1. Border Water: The Politics of U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Water Management, 1945-2015
By Stephen Paul Mumme
Chronicles the development of transnational water management between the United States and Mexico over a 70 year period, starting with The Water Treaty of 1944. Discusses the establishment of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) in 1945, environmental concerns due to pollution and increased salinization, and the impact on the international water border from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as well as the 9/11 attacks. Addresses the various perspectives of the diplomatic process, the evolution of border water politics, and the importance of a binational relationship with Mexico.
University of Arizona Press, 2023, 414 pages
333.91009721 M962 2023

 

2. Final Results of Sunset Reviews, 2022-2023
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Summarizes actions taken by the 88th Legislature on 21 entities that were reviewed by the Sunset Commission. Includes the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), and a limited scope re-review of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). Provides the Sunset bill number, authors, and final actions taken on each of the entities reviewed. Lists Sunset Review schedule for 2024-25.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2023, 40 pages
S1500.8 AN79F 2023

 

3. The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet
By Jeff Goodell
Presents a comprehensive survey of the current and future effect of rising temperatures on humanity. Includes sections relating to the impact of heat on the human body and public health, its role in migration and inequality, and the catastrophic combination of drought and hot weather on agriculture. Warns that immediate action, like the reconstruction of cities, is necessary to reduce the effects of rising temperatures, particularly in air-conditioning dependent areas like Texas.
Little, Brown and Company, 2023, 385 pages
363.738 G648 2023

 

4. Lone Stars Rising: The Fifty People Who Turned Texas into the Fastest-Growing, Most Exciting, and, Sometimes, Most Exasperating State in the Country
By Texas Monthly, editors
Profiles 50 people who helped shape Texas into the state it is today. Reflects back at 50 years of Texas Monthly reporting and highlights the most significant and influential people within each decade starting with the 1970s. Includes Lieutenant Governors Bob Bullock, Bill Hobby, and Dan Patrick; Governors Rick Perry and Ann Richards; U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan; and President George W. Bush.
Texas Monthly, 2023, 239 pages
976.4 L847 2023

 

5. Texas Government in a Nutshell
By Randy Erben
Provides an overview of state government in Texas, including its foundation, structure, and how it functions. Focuses on the role of the executive branch and its interaction with the legislative and judicial branches. Covers the constitutional and statutory powers of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, and other officials and agencies. Delves into the legislative process, separation of powers, the state budget, agency rules, and litigation authority. Mentions former legislative and executive officials, as well as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dade Phelan, and Governor Greg Abbott.
West Academic Publishing, 2023, 430 pages
320.476 ER65 2023

 

6. Unwired: Gaining Control over Addictive Technologies
By Gaia Bernstein
Suggests a blueprint for curbing technology addiction and overuse. Discusses the negative impact of addiction-inducing algorithms on users and the value of government intervention, drawing on lessons from the tobacco and junk food industries. Argues the moral responsibility and accountability for solutions should be on corporations and not individual users. Describes a grassroots movement in the U.S. pushing for action in courts and legislation along with international efforts for change.
Cambridge University Press, 2023, 233 pages
616.85 B535 2023