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Current Articles and Research Resources, February 8

Feb 8

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Research Resources

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

  • Examine the causes of recession. (EveryCRSReport.com, February 2, 2018)
  • Review U.S. Supreme Court cases related to redistricting. (National Conference of State Legislatures, January 30, 2018)
  • Read about the job market for recent law school graduates. (Gallup, ©2018)
  • Consider how pets can help make their humans healthier. (National Institutes of Health, February 2018)
  • Explore what makes farmers' almanacs so successful even today. (Topic, January 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • "Gerrymandering finally gets its day in court." By Peter Coy and Greg Stohr. Bloomberg Businessweek, January 22, 2018, p. 39.
    Discusses redistricting cases going before the United States Supreme Court. Mentions previous redistricting cases, including LULAC v. Perry, and considers how the Court may rule on the new cases.
  • "California budget proposal includes online college." By Eric Kelderman. Chronicle of Higher Education, January 19, 2018, p. A33.
    Highlights a budget proposal by California Governor Jerry Brown calling for a fully online community college. Explains this online, competency-based approach is similar to systems within the University of Wisconsin and the State University of New York.
  • "One organization, seven decades, ten epic battles." By Rob Boston. Church & State, February 2018, pp. 8-13.
    Recounts Americans United's advocacy in ten pivotal church-state separation cases.
  • "Higher education: all must have degrees." Economist, February 3rd-9th, 2018, pp. 51-52.
    Reports the financial returns for a university degree are falling and even less of a financial boost for university dropouts.
  • "Oklahoma's schools: five into four." Economist, February 3rd-9th, 2018, p. 27.
    Explains the effect of deep tax cuts on state and school finances in Oklahoma and Kansas. Notes Oklahoma is losing teachers to nearby states, and many school districts have moved to a four-day week.
    Related information at: https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/a-punishing-decade-for-school-funding
  • "Picking up speed." By Craig McDaniel. Fort Worth Business Press, Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2018, pp. 10-11, 28.
    Highlights several passenger rail projects set to transform Fort Worth and North Texas and ease traffic congestion along I-35.
  • "Rethinking infrastructure in an era of unprecedented weather events." By Thaddeus R. Miller, Mikhail Chester, and Tischa A. Muñoz-Erickson. Issues in Science and Technology, Winter 2018, pp. 46-58.
    Considers the costs of infrastructure maintenance and improvement in the context of frequent severe weather events such as storms, floods, and fires.
  • "Ambitious state tax reform proposals to watch in 2018." By Robert C. Guth. Journal of MultiState Taxation and Incentives, February 2018, pp. 22-27, 46.
    Examines five "unconventional" state tax reform proposals to follow in 2018, including Texas' franchise tax, or "margin tax," as an example of corporate income tax reform and simplification.
  • "Differences in cigarette use and the tobacco environment among youth living in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas." By Debra H. Bernat and Kelvin Choi. Journal of Rural Health, Winter 2018, pp. 80-87.
    Reports that rural middle and high school students were more likely than urban adolescents to engage in various levels of smoking behaviors. Points out that the rural teenagers also were more likely to have seen tobacco ads when visiting stores.
  • "NAFTA under the gun." By Gary Hufbauer and Euijin Jung. Milken Institute Review, First Quarter 2018, pp. 26-37.
    Discusses the history and economic and political impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA] and speculates on alternative scenarios for the current negotiations.
  • "Rebuilding America's infrastructure." By Robert Puentes. Milken Institute Review, First Quarter 2018, pp. 58-66.
    Illustrates a "big picture" perspective on public infrastructure policy that goes beyond a crisis-driven approach. Redirects focus to new federal responsibilities, interstate and regional partnerships, creation of a national infrastructure commission, and financing through infrastructure banks.
  • "Pricing renewables: public power puts customers first." By Peter Maloney. Public Power, January/February 2018, pp. 16-20.
    Considers how to price renewable energy resources by providing examples, including Austin Energy's value of solar tariff model.
  • "Rebates: dollars alone are not enough." By John Egan. Public Power, January/February 2018, pp. 22-27.
    Examines factors that contribute to a successful utility rebate program. Includes an example of a utility that partnered with an Austin-based efficiency concierge service.
  • "Sanctuary churches take in immigrants and take on Trump." By Shikha Dalmia. Reason, February 2018, pp. 18-27.
    Reviews the history of the sanctuary church movement and the previous United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy of not pursuing undocumented aliens in churches or other "sensitive locations" such as hospitals, schools, and courts. Discusses how that policy might change under the Trump administration.
  • "How tariffs could impact local solar industry." San Antonio Business Journal, January 26, 2018, p. 10.
    Examines the possible effects of raising tariffs on solar panels and solar cells. Suggests prices could go up if solar panel companies and installers stockpile solar panels.
  • "Texas sees coverage gains under health care act." By Anil Kumar. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Fourth Quarter 2017, pp. 3-7, 20.
    Analyzes the decline in Texas' medically uninsured rate after implementation of the Affordable Care Act [ACA] and an increase in private health insurance coverage. Contrasts Texas' Medicaid coverage and uninsured rates with Medicaid expansion states.
  • "Prison by any other name." By Michael Barajas. Texas Observer, Feb./March 2018, pp. 22-29.
    Investigates problems with the Texas Civil Commitment Center, a treatment facility for sex offenders, run by a for-profit prison contractor. Argues this facility, despite legislative reforms made in 2015 to the civil commitment program, is essentially a prison rather than a treatment facility — making it vulnerable to legal challenges. Mentions Senator John Whitmire.
  • "Senfronia Thompson says #MeToo." By Sophie Novack. Texas Observer, Feb./March 2018, pp. 10-11.
    Interviews Representative Senfronia Thompson regarding her experience with sexism and racism during her 45 years in the Texas Legislature. Addresses her views on the progress made in the 85th Legislature and her top priorities for the 2019 session.

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.

This entry was posted on February 8, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 874 views. Print this entry.

Resource Highlight: Governors’ Press Releases

Feb 6

posted by TexasLRL in Resource highlights

Interested in the day-to-day activities of the Texas governor’s office? The LRL collects governors’ press releases in our print holdings. Starting with Governor W. Lee O’Daniel (1939–1941) and up to Governor Greg Abbott (2015–present), these records document governors' responses to legislation and significant events, appearances at important meetings, and more.

 

Contact the library at (512) 463-1252 for information about gubernatorial materials in our collection. (And check out our Texas Governors database for digital resources.)

This entry was posted on February 6, 2018 at 8:11 AM and has received 883 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of February 12, 2018

Feb 5

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

 

February 13

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs (Abilene)

Charge: Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant Program, how the state can better serve military installations, Texas Military Revolving Loan Fund

 

February 15

House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics 

Charge 6: Employment policies and practices at state agencies relating to the hiring of individuals who were terminated from employment with another state agency for misconduct

Charge 8: Travel by state agency officials and travel expenditures

Charge 9: State agency participation in trade associations and groups funded by industries regulated by the agency

Charge 10: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature: State Auditor's Office report on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's management of Medicaid managed care contracts

This entry was posted on February 5, 2018 at 8:30 AM and has received 687 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles and Research Resources, February 1

Feb 1

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Week in review, Research Resources

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

  • Follow how Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts are progressing. (Rebuild Texas, January 29, 2018)
  • Read about American satisfaction with the federal government. (American Customer Satisfaction Index, January 30, 2018)
  • Learn what information Google tracks on Android users. (Quartz, January 24, 2018)
  • See where Texas ranks among states susceptible to cybercrime. (Website Builder Expert, January 2, 2018)
  • Consider the legalization of sports betting. (Stateline, January 31, 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • "Doctors' payments incite debate." By Will Anderson. Austin Business Journal, January 19, 2018, pp. 4-5.
    Questions whether the billions in annual payments from drug and medical device companies to doctors are really supporting innovative research in the health care sector and advancements in treatment.
  • "Investing in our future: what you need to know as Texas re-examines the school finance system." By Chandra Villanueva. Center for Public Policy Priorities, January 2018, pp. 1-6.
    Provides background on past school finance commissions, the strengths and challenges of the current finance system, and recommendations for improvements.
  • "Teacher salaries need to be higher!" Classroom Teacher (Texas Classroom Teachers Association), Winter 2017-18, p. 9.
    Details teacher salary legislation proposed during the special session of the 85th Texas Legislature. Examines why these bills failed to pass.
  • "Building a wall of anxiety." By Rebecca Adams. CQ Weekly, January 22, 2018, pp. 14-24.
    Discusses how President Trump's changing immigration policies affect immigrant health care. Reports both legal and undocumented immigrants are avoiding medical treatment and vaccinations for fear of arrest or deportation.
  • "Disaster insurance: storm-tossed." Economist, January 13th-19th, 2018, pp. 67-68.
    Reports insured worldwide natural-catastrophe losses hit an all-time high of $135 billion in 2017. Notes total losses, including uninsured ones, reached $330 billion.
  • "The oil price: crude thinking." Economist, January 20th-26th, 2018, pp. 63-65.
    Discusses the ups and downs in the oil price and its changing influence on the world economy.
  • "Ed. Department finds Texas suppressed spec. ed. enrollment." By Christina A. Samuels. Education Week, January 17, 2018, p. 6.
    Presents the United States Department of Education's findings that Texas violated the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] by placing barriers in the path of children who qualified for special education.
  • "Child support in the age of complex families." By Kathryn Edin. Issues in Science and Technology, Winter 2018, pp. 38-45.
    Examines aspects of how child support is provided in families characterized by unmarried parents and economic instability.
  • "Lessons from the opioid epidemic to reinvigorate tobacco control initiatives." By Ilana Richman and Harlan M. Krumholz. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), January 23/30, 2018, pp. 339-340.
    Suggests that campaigns for tobacco control should be renewed and perhaps paired with efforts to address the opioid epidemic. Notes that deaths attributed to secondhand smoke exposure alone exceeds the number of Unites States residents who die of an opioid overdose in one year.
  • "Where the jobs are." By Michael Hendrix. National Review, February 5, 2018, pp. 19-20.
    Examines rising wages and demand for workers in urban areas such as Austin and Plano, but states smaller metro and rural areas are not seeing the same robust growth. Contrasts the different factors at play and forecasts the situation for 2018.
  • "No refuge." By Sarah Stillman. New Yorker, January 15, 2018, pp. 32-43.
    Highlights the case of Maria S. v. John Doe , involving a young woman living in Texas who was deported and later found dead. Describes the plight of many asylum seekers who are sent back to their native countries despite threats of danger to them.
  • "Look who's coming to town: partnerships bring in big business." By Jessica Porter. Public Power, November/December 2017, pp. 26-31.
    Points out a couple of ways public power utilities are working to draw big businesses to their communities.
  • "Everyone benefits from EV managed charging: commissioners can alleviate EV growing pains." By Tanuj Deora and Erika Myers. Public Utilities Fortnightly, January 2018, pp. 27, 55.
    Argues that, by implementing managed charging programs, utilities can reduce stress that electric vehicles [EVs] will add to the grid. Includes lessons learned from EV state pilot programs and explores benefits of managed charging.
  • "Harris County faces challenges following Hurricane Harvey deluge." Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Fourth Quarter 2017, pp. 8-9.
    Presents a conversation with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on the aftermath and economic impact of Hurricane Harvey, business and residential disruption from the storm, and Emmett's recently announced 15-point flood control proposal.
    Related information at: http://www.judgeemmett.org/Docs/Emmett_Flood_Proposals/Emmett_Flooding_Proposals.pdf
  • "Leading indicators, storm data guide Houston economic forecast." By Jesse Thompson. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Fourth Quarter 2017, pp. 10-13.
    Forecasts Houston's post-Hurricane Harvey employment growth using economic models that incorporate storm damage data and leading economic indicators. Discusses the high job growth and volatility of Houston's metro area economy.
  • "The tipping point." By Jackson Brainerd. State Legislatures, February 2018, pp. 20-23.
    Reports on recent state legislative action to limit exemptions that allow certain groups to be paid less than the federal or state minimum wage.

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.

This entry was posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 1030 views. Print this entry.

85th Legislative Session Summaries Available

Jan 30

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 85th Session

After each legislative session, the House Research Organization (HRO), the Senate Research Center (SRC), and the Texas Legislative Council (TLC) publish overviews of the session's accomplishments. These reports provide summaries of enrolled bills and analysis of major legislation. All three are now available for the 85th Legislature, Regular Session and First Called Session: 

Each overview is organized by topic and gives a unique look at the session. The SRC overview provides brief summaries of all enrolled bills, including an analysis of the appropriations bill. The TLC overview offers summaries of all enrolled legislation, notes effective dates, and contains veto statements. The HRO overview highlights legislation on major topics, including bills that did not pass, and features extensive analysis and statements by supporters and opponents.  
 

The TLC additionally published Interim Studies Established by Enrolled Bills and Resolutions: 85th Legislature and New, Renamed, and Abolished State Governmental Entities: 85th Legislature. They also updated the online statutes and Texas Constitution to reflect the 85th Legislature's enactments and the November 2017 constitutional amendment election outcomes.
 

If you're looking for information on previous sessions, overviews back to the 48th Legislature can be found at the Legislative Reference Library's Session Summaries page.

This entry was posted on January 30, 2018 at 9:34 AM and has received 2011 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of February 5, 2018

Jan 29

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

 

February 6

House Committee on County Affairs (Houston)

Charge: Emergency response activities, impact of natural disasters on county finances

Charge: County ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas

Implementation of SB 1849, 85th Legislature, R.S., the Sandra Bland Act

Tour of areas affected by Hurricane Harvey at the University of Houston-Downtown

 

February 7

House Committee on Transportation

Charge: Response to Hurricane Harvey and natural disaster preparedness with respect to the transportation system and transportation infrastructure

Charge: Monitor agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature, specifically implementation of the TxDOT Sunset legislation and related management actions

 

Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Border Security (San Antonio) 

Charge: Military installations

Charge: Military youth readiness

 

February 8

House Committee on Transportation

Charge: Oversize/overweight permitting system

Charge: Emerging issues in transportation related to technology – intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones)

This entry was posted on January 29, 2018 at 10:05 AM and has received 1657 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles and Research Resources, January 25

Jan 25

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Week in review, Research Resources

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

  • Examine how the economy is shaping up after President Trump's first year in office. (Forbes, January 18, 2018)
  • Read about a working group's findings on the state of early education in America. (National Conference of State Legislatures, January 18, 2018)
  • Follow updates from Texas' oil and gas regulatory agency. (Railroad Commission of Texas, last updated January 23, 2018)
  • Try out the revamped Texas Unclaimed Property database. (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, accessed January 24, 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • "Will Austin sick leave rules irk Texas lawmakers?" By Daniel Salazar. Austin Business Journal, January 19, 2018, p. 8.
    Considers how Texas legislators would react to local ordinances requiring employers to provide some type of paid sick leave to their employees.
    Reports at: http://www.epi.org/files/pdf/130245.pdf and http://www.epi.org/files/pdf/133463.pdf
  • "Legislative stars from the 2017 Texas Legislature." Classroom Teacher (Texas Classroom Teachers Association), Winter 2017-18, pp. 13-15.
    Presents members of the 85th Legislature designated "legislative stars" by the Texas Classroom Teachers Association. Highlights education-related issues and legislation backed by these lawmakers.
  • "Missy Shorey has the most impossible job in Dallas." By Eric Celeste. D Magazine, February 2018, pp. 36-37.
    Describes the challenges facing the new chair of the Dallas County Republican Party as she works to recruit and support Republicans in a county that has elected more Democratic candidates in recent elections.
  • "America's trade policies: steel wars." Economist, January 13th-19th, 2018, pp. 63-64.
    Considers the Trump administration's options for addressing the dramatic increase in steel imports — whether the increase poses a threat to America's national security.
  • "Trump and the economy: no discredit where none is due." Economist, January 13th-19th, 2018, p. 23.
    Evaluates the Trump administration's economic policy. Assesses the prospects for the American economy in 2018.
  • "State agencies and 'legacy' systems: the cost of aging government technology." By Courtney King and Bruce Wright. Fiscal Notes, December 2017-January 2018, pp. 1, 3-5.
    Examines trends in information technology [IT] spending at Texas state agencies, the consequences of an aging IT infrastructure, and the growing skills gap in Texas' ability to maintain legacy IT systems.
  • "State of Texas children 2017: child well-being in the Rio Grande Valley." By Kristie Tingle, Madeline Haynes, and DongMei Li. Internet Resource, November 29, 2017, pp. 1-13.
    Outlines current and historical policies that contribute to children's lack of economic, educational, and health opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. Offers key policy recommendations for improving the welfare of Valley children.
  • "Taxes and sugar-sweetened beverages." By Lisa M. Powell and Matthew L. Maciejewski. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), January 16, 2018, pp. 229-230.
    Debates the efficacy of imposing excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages as an approach to reduce obesity.
  • "Medication-assisted opioid treatment prescribers in federally qualified health centers: capacity lags in rural areas." By Emily B. Jones. Journal of Rural Health, Winter 2018, pp. 14-22.
    Highlights the significance of health care centers in providing access to medication-assisted substance use disorder treatment services.
  • "Friend of science." By Julie Kelly. National Review, January 22, 2018, pp. 12-13.
    Profiles Texas Congressman Lamar Smith and his tenure as Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
  • "Can big data help save abused kids?" By Naomi Schaefer Riley. Reason, February 2018, pp. 29-38.
    Explores the potential of predictive risk modeling and use of big data in pursuit of better risk assessment calculations in child welfare cases. Describes a current project, the Allegheny Family Screening Tool, as a promising model.
  • "Air pollution's hidden impacts." By Joshua Graff Zivin and Matthew Neidell. Science, January 5, 2018, pp. 39-40.
    Discusses how air pollution can affect the economy because of changes to worker productivity.
  • "The funded status of local pensions inches closer to states." By Jean-Pierre Aubry, Caroline V. Crawford, and Alicia H. Munnell. State and Local Pension Plans (Center for Retirement Research at Boston College), January 2018, pp. 1 -13.
    Assesses the current status of local pension plans and compares trends in funded status for state and local plans. Includes funded ratio and percentage of Annual Retirement Contribution [ARC] paid for pensions in the cities of Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
  • "Globalization's effects on Texas manufacturing." By Luis B. Torres and Wesley Miller. Tierra Grande, January 2018, pp. 2-6.
    Explores the effects of NAFTA and China's accession into the World Trade Organization [WTO] on Texas manufacturing employment. Argues that while Texas manufacturing would benefit from updates to NAFTA, eliminating the agreement would present greater risks.
  • "A year ago, they marched. Now a record number of women are running for office." By Charlotte Alter. Time, January 29, 2018, pp. 26-33.
    Discusses the surge of first-time female candidates running for office in 2018. Spotlights Erin Zwiener, a Texas House candidate, and quotes several other Texas female candidates.

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.

This entry was posted on January 25, 2018 at 3:15 PM and has received 893 views. Print this entry.

Members Not Returning, 86th Legislature

Jan 23

posted by TexasLRL in Members of the Legislature, 86th Session

Below is a list of members (as of January 23, 2018) not returning to the 86th Texas Legislature in their current offices. Note that regardless of election outcomes, all of these legislators will keep their respective seats until January 2019, unless they resign earlier.

 

To learn more about who will be on the primary ballots, information about candidates by county is available on the Texas Secretary of State's filings by county page.

 

 

Rep. Cindy Burkett Running for Texas Senate
Rep. Byron Cook Retiring
Rep. Pat Fallon Running for Texas Senate
Rep. Helen Giddings Retiring
Rep. Larry Gonzales Retiring
Rep. Lance Gooden Running for U.S. Congress
Rep. Jason Isaac Running for U.S. Congress
Rep. Mark Keough Running for Montgomery County judge
Rep. Jodie Laubenberg Retiring
Rep. Larry Phillips Retiring
Rep. Kevin Roberts Running for U.S. Congress
Rep. Leighton Schubert Resigned effective 2/4/2018
Rep. Joe Straus Retiring
Sen. Van Taylor Running for U.S. Congress

This entry was posted on January 23, 2018 at 9:22 AM and has received 2226 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of January 29, 2018

Jan 22

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

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.

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs (Wharton) 

Topic: Impact to agriculture and rural communities from Hurricane Harvey

Charge: Water infrastructure projects in the State Water Plan to mitigate flooding, possible third reservoir in addition to Addicks and Barker, flood mitigation infrastructure and restoration of critical dam infrastructure

 

Senate Committee on Finance

Charge: Trauma funding

Charge: Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP)

Charge: Fee structure review

Charge: Request to exceed review: Review all riders requiring interim action by the Legislative Budget Board to reduce the number of times interim budget modification is necessary.

 

Topic: Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery

 

Charge: Impact of Hurricane Harvey on financial institutions

Charge: Mortgage licensure requirements

 

Senate Committee on State Affairs (San Marcos)

Charge: Freedom of speech on campus

 

House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety (Tyler) 

Topic:  Comprehensive review by the Department of Public Safety on various agency matters, including but not limited to: Driver license operations, Texas/Mexico border security and operations, East Texas Gang/Cartel activity, Safety factors with respect to sedan vs. SUV patrol units, CUP appropriations for FY 18/19 and retire/rehire program

Topic: Interactions between law enforcement and citizens including an update on enactments of new law

Topic: Junior college campus security

 

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development (Houston) 

Charge: Hotel occupancy taxes

Charge: Regulatory barriers, including permitting or registration requirements and fees

 

Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform (Houston) 

Charge: How property tax law could better advance disaster recovery after Hurricane Harvey while ensuring that taxpayers are protected from excessive taxation and wasteful spending

Charge: Statutory changes necessary, if any, for a municipality to be able to redirect revenue from Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ) for a set period of time to assist in paying the costs associated with recovery and rebuilding necessary infrastructure following a disaster declaration by the Governor or President

This entry was posted on January 22, 2018 at 9:00 AM and has received 1060 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles and Research Resources, January 18

Jan 18

posted by TexasLRL in Current Articles, Week in review, Research Resources

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

  • Explore Americans' perceptions of the news media. (Gallup, January 17, 2018)
  • Read about the legislative process in Congress. (Congressional Research Service, January 10, 2018)
  • Consider which drugs are causing lethal overdoses. (FiveThirtyEight, January 17, 2018)
  • Examine the costs of severe weather events. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2018)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • "Marital discord." By Jonathan Black. ABA Journal: The Lawyer's Magazine, January 2018, pp. 16-18.
    Highlights several states' efforts to change minimum-age marriage laws and to prohibit forced marriages.
  • "The Texas GED problem is getting worse." By Chandra Villanueva. Center for Public Policy Priorities, January 2018, pp. 1-14.
    Reports on the decline in the number of individuals taking and passing the General Equivalency Diploma [GED] exam. Addresses the need for the state to follow students who receive a high school equivalency and track their career and educational outcomes.
    See: https://forabettertexas.org/images/2018_EO_GEDproblem_FullReport.pdf
  • "'Always think deeply.'" Chronicle of Higher Education, January 5, 2017, pp. A6-A7.
    Interviews Ruth J. Simmons, former president of Brown University and current president of Prairie View A&M University, about her career and coming out of retirement to guide Prairie View.
  • "A dying town." By Sarah Brown and Karin Fischer. Chronicle of Higher Education, January 5, 2017, pp. A14-A23.
    Discusses current research correlating low education levels in areas of economic malaise with poorer health outcomes.
  • "High-tax states: tax replanning." Economist, January 6th-12th, 2018, pp. 17-18.
    Examines how states might try to circumvent the new federal tax law.
  • "Mortality quadrupled among opioid-driven hospitalizations, notably within lower-income and disabled white populations." By Zirui Song. Health Affairs, December 2017, pp. 2054-2061.
    Examines opioid-driven hospitalizations in the United States. Finds that while the total volume has remained stable, it has shifted from diagnoses involving opioid dependence toward those centered on opioid or heroin poisoning, with patients more likely to be white, ages 50-64, Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities, and residents of low-income areas.
  • "Only one in twenty justice-referred adults in specialty treatment for opioid use receive methadone or buprenorphine." By Noa Krawczyk, et al. Health Affairs, December 2017, pp. 2046-2053.
    Investigates whether the criminal justice system refers people to the highest standard of treatment for opioid use disorder, methadone or buprenorphine. Reports that only 4.6 percent of justice-referred clients received such treatment, compared to 40.9 percent of those referred by other sources.
  • "Five ethical values to guide health systems reform." By Lawrence O. Gostin. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), December 12, 2017, pp. 2171-2172.
    Outlines five critical values for health care reform – universal access, equitable access, affordable access (cost), quality, and choice. Explains the trade-offs and why certain values should take priority.
  • "State fiscal effort and juvenile incarceration rates: are we misdirecting our investment in human capital?" By Jessica McGrath Ellison, William Owlings, and Leslie S. Kaplan. Journal of Education Finance, Summer 2017, pp. 45-63.
    Examines whether an increase in state fiscal effort for education is associated with decreased juvenile incarceration rates over the last 25 years in all 50 states.
  • "The waning impact of school finance litigation on inequality in per student revenue during the adequacy era." By Dennis J. Condron. Journal of Education Finance, Summer 2017, pp. 1-20.
    Examines how adequacy lawsuits affected inequality in school funding within states from 1990 to 2011. Finds adequacy litigation helped reduce inequality during the 1990-2000 period, but in contrast, from 2001-2011 in which there were fewer lawsuits, revenue inequality increased.
  • "Building a blue Texas." By John Nichols. Nation, December 18/25, 2017, pp. 12-15.
    Speculates on the future of the Democratic Party in Texas and examines the revival of progressive-populist politics in the state.
  • "The glut economy." By Lawrence Wright. New Yorker, January 1, 2018, pp. 42-50, 52-53.
    Examines the history of boom and bust in the Texas energy industry and the role the industry currently plays in the Texas economy. Discusses the industrialization of communities and environmental concerns in areas of intensive drilling.
    See: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/01/01/the-dark-bounty-of-texas-oil
  • "Industry insights: innovations put sustainable water systems in reach." By Frank Zammataro. Opflow, December 2017, pp. 6-7.
    Explores how renewable energy, conservation, and efficiency can provide a new vision for United States water operations.
  • "Industry and government partner to secure the grid." By Nidhi Chaudhry. Public Power, November/December 2017, pp. 12-17.
    Argues that, with the increasing complexity of the electric grid, it has become more critical for coordinated efforts across the industry and with federal agencies to appropriately respond to growing threats. Mentions disaster preparedness in Houston prior to Hurricane Harvey.
    See: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/industry-and-government-partner-secure-grid
  • "New, higher tolls for 2018." By Elaine S. Povich. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), January 9, 2018, pp. 1-6.
    Reports the lack of funding from gas taxes and the growing popularity of fuel-efficient cars means more states are likely to impose tolls on "free" roads or build more toll-only lanes in 2018.
    See: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/01/09/new-higher-tolls-for-2018
  • "Big changes coming for Texas Family Code in 2018." By Kris Balekian Hayes. Texas Lawyer, January 2018, pp. 34-36.
    Points out upcoming changes to Texas child support laws, enacted by SB550, 84th Legislature, R.S.
  • "Same-sex common law marriage." By Jeff Anderson. Texas Lawyer, January 2018, pp. 26, 28-29.
    Addresses whether the United States Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage can be applied retroactively to same-sex couples married informally through common-law before the date of enactment, June 26, 2015.
  • "New report finds — surprise — indigent defense attorneys shouldn’t be under the control of the state prison system." By Michael Barajas. Texas Observer, January 11, 2018, pp. 1-3.
    Highlights a recent report by the State Bar of Texas which suggests that the State Counsel for Offenders suffers from a conflict of interest between its mission and its position as an office within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
    Report at: http://www.voiceforthedefenseonline.com/story/review-operations-state-counsel-offenders
    See: https://www.texasobserver.org/new-report-finds-surprise-indigent-defense-attorneys-shouldnt-be-under-the-control-of-the-state-prison-system/

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.

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