather Events & Critical Infrastructure in Texas (Links to resources on the response of ERCOT, the PUC, and other state and federal agencies), Legislative Reference Library, February 17, 2022
• Mapping Report, Texas Electricity Supply Chain Security and Mapping Committee, January 2022
• ERCOT's Final Report on Winter Weather Readiness Inspections (Public Utility Commission of Texas, Filings for 52786 and 52787), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), January 18, 2022
• Report on Existing and Potential Electric System Constraints and Needs (Planned Improvements), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), December 2021

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June 30, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

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This entry was posted on June 22, 2022 at 12:52 PM and has received 1555 views. Print this entry.

Juneteenth is a celebration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas, and has been an official Texas holiday since 1979.

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston to announce the end of slavery in Texas, almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Major General's announcement, General Order Number 3, reads as follows: "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."

Representative Al Edwards authored H.B. 1016, 66th R.S. (1979), declaring June 19th, Emancipation Day, an official Texas holiday. The Juneteenth historical marker (right) was installed in Galveston on June 21, 2014. In 2016, a monument dedicated to African Americans in Texas was unveiled on the Texas Capitol grounds (cover image).

Last year, Congress passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act (Public Law 117–17), making June 19 a public holiday. It was signed by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021.

On July 22, 2021, the Texas Senate passed SR 19, 87th 1st C.S., recognizing Opal Lee, "the grandmother of Juneteenth," on the designation of Juneteenth as a national holiday.

Learn more about Juneteenth and the holiday's Texas origins in the Handbook of Texas Online.

You can also find more information about Juneteenth from the following resources:

• "Juneteenth Journey," The Medallion, Texas Historical Commission, November 3, 2014
• The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth, National Museum of African American History of Culture, June 19, 2019
• National Archives Safeguards Original 'Juneteenth' General Order, National Archives News, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, June 19, 2020
• "Legislative History of Juneteenth," In Custodia Legis, Law Library of Congress, June 23, 2021
• Texas Observes Juneteenth, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, page last modified June 2, 2022
• Juneteenth: Fact Sheet, Congressional Research Service, updated June 14, 2022
• "The Surprising Local Origin Story of Juneteenth," Governing, June 17, 2022

This entry was posted on June 17, 2022 at 4:32 PM and has received 1729 views. Print this entry.

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

• Review information related to school shootings by location. (Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), accessed June 15, 2022)
• Track air quality on Google Maps. (The Verge, June 9, 2022)
• Explore statistics related to the Compassionate Use Program. (Texas Department of Public Safety, accessed June 15, 2022)
• Read about how data brokers sell cell phone location data to the federal government. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, June 13, 2022)

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on June 16, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 558 views. Print this entry.

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.

• June 20, 2022
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting
• June 21, 2022
  • House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs CANCELED
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting
  • Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans
• June 22, 2022
  • House Committee on State Affairs
  • Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans
  • Sunset Advisory Commission
• June 23, 2022
  • House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety and House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety (Joint)
  • House Committee on State Affairs

June 20, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

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June 21, 2022
House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs CANCELED
Charge: Examine programs and funding streams connected to services that improve mental health outcomes for servicemen and women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

• Association of Traumatic Brain Injury With Mortality Among Military Veterans Serving After September 11, 2001, Journal of the American Medical Association, February 11, 2022
• UTSA Collaborative Study with DoD and VA Aims to Heighten Awareness, Improve Care for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury, The University of Texas at San Antonio, February 11, 2021
• The National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study: A Narrative Review and Future Directions (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder), Frontiers in Psychiatry, December 9, 2020
• Veterans Recovery Pilot Program Evaluation Report, As Required by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 49.008, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, October 2020
• Treating PTSD: A Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, November 2, 2018
• Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adults, American Psychological Association, 2017
• Overview of VA Research on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• VA Research on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Topic: Update on Military Equipment available to local governments through the Texas Law Enforcement Support Office.

• Texas LESO Program, Texas Department of Public Safety

House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following areas:

• School Safety
• Police Training
• Social Media

Speaker Dade Phelan letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick letter to Speaker Dade Phelan (Uvalde response, mental health, school safety), June 13, 2022

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June 22, 2022
House Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Update on the continued progress of the proposed changes to the ERCOT market design.

• Memorandum, Project No. 52373, Review of Wholesale Market Design (Phase II), Public Utility Commission of Texas, December 6, 2021
• The Load-Serving Entity Reliability Obligation: A Market Design Reform to Ensure Electric Reliability in Texas, submitted to Public Utility Commission of Texas, Energy + Environmental Economics, October 2021
• Filings for 52373: Review of Wholesale Electric Market Design, PUC Interchange Filer, Public Utility Commission of Texas

Senate Committee To Protect All Texans
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following areas:

• Mental Health
• Firearm Safety

Speaker Dade Phelan letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick letter to Speaker Dade Phelan (Uvalde response, mental health, school safety), June 13, 2022

Sunset Advisory Commission
Consideration and possible action on the recommendations for the following agencies:

• Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
  • Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee
• Texas Water Development Board
  • State Water Implementation Fund for Texas
• San Antonio River Authority

Staff presentation and public testimony:

• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
  • Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission
• Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • Office of the Independent Ombudsman

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June 23, 2022
House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety and House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Charge #1: Study the implementation and impact of Senate Bill 11 (86th Legislature, Regular Session) and any other pertinent laws. Identify additional policies, protocols, and strategies that will help create a safer environment in schools and local communities.

• School Safety: Overview and Legislative Tracking, National Conference of State Legislatures, May 31, 2022
• Texas Has Some Safety Requirements for Public Schools - But Leaves Most of the Particulars Up to Education Officials, Texas Tribune, May 25, 2022
• Safe and Supportive School Program Update, Texas Education Agency, April 7, 2022
• Interim Report to the 87th Texas Legislature (Charge 1 – House Bill 18 (86R), House Bill 19 (86R), House Bill 906 (86R), Senate Bill 11 (86R)), House Committee on Public Education, December 2020
• Statewide Plan for Student Mental Health: Senate Bill 11, Texas Education Agency, December 2020
• Strong Families, Supportive Communities: Moving Our Behavioral Health Workforce Forward, Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, December 2020
• Senate Bill 11 Data Requirement and Safe and Supportive Schools Program (SSSP), Texas Education Agency, September 17, 2020
• Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety Updates, Texas Education Agency, July 23, 2020
• Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) and Other School Safety Related Legislation, Texas Education Agency, February 27, 2020
• Safe and Supportive School Program, Legislation Related to the Safe and Supportive School Program, Texas Education Agency

Charge #2: Examine strategies to prevent acts of violence, including measures to enhance firearm safety in Texas.

• School Safety: Research on Gathering Tips and Addressing Threats, National Institute of Justice, April 12, 2021
• Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools, National Threat Assessment Center, March 2021
• Blip on the Radar: School Safety Synergy Through Early Warning and Information Sharing, Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security, December 2020
• A Comprehensive School Safety Framework: Report to the Committees on Appropriations, National Institute of Justice, January 2020
• School-Based Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook, World Health Organization, 2019
• Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Charge #3: Evaluate the preparedness of and coordination between state and local agencies, non governmental entities, and law enforcement for the prevention of and response to mass violence, including the content and efficacy of active shooter response training.

• After Uvalde School Shooting, Texas Police Wonder How Much Training Is Enough — And Will It Matter?, Texas Tribune, June 13, 2022
• Letter to Pete Blair, Executive Director, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center (ALERRT), Texas State University (RE: Instructing ALERRT to provide a debrief of the Uvalde school shooting and other relevant situations to decision makers charged with school safety in all our public schools and directing ALERRT to deploy their nationally recognized active shooter training to all Texas school districts, prioritizing school-based law enforcement), Governor Greg Abbott, June 6, 2022
• Texas Safety Action Report, Governor Greg Abbott, September 12, 2019
• Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT), Publications, Texas State University

House Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

• SB 2, relating to the governance of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Office of Public Utility Counsel, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas

Charge: Examine the efforts of power generation facilities to weatherize their facilities.

• ERCOT's Final Report on Winter Weather Readiness Inspections (Public Utility Commission of Texas Project Nos. 52786 and 52787), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), January 18, 2022
• Item 3: Weatherization and Inspection Update, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), January 17-18, 2022
• PUC Recommends $7.5M in Fines for Power Plants That Failed to File Winterization Reports, 5 NBCDFW, December 8, 2021
• Weather Emergency Preparedness FAQs, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), posted November 23, 2021
• Filings for 51840: Rulemaking to Establish Electric Weatherization Standards, PUC Interchange Filer, Public Utility Commission of Texas

Charge: Review the status of projects intended to reduce transmission congestion within the electrical grid.

• Report on Existing and Potential Electric System Constraints and Needs (Planned Improvements), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), December 2021
• Transmission Planning in ERCOT, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), July 26, 2021
• National Electric Transmission Congestion Study, U.S. Department of Energy, September 2020

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This entry was posted on June 15, 2022 at 10:15 AM and has received 1038 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider how executive pay has climbed recently. (Institute for Policy Studies, June 2022)
• Read about Americans' views on government. (Pew Research Center, June 6, 2022)
• Review wildfire statistics. (Congressional Research Service, June 1, 2022)
• Explore the U.S. Drought Monitor. (National Drought Mitigation Center, released June 9, 2022)

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on June 9, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 624 views. Print this entry.

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.

• June 13, 2022
  • Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
• June 14, 2022
  • House Committee on County Affairs
  • House Committee on House Administration
  • Senate Committee on Finance
• June 15, 2022
  • House Committee on Corrections and House Committee on County Affairs (Joint Hearing)
• June 16, 2022
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting
• June 17, 2022
  • House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting

June 13, 2022
Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Wildfires and Prescribed Burns: Examine ways to reduce the risk of and destructive impact of wildfires. Monitor the role the Prescribed Burning Board plays in controlled burns. Recommend practices and improvements that public and private landowners may use to reduce fire risks.

• Environment and Natural Resources State Bill Tracking Database, National Conference of State Legislatures, May 25, 2022
• WUI Structure/Parcel/Community Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, March 2022
• Draft California Fire Code Includes NIST Tool to Evaluate Wildfire Hazard, National Institute of Standards and Technology, September 13, 2021
• Staff Report with Final Results (Prescribed Burning Board), Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2021
• Legislative Solutions in Disaster Mitigation, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 2020
• How to Reduce Your Wildfire Risk, Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel, February 18, 2020
• Wildland Fire Management, Texas Parks & Wildlife
• Wildfire Preparedness for Businesses, Texas Department of Insurance

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development passed by the 87th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:

• HB 1247, Relating to the development of and report on a tri-agency work-based learning strategic framework by the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
• HB 4110, Relating to the registration of metal recycling.

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June 14, 2022
House Committee on County Affairs
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

• HB 1545, relating to the continuation and functions of the Commission on Jail Standards;
• HB 1906, relating to grants awarded to reimburse counties for the cost of monitoring defendants and victims in cases involving family violence; and
• HB 2073, relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers, detention officers, and emergency medical technicians employed by, appointed by, or elected for a political subdivision.

Charge: Study statutorily mandated services provided by sheriffs and constables and determine whether fee schedules are set at sufficient levels to allow for cost recovery without placing undue burdens on recipients of those services.

• Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charge 6 – Study statutorily mandated services provided by sheriffs and constables, and determine whether fee schedules allow cost recovery without placing undue burdens on recipients of those services.), House Committee on County Affairs, January 2017,
• Sheriffs' and Constables' Fees, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

House Committee on House Administration
Topic: Interim budget for The Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting.

Senate Committee on Finance
Charge: Long-term Care Funding: Examine state investments in the long-term care system. Study nursing facility funding issues and the impact of the pandemic on capacity and delivery of care. Explore nursing facility quality metrics and recommend strategies to improve the sustainability of the long-term care workforce.

• Nursing Facility Staffing Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Kaiser Family Foundation, April 4, 2022
• Nursing in Texas: Charting the State's Nursing Profession, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, April 2022
• A Workforce in Peril: Shortages Threaten Patient Care, Texas Hospital Association, March 7, 2022
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission Annual Report Regarding Long-Term Care Regulation, As Required by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 242.005, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, March 2022
• Who Will Have Unmet Long-Term Care Needs and How Does Medicaid Help?, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, November 2021
• Texas Council on Long-Term Care Facilities, As Required by Senate Bill 1519, 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, Long-Term Care Facilities Council, January 2021
• Updated Nurse Supply and Demand Projections, 2018-2032, Nursing Supply and Demand Projections, Texas Health and Human Services, July 2020

Charge: Medicaid: Monitor the financial impact of federal decision-making affecting supplemental Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals and health care systems, including negotiations between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Texas Medicaid agency regarding the state's 1115 Medicaid waiver and other federal proposals reducing supplemental funding streams for Texas.

• Looming End of Federal Pandemic Emergency Threatens to Shake Texas' Medicaid Safety Net, Advocates Say, Texas Tribune, May 16, 2022
• Careful Planning Now Can Reduce Health Coverage Losses When Medicaid COVID-19 Continuous Coverage Ends, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March 9, 2022
• What to Watch in Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers One Year Into the Biden Administration, Kaiser Family Foundation, January 27, 2022
• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Charge 1 – Health Care Costs), Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, January 2021
• Medicaid 1115 Waiver, Texas Department of Health and Human Services

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June 15, 2022
House Committee on Corrections and House Committee on County Affairs (Joint Hearing)
Charge: For individuals in county jails and TDCJ facilities, or on community supervision or parole, examine:

• The availability of behavioral health services; and
• The current treatment and recovery options available for those who are experiencing withdrawal from drug or alcohol use.

Make recommendations for best practices to address the needs of individuals requiring treatment.

• Managing Substance Withdrawal in Jails: A Legal Brief, Bureau of Justice Assistance, February 2022
• Inmate Health Services Plan (Mental Health Services), Correctional Managed Health Care Committee, Reviewed and updated September 2021
• Self Evaluation Report (Issue 3: Inmates with Mental Health Issues or Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities), Submitted to Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, August 2019
• Jail-Based Medication-Assisted Treatment: Promising Practices, Guidelines and Resources for the Field, National Sheriff's Association, October 2018
• Rehabilitation Programs Division - Substance Use Treatment Program, Texas Department of Criminal Justice

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June 16, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

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June 17, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

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

• Review the outlook for the 2022 hurricane season. (Congressional Research Service, May 31, 2022)
• Discover the shelf life of many foods. (StillTasty, accessed June 1, 2022)
• Search the land grant database. (Texas General Land Office, accessed June 1, 2022)
• Explore COVID-19 data by county. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, accessed June 1, 2022, updated daily)

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

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