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New & Noteworthy List for July 2017

Jul 12

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the five titles from our July 2017 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, contact the library at 512-463-1252, or use our PDF request form.

 

1. Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration--and How to Achieve Real Reform
By John F. Pfaff
Investigates the root causes of mass incarceration in the United States. Argues that the reigning consensus or the "Standard Story" for the surge in incarceration rates is misguided and has many shortcomings. Presents alternative factors for increased rates of imprisonment including: shifts in prosecutor behavior, public spending, public-sector union lobbying, and politicians with prisons in their districts. Provides concrete solutions for reforming the criminal justice system and reducing incarceration rates.
Basic Books, 2017. 311 pages.
365.973 P47L 2017


 

 

2. The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters
By Tom Nichols
Contends that American culture has moved toward embracing ignorance rather than expertise. Analyzes various factors contributing to this distrust of experts in historical and contemporary contexts. Explores how this viewpoint is detrimental to decision-making in political, health, and other spheres, providing examples ranging from vaccination to foreign aid spending. Suggests ways to balance thoughtful discourse with trust in vetted research.
Oxford University Press, 2017. 252 pages.
303.4833 N518D 2017


 

 

3. The Color Of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
By Richard Rothstein
Presents a case for how local, state, and federal government’s laws and policies are the cause of American cities remaining primarily segregated to this day, rather than the commonly held belief that it was due to personal prejudices, income differences, or banks. Examines the flawed urban planning of the 1950s along with the suburbanization of American life after WWII, that led to officially segregated public housing and the demolition of previously integrated neighborhoods. Argues that while the Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibited future discrimination, it did nothing to reverse the deeply embedded residential patterns in cities across the country.
Liveright Publishing, 2017. 345 pages.
305.800973 R746C 2017


 

 

4. Goodbye to a River: A Narrative
By John Graves
Narrates the author's contemplative canoe journey down the Brazos River in 1957, a trip inspired by a proposed series of flood-control dams that would have altered the river and the surrounding landscape. Weaves his experience and observations on the trip with historical accounts of the Native Americans and pioneers who lived in the area around the river and in North Central Texas. Muses on the relationship between people, place, and nature.
Knopf, 1960. 306 pages.
917.641 G785G 1959


 

 

5. Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of The Battle for Texas Independence
By H.W. Brands
Explores the Texas journey from early colonization in the 1820s to statehood and beyond. Presents a chronological review of development and settlement, with the bulk of the book covering 1820 to 1836. Concludes by highlighting the period of 1836-1865, with a focus on Sam Houston's service in Congress and as the Governor who refused to follow his beloved state into secession from the union.
Anchor Books, 2005. 582 pages.
976.403 B734L 2004


 

 

This entry was posted on July 12, 2017 at 3:08 PM and has received 833 views. Print this entry.

Bill Effective Dates, 85th Legislature

Jul 10

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Legislative process

On September 1, 2017, provisions of 673 bills passed during the regular session of the 85th Legislature will take effect.

 

Additionally, sections of bills passed during the 84th Legislature, 83rd Legislature, and 82nd 1st C.S. will take effect on September 1.

 

To keep up with new laws throughout the year, check the Library's list of bill effective dates.

 

This entry was posted on July 10, 2017 at 9:00 AM and has received 1794 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of July 10, 2017

Jul 7

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.

 

July 11

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs (El Paso)

July 13

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs  (Del Rio)

Topic: Encroachment on military installations

This entry was posted on July 7, 2017 at 2:49 PM and has received 764 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, July 6

Jul 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.

  • Review health in America for 2016. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 2017)
  • Explore the papers and documents of the Founding Fathers. (National Historical Publications and Records Commission, accessed July 2017)
  • Consider how one city is trying to make water bills more affordable for low income residents. (Governing, July 5, 2017)
  • Find maps to the country's national parks. (National Park Maps, updated June 4, 2017)

 

This entry was posted on July 6, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 609 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics End-of-Session Comparison

Jul 5

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 85th Session, Bill statistics, Legislative process

Interested in how the final results of the 85th Legislature's regular session compares to the past few sessions? Use the charts below to compare and contrast.

 

To see past bill statistics and other session information, see previous blog posts on the legislative process.

 

This entry was posted on July 5, 2017 at 9:15 AM and has received 1954 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, June 29

Jun 29

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.

  • Review analysis of the CBO report on the Better Care Reconciliation Act. (The Heritage Foundation, June 27, 2017)
  • Explore tax sources by state. (Pew Charitable Trusts, June 27, 2017)
  • See how Americans rate health care as a financial concern. (Gallup, June 23, 2017)
  • Read the 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report. (U.S. Department of State, June 2017)
  • Examine statistics related to large trucks and buses. (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, June 2017)

This entry was posted on June 29, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 643 views. Print this entry.

Locating Bill Effective Dates on TLO

Jun 27

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Legislative process

The library reviews the text of all bills that become law to determine their effective dates and enters the information into Texas Legislature Online (TLO). To find the effective date of a bill, look up the bill in TLO and check the "Last action" field in the history window. In some cases, different sections of a bill may have different effective dates, in which case additional remarks will be given to provide the information.

 

For House and Senate bills from the 85th Regular Session (2017), the two largest groupings are:

  • Effective immediately: 397
  • Effective on 9/1/17: 673

The library compiles a more detailed list of bills and their effective dates following each regular and called session. The list is made available on the library's website once it is complete.

This entry was posted on June 27, 2017 at 1:34 PM and has received 1126 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of June 26, 2017

Jun 23

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Interim hearings

Interim Hearings - Week of June 26

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.

 

June 27

House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs  (Fort Worth)

Topic: Encroachment on military installations

This entry was posted on June 23, 2017 at 11:36 AM and has received 1576 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, June 22

Jun 22

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.

  • Explore air quality by state. (American Lung Association, ©2017)
  • Get answers to some of your civil legal questions. (American Bar Association, ©2017)
  • Read about defibrillators in the workplace. (National Public Radio, June 19, 2017)
  • Review motor fuel tax revenue by state. (Governing, accessed June 21, 2017)

 

This entry was posted on June 22, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 738 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy List for June 2017

Jun 21

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the six titles from our June 2017 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, contact the library at 512-463-1252, or use our PDF request form.

 

1. Shared State Legislation
By Council of State Governments’ Shared State Legislation Committee
Compiles draft legislation based on bills recently adopted in states on topics that address issues of national or regional significance. Highlights innovative state policies on a variety of topics including: birth certificates for transgender persons, regulation of vapor products, Convention of the States/faithful delegates, public access to body camera recordings, and accommodations for students certified for medical use marijuana. Addresses legislation from Texas that enacted the Border Prosecution Unit in 2015.
Council of State Governments, 2017. 168 pages.
Online at: http://www.csg.org/programs/policyprograms/SSL.aspx
340.072 C382S 2017


 

 

2. Tejano Tiger: Jose De Los Santos Benavides and the Texas-Mexico Borderlands, 1823-1891
By Jerry Thompson
Presents an in-depth study of Jose de los Santos Benavides, considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of Laredo, Texas. Traces his military and political career with the Republic of Mexico, the Republic of Texas, and finally in the State of Texas, where he became the highest ranking Tejano in the confederate army and later a member of the Texas Legislature. Describes his devotion to the Texas border (as the only Tejano in the Texas Legislature in 1879) and his tireless work to raise the economic and political status of the region. Concludes that with his unique status as a friend and confidant of two Mexican presidents, and his influence in the Texas Legislature, he was one of the single most influential individuals in the history of the border.
TCU Press, 2017. 412 pages.
976.4 T374T 2017


 

 

3. A Colony in a Nation
By Chris Hayes
Analyzes the realities of racial inequality in the justice system that still exist in America, even after the ostensible successes of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Contends that American criminal justice consists of two distinct systems: the Nation, where policing is practiced as expected in a democracy, and the Colony, where policing is practiced as one finds in an occupied land. Places police shootings and the ensuing protests in historical context with colonial America and its injustices that sparked the American Revolution. Asserts that mutual fear perpetuates separation between citizens of the Nation and the Colony. Discusses the possible models of a criminal justice system that considers not only victimization but also the costs of overly punitive policing and prosecution.
W. W. Norton & Company, 2017. 256 pages.
364.3 H326C 2017


 

 

4. Impeached: The Removal of Texas Governor James E. Ferguson
By Jessica Brannon-Wranosky and Bruce A. Glasrud, editors.
Reexamines Governor James E. "Pa" Ferguson's impeachment, conviction, and removal from office, one hundred years after the events. Discusses the various forces leading to impeachment, including Ferguson's relationships with The University of Texas, women's suffrage, prohibition, and the Texas press. Describes the impact of the Ferguson impeachment on Texas and United States politics, and gathers contextualized primary source documents such as Ferguson's Texas Farm Tenant Law, annotated by scholars to allow a better understanding of the ideas and groups surrounding the impeachment of Ferguson.
Texas A & M University Press, 2017. 202 pages.
342.764 B735I 2017


 

 

5. Ten Dollars to Hate: The Texas Man Who Fought the Klan
By Patricia Bernstein
Explores the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s and the first prosecutor in the nation to successfully convict and jail Klan members, Texas district attorney Dan Moody. Describes the Georgetown case—a Klan assault on Ralph Burleson for a supposed illicit affair—and sets it in the national context of the Klan's crimes and power. Details Moody's rise following the trials to become Texas' youngest governor. Argues that the Georgetown trials were the beginning of the end for the Second Ku Klux Klan.
Texas A & M University Press, 2017. 368 pages.
322.4 B458T 2017


 

 

6. Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors
By George W. Bush
Highlights 66 service men and women who have served in the U.S. military since Sept. 11, 2001, through portraits painted by President George W. Bush. Chronicles these individuals' life stories, their paths that led to military service, and sacrifices weathered in providing that service.
Crown Publishers, 2017. 191 pages.
759.13 B963P 2017


 

 

This entry was posted on June 21, 2017 at 3:05 PM and has received 1378 views. Print this entry.

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