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

• Explore the domestic migration of older Americans in recent years. (U.S. Census Bureau, September 22, 2022)
• Consider how lower tax burdens are drawing entrepreneurs to Texas and Florida. (Cato Institute, September 25, 2022)
• Review a proposed rule that strengthens protections for consumers by requiring airlines to disclose certain fees. (U.S. Department of Transportation, September 26, 2022)
• Find a list of alternative fuel corridors on interstates, U.S. routes, and state highways by state. (Federal Highway Administration, updated July 5, 2022)
• Read about flood priority research projects. (Texas Water Development Board, accessed September 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 September 29, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 539 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.

• October 3, 2022
  • House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence and House Commmittee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues (Joint)
  • House Select Committee on Health Care Reform
• October 4, 2022
  • House Committee on Energy Resources
• October 6, 2022
  • House Committee on Transportation

October 3, 2022
House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence and House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues (Joint)
Charge: Examine current caseloads and capacity issues for courts handling matters related to the Texas-Mexico border. Evaluate the preparedness of the court system to handle increases in caseloads that may result from the border crisis response and make recommendations to ensure the continued fair and efficient administration of justice in the state in addressing any increased caseloads.

• Operation Lone Star (Profile of Lubbock Private Defender Office), Voice for the Defense, November 2021
• Court Activity Database, Office of Court Administration
• Operation Lone Star, Lubbock Private Defender Office
• Operation Lone Star, Texas Indigent Defense Commission

House Select Committee on Health Care Reform
Charge: Study ways to improve outreach to families with children who are eligible for, but not enrolled in, Medicaid or CHIP, including children in rural areas.

• Analysis of Recent National Trends in Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment, Kaiser Family Foundation, September 12, 2022
• Millions of Children May Lose Medicaid: What Can Be Done to Help Prevent Them from Becoming Uninsured?, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, February 2022
• Connecting Kids to Coverage: State Outreach, Enrollment and Retention Strategies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, November 2021
• Uninsurance Rose among Children and Parents in 2019: National and State Patterns, Urban Institute, July 2021
• Children's Health Care Report Card: Children's Health Coverage in Texas, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
• Healthcare Statistics (Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment), Texas Health and Human Services

Charge: Examine the potential impact of delayed care on the state's health care delivery system, health care costs, and patient health outcomes, as well as best practices for getting patients with foregone or delayed interventions back into the health care system. The study should consider patient delays in obtaining preventive and primary health services, such as well-child care, prenatal care, screenings for cancer and chronic disease, behavioral health, and immunizations, in addition to delays in seeking urgent care or care for chronic illness.

• Delayed and Forgone Health Care for Nonelderly Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the September 11-28 Coronavirus Tracking Survey, Urban Institute, February 2021
• Delayed Care With Harmful Health Consequences—Reported Experiences From National Surveys During Coronavirus Disease 2019, JAMA Health Forum, December 14, 2020
• Factors Associated With Forgone Care Among Children in the United States: An Analysis of the 2016-2018 National Survey of Children's Health, Health Services Research, August 20, 2020

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October 4, 2022
House Committee on Energy Resources (Midland)
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 1520, relating to extraordinary costs incurred by gas utilities relating to Winter Storm Uri and the authority to issue bonds and impose fees and assessments; and
• HB 3648, which requires the designation of certain natural gas facilities as critical customers or critical gas suppliers during energy emergencies.

Charge: Examine ways to increase the production of oil and gas within the state. Review state and local regulations that could directly impact the exploration or production of oil and gas and make recommendations for increasing Texas' energy independence.

• Crude Oil Production in Texas's Eagle Ford Region Has Been Increasing Since February 2022, Today in Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 26, 2022
• In Texas, Calls to Boost U.S. Oil Production After Russian Invasion Run Into Hard Realities, Texas Tribune, March 25, 2022
• Rules and Production Data, Railroad Commission of Texas

Charge: Explore options for expanding the state's underground natural gas storage capacity, including using excess storage capacity for carbon capture opportunities and the creation of a strategic natural gas reserve for the state.

• Underground Natural Gas Working Storage Capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 31, 2022
• Fact Sheet: Underground Natural Gas Storage Caverns, U.S. Department of Transportation, last updated December 20, 2021
• Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) in the United States, Congressional Research Service, updated October 18, 2021
• The Basics of Underground Natural Gas Storage, U.S. Energy Information Administration, November 16, 2015
• Gas Storage Statistics, Railroad Commission of Texas
• Reservoir Gas Storage, Railroad Commission of Texas
• Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity (By State), U.S. Energy Information Administration

Charge: Evaluate innovative and emerging energy sources. Identify and make recommendations to address legislative or regulatory obstacles to the use, development, and deployment of viable innovative and emerging energy sources.

• Power Systems on the Cusp of Fundamental Transformation: From Spinning Machines to Power-electronics, Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, August 23, 2022 
• 2021 Legislative Energy Trends: Renewable Energy, National Conference of State Legislatures, April 25, 2022 
• Zero Air Pollution and Zero Carbon From All Energy at Low Cost and Without Blackouts in Variable Weather Throughout the U.S. With 100% Wind-Water-Solar and Storage, Renewable Energy, December 1, 2021 
• Solar Futures Study, U.S. Department of Energy, September 2021 
• Geothermal Anywhere—Texas' Next Great Energy Opportunity, Bureau of Economic Geology, July 15, 2021 
• Lessons from the 2021 Texas Hydrogen Roundtable, University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute, January 12, 2021 
• Clean Energy, U.S. Department of Energy 

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October 6, 2022
House Committee on Transportation (Corpus Christi)
Topic: Discuss transportation safety efforts in Texas.

• Unified Transportation Program 2023, Texas Department of Transportation, August 30, 2022
• 2050 Statewide Transportation Report, Texas Department of Transportation, January 2022
• Texas Transportation Plan 2050, Texas Department of Transportation, June 25, 2020
• Traffic Safety Campaigns, Texas Department of Transportation

Charge: Study the impacts that increased federal funding, formula changes, and new programs authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will have on state transportation projects. Evaluate strategies to ensure Texas communities can maximize receipt of federal grant funds.

• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Implementation and Key Resources, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 26, 2022
• Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Overview, Funding, Assistance / Local Support, Fact Sheets, Guidance), Federal Highway Administration, last modified August 4, 2022
• Texas Transportation Plan 2050, Texas Department of Transportation, June 25, 2020

Charge: Examine the ability of the state’s seaports to promote the public purposes of state economic growth, diversification, and commerce through development of port-owned properties within their boundaries. Review the investments needed for Texas ports to remain competitive in handling increased cargo volumes and ensuring a resilient supply chain.

• Interim Hearings – Week of September 5, 2022, September 8 – House Committee on Transportation, Legislative Reference Library, September 1, 2022
• Interim Report to the 87th Texas Legislature (Charge 4 – Ports), House Committee on Transportation, December 2020
• Economic Impact of the Texas Ports on the State of Texas and the United States, 2018, Prepared for the Texas Ports Association by Martin Associates, July 25, 2019
• Texas Maritime Ports and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Texas Department of Transportation
• Texas Ports of Entry: Economic Impact 2018 (Seaports), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

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This entry was posted on September 28, 2022 at 11:10 AM and has received 881 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider how Americans consume news media across various platforms. (Pew Research Center, September 20, 2022)
• Explore environmental and health hazards by census tract. (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, page last reviewed: August 10, 2022)
• Read about recent developments in voter registration policies. (Congressional Research Service, updated September 19, 2022)
• Review information about social media challenges involving over-the-counter and prescription medications. (U.S. Food & Drug Administration, September 15, 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 September 22, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 501 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our September 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. Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920-2020
By Elisabeth Griffith
Chronicles the efforts of Black and white women for voting rights and equality after the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. Contrasts the sometimes competing goals of each group, in which the Black women's movement focused on protecting their communities from racial violence and discrimination while white women sought equal legal rights with white men. Describes the seemingly parallel struggles for political power as interwoven and complex, acknowledging the diversity of the fight for "liberty and justice for all."
Pegasus Books, 2022, 507 pages
305.420973 G853F 2022

 

 

2. Foster Care in America: A Reference Handbook
By Christina G. Villegas
Explores the American foster care system, including the history of state and federal approaches to child welfare. Presents recurring problems and controversies that affect U.S. foster care systems, and highlights proposals aimed at improving outcomes for children and families. Includes a glossary of terms used in discussions of foster care, key national and local child welfare organizations' profiles, and an annotated reference guide.
ABC-CLIO, 2022, 292 pages
362.73 V732F 2022

 

 

3. More City Than Water: A Houston Flood Atlas
By Lacy M. Johnson and Cheryl Beckett, editors
Examines the impact of Hurricane Harvey on the people and communities of Houston, Texas, through the use of maps, personal essays, interviews, and photographs collected for the Houston Flood Museum project. Urges reflection on the "link between human activities and catastrophic flooding" and presents possible outcomes for Houston and the Gulf Coast in the face of expected future natural disasters.
University of Texas Press, 2022, 292 pages
303.485 J68M 2022

 

 

4. Texas Legislative Council Drafting Manual (88th Legislature)
By Texas Legislative Council
Explains the legislative drafting process with updated examples for the upcoming 88th Legislature. Notes the manual is intended to be used primarily by the drafting staff but suggests legislators and legislative staff may find it a useful resource for understanding how legislation is drafted and analyzing legislative documents. Includes city and county population summaries from the 2020 census, text of the Code Construction Act, and a memorandum on local and bracket bills.
Texas Legislative Council, 2022, 318 pages
L1400.5 D783 2022

 

 

5. We've Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible
By Beto O'Rourke
Presents Beto O'Rourke's interactions with individuals across Texas, discussing what he learned while campaigning for office and while registering voters. Explains how voting rights are essential for democracy while weaving the stories of Texans who affected election administration in Texas. Highlights Dr. Lawrence Aaron Nixon's 20-year effort to overturn SB 44, 38th Legislature, 2nd C.S. from 1923, which prohibited African-Americans from voting in Democratic primaries.
Flatiron Books, 2022, 211 pages
324.6 OR74W 2022

 

 

6. ScholAthlete's Survival Guide: Essential Study Skills for the Scholar Athlete
By Tamsen Valoir and Jolanda Jones
Provides guidance to student athletes on how to balance athletics and academics at the college level. Shares study skill techniques and tips, interspersed with co-author Representative Jolanda "Jo" Jones' own academic experiences as a ScholAthlete.
Booklocker.com, 2008, 126 pages
378.17 V198S 2008

 

 

This entry was posted on September 19, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 550 views. Print this entry.

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

• Explore the relaunch of the Civil Rights Digital Library. (Digital Library of Georgia, September 9, 2022)
• Search a free case law database for decisions from federal courts and state appellate courts. (Free Law Project, September 12, 2022)
• Find safety rest areas along Texas highways. (Texas Department of Transportation, © 2022)
• Review storm resources, including an electric outages map. (Public Utility Commission of Texas, © 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 September 15, 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.

• September 20, 2022
  • House Committee on Higher Education and House Committee on Public Education (Joint)
• September 21, 2022
  • House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
• September 23, 2022
  • House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

September 20, 2022
House Committee on Higher Education and House Committee on Public Education (Joint)
Charge 1: Evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the state’s teacher workforce, and current practices to improve the recruitment, preparation, and retention of high-quality educators. Explore the impact of the educator preparation program regulatory environment. Make recommendations to improve educator recruitment, retention, and preparation throughout the state.

• The 2022 Texas Teacher Poll: Persistent Problems and a Path Forward, Charles Butt Foundation, September 2022
• The Teacher Pay Penalty Has Hit a New High, Economic Policy Institute, August 16, 2022
• What Happened to the K-12 Education Labor Market During COVID? The Acute Need for Better Data Systems, Annenberg Institute at Brown University, August 2022
• It's Not Just COVID-19: Why Texas Faces a Teacher Shortage, Texas Tribune, July 25, 2022
• Teacher Shortage? What We Know and What We Don't Yet Know, Texas 2036, May 17, 2022
• Texas Teacher Workforce Report, 2021, Prepared for Raise Your Hand Texas, University of Houston, November 2020
• Texas Educators: Certification and Preparation and Continuing Education, Texas Education Agency
• Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) in Texas and Educator Reports and Data, Texas Education Agency
• Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview, Texas Education Agency

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September 21, 2022
House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Charge 1: 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 1728, relating to partnerships between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and nonprofit entities to promote hunting and fishing by certain veterans; and
• HB 3081, which relates to the issuance of digital tags for the taking of certain animals.

Charge 2: Review the overall state of Texas' travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Make recommendations for statutory and regulatory changes to ensure industry resiliency and vitality. Consider the following:

• Access to federal recovery programs and efforts that enable the draw-down of federal funding;
• Improvement of workforce reliability; and
• Use of the supplemental money appropriated to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism through SB 8 (87S3).

• Texas Travel Research Dashboard, Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, last updated September 2022
• Federal Funding Overview: COVID-19 Funding and Other Major Legislation (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, July 2022
• "Travel, Interrupted: The Pandemic Hit the Tourism Industry Hard, But the Future Looks Bright, from West Texas to the Coast," Texas Highways, Texas Department of Transportation, November 2021
• "Nature Tourism in Texas: Recreation, Revenues and Science in the Great Outdoors," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, May 2021
• "Weathering the Pandemic: Texas Industries and COVID-19" (Leisure and hospitality), Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, January 2021
• The Economic Impact of Travel on Texas: 1994-2019, Dean Runyan Associates, Prepared for Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, June 2020
• Travel Research, Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism

Charge 3: Review state efforts to preserve and develop Texas state parks and open spaces to ensure affordable public access to outdoor recreational and educational opportunities.

• Natural Agenda: A Strategic Plan for Texas Parks and Wildlife, Fiscal Years 2023-2027, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, June 1, 2022
• Staff Report with Final Results: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2021
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Self-Evaluation Report, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, August 2019
• Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, January 2015
• Education, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

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September 23, 2022
House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
Charge 3: Examine obstacles to the reporting of domestic violence and how these obstacles contribute to the difficulty in obtaining and enforcing a protective order. Examine new technologies that could facilitate domestic violence reporting without putting victims at risk of further violence and harm.

• 16th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report, National Network to End Domestic Violence, March 2022
• Domestic Violence in Texas, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2021
• Texas Family Violence Program Statewide Report, As Required by Human Resources Code, Section 51.006, Texas Health and Human Services, November 2020
• Honoring Texas Victims: Family Violence Fatalities in 2020, Texas Council on Family Violence, 2020
• Creating a Safer Texas: Access to Safety, Justice, & Opportunity, Texas Council on Family Violence, 2019
• Technology Safety & Privacy: A Toolkit for Survivors, National Network to End Domestic Violence

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This entry was posted on September 14, 2022 at 9:35 AM and has received 912 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider how much income seniors need to live independently. (University of Massachusetts Boston, ©2021)
• Find resources on how to report and prevent illegal dumping. (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, July 13, 2022)
• Read about occupational licensing for immigrants. (Council of State Governments, September 7, 2022)
• Explore campaign finance disclosure requirements by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, July 5, 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 September 8, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 495 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.

• September 13, 2022
  • House Committee on Energy Resources and House Committee on State Affairs (Joint)
  • House Committee on Public Health
  • Senate Committee on Local Government
• September 14, 2022
  • House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
  • House Committee on Public Health
  • Senate Committee on Local Government
  • Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
• September 15, 2022
  • House Committee on Business & Industry

September 13, 2022
House Committee on Energy Resources and House Committee on State Affairs (Joint)
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 3, relating to preparing for, preventing, and responding to weather emergencies and power outages. (Joint charge with Committee on State Affairs)

House Committee on Public Health
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 4 relating to the provision and delivery of telemedicine and telehealth services; and
• HB 1616 relating to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Charge: Study the impact of fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in Texas. Evaluate existing data collection, dissemination, and mitigation strategies regarding opioid abuse in Texas. Make recommendations to improve coordinated prevention, education, treatment, and data-sharing.

• With National Data on Drug Overdoses Lacking, University of Texas Project Looks to Help Provide a Solution, Texas Tribune, July 5, 2022
• As Opioid Overdoses Surge, States Expand Treatment, National Conference of State Legislatures, May 17, 2022
• First Digital Platform to Track and Prevent Drug Overdoses in Texas Launches, The University of Texas at Austin, December 2, 2021
• Addressing Substance Use in Texas: Public Health Agency Action Plan, Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Texas Department of State Health Services, January 2020
• Agency Action Plan to Address Substance Abuse, Texas Department of State Health Services
• Death Rate Maps & Graphs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Drug Overdose Deaths, Texas Department of State Health Services
• Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, National Center for Health Statistics

Charge: Study current telemedicine trends by assessing and making recommendations related to standardizing required documentation healthcare providers must obtain for consent for treatment, data collection, sharing and retention schedules, and providing telemedicine medical services to certain cancer patients receiving pain management services and supportive palliative care.

• National Survey Trends in Telehealth Use in 2021: Disparities in Utilization and Audio vs. Video Services, Office of Health Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, February 1, 2022
• 2022 Interoperability Standards Advisory Reference Edition, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, January 10, 2022
• Removing Regulatory Barriers to Telehealth Before and After COVID-19, Brookings Institution, May 6, 2020
• Telemedicine in Texas, Texas Medical Association
• United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI), Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Senate Committee on Local Government
Charge: Affordable Housing: Study issues related to affordable housing, homelessness, and methods of providing and financing affordable housing. Make recommendations to improve transparency and accountability, as well as to better utilize existing federal, state, and local programs.

• Texas Housing Insight, Texas Real Estate Research Center, August 17, 2022
• The State of The Nation's Housing 2022, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, June 22, 2022
• Housing Choice Plan, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, May 2022 revised
• The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, National Low Income Housing Coalition, April 2022
• Here's One Way States Are Boosting Affordable Housing, Stateline, March 2, 2022
• Housing Not Handcuffs 2021: State Law Supplement, National Homelessness Law Center, November 2021
• Housing Affordability and Homelessness in Texas, Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, March 2021
• Interim Report to the 86th Legislature (Charge 2 – Housing Affordability), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, November 2018
• Paycheck to Paycheck Database, National Housing Conference

Charge: Taxpayer Funded Lobbying: Study how governmental entities use public funds for political lobbying purposes. Examine what types of governmental entities use public funds for lobbying purposes and what level of transparency is available to the public. Make recommendations to protect taxpayers from paying for lobbyists who may not represent the taxpayers' interests.

• Limiting Public Funds for Lobbying, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 3, 2021

Charge: Extraterritorial Jurisdictions: Study issues related to municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions and annexation powers, including examining possible disannexation authority. Determine whether extraterritorial jurisdictions continue to provide value to their residents and make recommendations on equitable methods for disannexation.

• The Pursuit of Property in Texas: Municipal Annexation and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, Texas Public Policy Foundation, December 2021
• Municipal Annexation in Texas, Texas Municipal League, updated July 2021
• Interim Report to the 86th Legislature (Charge 1 – ETJ Limitations and Notice), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, November 2018

Charge: Special Purpose Districts: Perform a comprehensive study on the powers and purposes of various special purpose districts and their associated legislative templates. Make recommendations to improve public transparency in operations of special purpose districts and associated legislative templates.

• Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature, House Committee on Special Purpose Districts, December 2018
• Invisible Government: Special Purpose Districts in Texas, Research Spotlight, Senate Research Center, October 2014
• Special Purpose District Sales and Use Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Tax Rates and Levies (Special district rates and levies, 2017-2021), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Water District Database (WDD), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

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September 14, 2022
House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Charge: Monitor 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:

• Oversight: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
• Examine the impact of the dicamba herbicide on the implementation of HB 1957, relating to the labeling of wine as originating from an area of this state or with the name of a vineyard in this state.

• Facing Widespread Vine Death, Texas Vineyard Owners File Lawsuit Over Herbicide Drift, Wine Spectator, March 30, 2022
• Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association Responds to Dicamba Impact, Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, June 21, 2021
• Herbicide Damage Survey for 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 2019
• Understanding and Recognizing Synthetic Auxin Damage in Grapes, Texas A&M Agriculture and Life Sciences, April 2017

House Committee on Public Health
Charge: Examine existing resources and available opportunities to strengthen the state’s nursing and other health professional workforce, including rural physicians and nurses.

• Nursing Workforce Reports, Texas Health and Human Services, updated August 17, 2022
• Going the Distance: Helping Rural Medicine on Its Hard Road to Better Health, Texas Medicine, August 2022
• Texas Physician Education Pipeline, As Required by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 105.009, Texas Health and Human Services, May 2022
• Nursing in Texas: Charting the State's Nursing Profession, Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Accounts, April 2022
• 2020 Trends, Distribution, and Demographics Fact Sheets (Health care professions), Texas Health and Human Services, updated October 26, 2021
• State Health Facts: Providers & Service Use (Data on the health care workforce and health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers, and rural health centers), Kaiser Family Foundation

Charge: Assess ongoing challenges in the rural health care system and the impact of legislation and funding from the 87th regular and special sessions on strengthening rural health care and the sustainability of rural hospitals and health care providers. Evaluate federal regulations authorizing the creation of a Rural Emergency Hospital provider type and determine if promoting this type of facility could increase local access to care in rural areas of the state.

• Texas Rural Hospital Survey Results, Connected Nation Texas, May 11, 2022
• The Impact of COVID-19 on the Rural Health Care Landscape, Bipartisan Policy Center, May 2022
• Rural Emergency Hospital: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, October 2021
• Texas State Guide, Rural Health Information Hub, Last reviewed April 19, 2021
• Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Model Summary, National Rural Health Association, April 12, 2021
• 2021-2022 Update to the Texas State Health Plan (Rural Health in Texas), Statewide Health Coordinating Council, March 2021

Senate Committee on Local Government
Charge: Property Tax Reform: Review the effect of Senate Bill 2 (86th Legislature), the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019, and related legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Make recommendations for further property tax reform and relief.

• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Implementation Monitoring: SB 2), House Committee on Ways and Means, January 2021
• Interim Report, Senate Committee on Property Tax, November 2020
• Truth-in-Taxation: Tax Rate Adoption, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Appraisal Reform: Review the implementation of Senate Bill 63, House Bill 988, and other related legislation passed by 87th Legislature. Make recommendations to ensure appraisal guidelines are effective and taxpayers have enforcement mechanisms.

• Interim Report, Senate Committee on Property Tax, November 2020
• Appraisal Protests and Appeals, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Valuing Property, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Charge: Efficiency Audits: Study the concept of efficiency audits for cities, counties and special purpose districts and under what circumstances they should be performed. Evaluate whether efficiency audits provide Texans tools to combat wasteful government spending and report whether they are needed before local government tax ratification elections.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Charge: Natural Gas Storage: Study the economic benefits of expanding the state's underground natural gas storage capacity and infrastructure. Investigate and make recommendations for additional natural gas transportation opportunities.

• Underground Natural Gas Storage by All Operators, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 31, 2022
• Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 31, 2022
• Pipeline Projects Announced to Expand Permian Natural Gas Capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 4, 2022
• Gas Storage Statistics, Texas Railroad Commission, updated August 3, 2022
• Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) - Natural Gas Storage Facilities, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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:

• House Bill 1284, Relating to the regulation of the injection and geologic storage of carbon dioxide in this state.
• House Bill 3973, Relating to a study on abandoned oil and gas wells in this state and the use of the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.
• The Rail Road Commission (RRC) will be providing the Committee with an update on their rules adoption pertaining to Senate Bill 3 (87R), relating to preparing for, preventing and responding to weather emergencies and power outages; increasing the amount of administrative and civil penalties. Public testimony will not be heard on the RRC update.

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September 15, 2022
House Committee on Business & Industry
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 3746, relating to certain notifications required following a breach of security or computerized data; and
• SB 1588 and SB 581, relating to the powers and duties of certain property owners’ associations.

Charge: Evaluate the overall state of data privacy and online consumer protections in Texas and study the related laws and legislative efforts of other states. Make recommendations to ensure consumer data protections and online privacy.

• US State Privacy Legislation Tracker, International Association of Privacy Professionals, last updated August 11, 2022
• Privacy Legislation Related to Internet Service Providers, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 8, 2022
• State Laws Related to Digital Privacy, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 7, 2022
• Texas at the Crossroads - An Update on Privacy Legislation, Texas Appleseed, November 15, 2021
• Report, Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council, September 2020
• Data Breach Reporting, Attorney General of Texas

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This entry was posted on September 8, 2022 at 1:20 PM and has received 756 views. Print this entry.

Below is a list of members (as of September 6, 2022) not returning to the 88th Texas Legislature in their current offices. Note that regardless of election outcomes, all of these legislators will keep their respective seats until January 2023, unless they resign earlier.

To learn more about who will be on the general election ballot, information about candidates by county and party is available on the Texas Secretary of State's candidate ballot order page. Results of the primary election and primary runoff elections are available on the Texas Secretary of State's election results page.

Total members not returning to 88th Legislature (as of September 6, 2022) = 35

House = 29; Senate = 6

Texas House of Representatives

	Rep. Michelle Beckley	Defeated in Democratic primary runoff election for Lieutenant Governor, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Kyle Biedermann	Retiring
	Rep. Jeff Cason	Retiring
	Rep. Garnet Coleman	Resigned effective 2/28/2022
	Rep. Jasmine Crockett	Running for Congressional District 30
	Rep. John Cyrier	Retiring
	Rep. Joe Deshotel	Retiring
	Rep. Alex Dominguez	Defeated in Democratic primary election for Texas Senate District 27, 3/1/2022
	Rep. Jake Ellzey	Elected to Congressional District 6 on 7/27/2021; resigned from Texas House effective 7/30/2021
	Rep. Art Fierro	Defeated in Democratic primary election, 3/1/2022
	Rep. John Frullo	Retiring
	Rep. Dan Huberty	Retiring
	Rep. Celia Israel	Running for Mayor of Austin
	Rep. Phil King	Running for Texas Senate District 10
	Rep. Matt Krause	Defeated in Republican primary runoff election for Tarrant County District Attorney, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Lyle Larson	Retiring
	Rep. Ben Leman	Retiring
	Rep. Eddie Lucio III	Resigned effective 1/31/2022
	Rep. Mayes Middleton	Running for Texas Senate District 11
	Rep. Ina Minjarez	Defeated in Democratic primary runoff election for Bexar County Judge, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Jim Murphy	Retiring
	Rep. Leo Pacheco	Resigned effective 8/19/2021
	Rep. Chris Paddie	Retiring; Resigned effective 3/1/2022
	Rep. Tan Parker	Running for Texas Senate District 12
	Rep. Eddie Rodriguez	Defeated in Democratic primary election for Congressional District 35, 3/1/2022
	Rep. Scott Sanford	Retiring
	Rep. Phil Stephenson	Defeated in Republican primary runoff election, 5/24/2022
	Rep. John Turner	Retiring
	Rep. James White	Defeated in Republican primary election for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, 3/1/2022; resigned effective 8/11/2022

Texas Senate

	Sen. Dawn Buckingham	Running for Texas Land Commissioner
	Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr.	Retiring
	Sen. Jane Nelson	Retiring
	Sen. Beverly Powell	Retiring; suspended campaign for Texas Senate District 10, 4/6/2022
	Sen. Kel Seliger	Retiring
	Sen. Larry Taylor	Retiring

This entry was posted on September 6, 2022 at 11:25 AM and has received 1072 views. Print this entry.

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

• Explore law enforcement legislation by state from May 2020 through May 2022. (National Conference of State Legislatures, August 22, 2022)
• Review the most recent food price outlook forecasts for 2022 and 2023. (Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 25, 2022)
• Track two decades of opioid overdoses in the U.S. (JAMA Network Open, July 28, 2022)
• Consider the potential economic impact of millions of Americans' employment statuses affected by long Covid. (Brookings, August 24, 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 September 1, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 549 views. Print this entry.