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Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research

Week in Review, August 6th

Aug 6

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Read about Texans who lack health insurance coverage. (Rice University's Baker Institute / Episcopal Health Foundation, July 2015)
  • Examine the relationship between health insurance coverage and income security. (The Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2015)
  • Compare the effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners on health. (National Geographic, August 3, 2015)
  • Consider recent changes to states' minimum wage laws. (Economic Policy Institute, July 24, 2015)
  • Trace the decline in newspaper industry jobs since 1990. (Poynter, July 30, 2015)
  • Track injuries state by state. (Trust for America's Health, June 2015)
 

This entry was posted on August 6, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1183 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10, 2015

Aug 4

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10th

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.

 

August 11th

House Committee on Transportation

Topic: Update from the Department of Motor Vehicles on legislation passed in 84th or related issues

Topic: Utility relocation issues on state right-of-way construction and maintenance projects

Topic: Update on HB 1 from the 3rd called Special Session of the 83rd Legislative Session

 

Topic: Update on any proposed policy changes or revisions to the Unified Transportation Program (UTP)

Topic: Update on toll collection issues, contracts, and third party monitoring

Topic: Update on development of the ten year plans for Metropolitan Planning Organizations

 

This entry was posted on August 4, 2015 at 10:25 AM and has received 1703 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, July 30th

Jul 30

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
 
 

This entry was posted on July 30, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1013 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, July 23rd

Jul 23

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
 

This entry was posted on July 23, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1032 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of July 27, 2015

Jul 22

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of July 27th

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.

 

July 29th

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Charge: Examine the business practices and regulatory structure of Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas, and investigate whether state or federal laws are being broken by Planned Parenthood and/or its affiliates in Texas in regards to the donation and/or sale of fetal tissue. Consider recommendations to strengthen regulations on abortion providers, including further restrictions on the sale of fetal tissue by these entities.

July 30th

House Committee on County Affairs

Topic: Jail standards, procedures with regards to potentially mentally ill persons in county jails, as well as issues stemming from interactions between the general public and peace officers.

 

 

This entry was posted on July 22, 2015 at 9:22 AM and has received 2171 views. Print this entry.

New Report: Sunset Commission Final Results, 2014-15

Jul 20

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Sunset review, Legislative process

The Sunset Commission’s last report of the 2014–2015 cycle, Final Results of Sunset Reviews, is now available on the Sunset Advisory Commission's website. 
 
"This comprehensive report briefly summarizes the final results of each Sunset review, including both legislative actions and nonstatutory management directives. Despite the failure of four bills, the 84th Legislature adopted 72 percent of the Commission’s 185 recommendations through Sunset legislation or other related legislation. The legislation is estimated to have a positive fiscal impact of some $38 million."
- Ken Levine, Director of the Sunset Advisory Commission
 
A diagram of how the Sunset process works is available via the Sunset Advisory Commission's website.  
 
 
 
 
 
Cover image by Pixabay user gsbarber.
 

This entry was posted on July 20, 2015 at 3:22 PM and has received 2585 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, July 16th

Jul 16

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Consider issues related to the proper care of unaccompanied alien children in federal custody. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, July 2015)
  • Review the effects of drought in the West and ways to manage water supplies in times of drought. (Western Governors' Association, June 2015)
  • Explore resources related to aging. (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, accessed July 15, 2015)
  • Read about the NSA collecting telecommunications content of non-target Americans. (The Washington Post, July 5, 2015)
  • Looks at graphs representing the living arrangements of adults. (U.S. Census Bureau, accessed July 15, 2015)
  • Check out newly-developed athletic shoe technology for people with disabilities. (Huffington Post, July 14, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on July 16, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1079 views. Print this entry.

Signed Copies of Bills from the 84th R.S.

Jul 15

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Legislative process

Signed copies of bills from the 84th and 83rd Legislatures, with session law chapter numbers, are made available online on the Secretary of State's Bills and Resolutions page.
 
You can determine whether a bill sent to the Governor was signed or filed without signature by checking the bill in the Texas Legislature Online. If the bill passed but was filed without signature, you will see the action "Filed without the Governor's signature."
 
Signed copies from the 78th - 83rd Legislatures are available online at the University of North Texas Laws and Resolutions Archive.
 
For questions about bill/chapter numbers for bills from the 84th R.S., please contact the Secretary of State's office at (512) 463-5561.
 

This entry was posted on July 15, 2015 at 2:30 PM and has received 1213 views. Print this entry.

Texas School Finance Lawsuit

Jul 13

posted by TexasLRL in School finance

The Texas Supreme Court has set a September 1, 2015 hearing date for the Texas school finance case. Below are resources related to the case, as well as other helpful information regarding school finance in Texas.
 
The case:
 
 
By: Travis County District Court, 200th Judicial District
 
Related resources:
 
School finance manuals Texas Education Agency
Includes School Finance 101, an overview of public school funding in Texas.
 
An introduction to school finance in Texas (Revised June 2014) Texas Taxpayers and Research Association
 
School finance National Conference of State Legislatures
Information on state role in funding education, education finance litigation, and trends in education funding.
 
Tribpedia: school finance The Texas Tribune
 
"Chapter 41 of the Texas Education Code makes provisions for certain school districts to share their local tax revenue with other school districts." 
 
Cover image by flickr user Province of British Columbia.

This entry was posted on July 13, 2015 at 8:13 AM and has received 4698 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, July 9th

Jul 9

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.
  • Read about the effects of marijuana legalization in Washington. (Drug Policy Alliance, July 2015)
  • See how much states are getting in federal funds for Medicaid. (National Association of State Budget Officers, June 25, 2015)
  • Consider the heroin epidemic in the United States. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 7, 2015)
  • Search the police shootings database. (The Washington Post, accessed July 8, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on July 9, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 645 views. Print this entry.

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