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Week in Review, September 17th

Sep 17

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.
  • Examine suspensions and expulsions of Black students in Southern states. (Center for the Study of Race & Equity in Education, ©2015)
  • Review changes to the Texas assessment program for the 2015–2016 school year. (Texas Education Agency, September 4, 2015)
  • Read about the wearing out of voting machines. (Brennan Center for Justice, September 15, 2015)
  • Consider the implementation of rules aimed at modernizing the food safety system. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, September 10, 2015)
  • Explore commercial uses of unmanned aircraft systems. (Congressional Research Service, September 9, 2015)
 

This entry was posted on September 17, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 632 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 10th

Sep 10

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 the health and well-being of women by state. (Institute for Women's Policy Research, 2015)
  • Explore American views on mobile etiquette. (Pew Research Center, August 26, 2015)
  • Track active wildfires throughout the country. (National Interagency Fire Center, updated Monday through Friday)
  • Find a Little Free Library near you. (Little Free Library, ©2009-2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on September 10, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 851 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Weeks of September 13 and 20, 2015

Sep 9

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Weeks of September 13th and 20th

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 15th

 

House Committee on County Affairs

Topic: Possible changes to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards minimum standards and better processes with regards to inmate care, training, and coordination among county jails, local mental health authorities, and the Department of State Health Services. Invited testimony only from Sheriff's Association of Texas, Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Texas Council of Community Centers, and Department of State Health Services

 

September 22nd

Senate Committee on Criminal Justice

Topic: Jail safety standards in Texas

 

 

 

 

This entry was posted on September 9, 2015 at 2:12 PM and has received 1046 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of September 6, 2015

Sep 4

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of September 6th

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 10th

Topic:  Discussion about future funding needs

 

Topic:  Detailed breakdown of each transportation funding source for 2016-17 biennium (including potential/projected sources)

 

Topic: Testimony from TTI on how other states provide funding for transportation

 

Topic:   Alternative transportation funding options and specific methods to finance long-term/major transportation projects

 

Topic:   Detailed debt service update

  • Semi-Annual Issuer Report (Prepared for the Bond Review Board For the Period Ending February 28, 2015), Texas Department of Transportation

 

Topic:  Update on State Highway Fund expenditures

 

Topic:  Discussion about how funding levels are decided for each of TxDOT's 12 categories

 

This entry was posted on September 4, 2015 at 12:03 PM and has received 2128 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, September 3rd

Sep 3

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 how the public sector may adapt new technologies to serve the public. (Deloitte University Press, August 28, 2015)
  • Consider how state and local taxes influence business location decisions. (Tax Foundation, August 26, 2015)
  • Explore content preservation on the internet. (TechCrunch, August 27, 2015)
  • See primary care providers' views on recent changes in health care. (The Commonwealth Fund, August 5, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on September 3, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 817 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of August 31, 2015

Aug 31

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of August 31st

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 3rd

Topic: Chronic Wasting Disease

 

This entry was posted on August 31, 2015 at 10:47 AM and has received 1138 views. Print this entry.

New Texas State Symbols, 2015

Aug 28

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation

During the 84th Regular Session, lawmakers added seven new official state symbols to the more than 60 state symbols that represent Texas. Texas now has three official hashtags: #txlege, #Texas, and #TexasToDo. In addition, the cowboy hat is now the official state hat of Texas, the western honey bee is now the official state pollinator, "The Lone Star State" is now the official nickname of Texas, and the Texas gulf shrimp is now the official state crustacean.
 
See the entire collection of official Texas symbols on our Pinterest page, State Symbols of Texas. Each symbol includes an image, as well as a link to the resolution that designated it.
 
Did you know?  Three species of shrimp are native to the Texas gulf: the brown shrimp, the white shrimp, and the pink shrimp. Of those three, the brown shrimp is nocturnal, and Texas shrimpers must fish at night to catch them.  
 
Image of honeybee by flickr user autan.
 
 

This entry was posted on August 28, 2015 at 10:32 AM and has received 2738 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 27th

Aug 27

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 McAllen's response to undocumented immigrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. (The Guardian, August 20, 2015)
  • Explore the economic outlook for retirement security by state. (National Institute on Retirement Security, released July 30, 2015)
  • Track commuters from where they live to where they work. (The Washington Post, August 18, 2015)
  • Consider gender pay gaps for top executives of public companies. (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, August 25, 2015)
 

This entry was posted on August 27, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 930 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, August 20th

Aug 20

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 prison population projections and demographic information on incarcerated populations. (Urban Institute, accessed August 19, 2015)
  • Read about the link between credit scores and auto insurance premiums. (Consumer Reports, ©2006-2015)
  • Review a snapshot of the U.S. economy. (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, August 2015)
  • Check out online resources to find people. (LLRX.com, August 16, 2015)
 
 

This entry was posted on August 20, 2015 at 3:15 PM and has received 1131 views. Print this entry.

Legislative Wrap-Ups, 84th Regular Session

Aug 17

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 84th Session

Texas organizations and state agencies are beginning to release their summaries of the Texas Legislature's 84th Regular Session. Below is a list of summaries we've seen so far. Summaries can be a good source of information if you are trying to find descriptions of new laws.

 

General

League of Women Voters of Texas

 

Lloyd Gosselink, Attorneys at Law

 

Texas Freedom Network

 

Texas Public Policy Foundation

 

Texas Star Alliance

 

Center for Public Policy Priorities

Texas Watch

 

Agriculture

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

 

Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance

 

 

Animals

Texas Humane Legislation Network

 

Children & Families

TexProtects (Texas Association for the Protection of Children)

 

Children at Risk

 

Texans Care for Children

 

One Voice Texas

 

Texas Alliance of Child & Family Services

 

Texas CASA

 

Courts

Office of Court Administration/Texas Judicial Council

 

Texas Civil Justice League

 

Criminal Justice

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

 

Texas District & County Attorneys Association (TDCAA)

 

Education

Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)

 

Texas Education Agency

 

Texas Home School Coalition Association

 

Raise Your Hand Texas

 

Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA)

 

Texas Association of School Administrators

 

Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers)

 

Career & Technology Association of Texas

 

Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities

Department of Aging and Disabilities Services

 

The Coalition of Texans with Disabilties

 

Energy

Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA)

 

SHALE Oil & Gas Business Magazine

 

Environment

The Sierra Club

 

Air Alliance Houston

 

Texas Water Conservation Association

 

Health & Human Services

Texas EMS Trauma & Acute Care Foundation (TETAF)

 

Texas Medical Association (TMA)

 

Texas Nurses Association

 

Higher Education

Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC)

 

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

 

Homeowners & Property Owners Associations

 

Local Government

Texas Association of Counties

 

Texas Municipal League

 

Mental Health

Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

 

Miscellaneous

Texas Alliance of Recreational Organizations, Inc. (TARO)

 

Texas Economic Development Council

 

Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA)

 

Occupational Regulation

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

Parks & Wildlife

Texas Deer Association

 

Public Employees

Texas Public Employees Association

 

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)

 

Public Safety

Texas Department of Public Safety

 

Rural Areas

Association of Rural Communities in Texas (ARCIT)

 

Taxes

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

 

Popp/Hutcheson PLLC

 

 

Technology

Department of Information Resources (DIR)

 

Transportation

Texas Department of Transportation

 

Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF)

 

Locke Lord LLP

 

Veterans

Texas Veterans Commission

 

 

Cover image by Pixabay user skeeze.

 

This entry was posted on August 17, 2015 at 9:41 AM and has received 6913 views. Print this entry.

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