Legislative library home page
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research
Skip to main content

Interim Hearings – Week of April 25, 2022

Apr 21

posted by TexasLRL in 87th 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.

 

April 26, 2022
House Committee on Environmental Regulation
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

Charge: Evaluate the allocation of TERP funds for effective air pollution reduction programs. Review which existing programs are over or undersubscribed and identify unrealized opportunities that would further program goals.

 

House Committee on Public Education
Charge #2: Examine the impact, including any financial impact, to the Texas public school system of an increase in the number of children crossing the Texas-Mexico border. Review the history, any applicable precedents, and the legal landscape regarding the education of migrant children in Texas's public schools.

Charge #11: Review the impact of investments of the Permanent School Fund by the State Board of Education in businesses and funds owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for investment restrictions. Consider the impact of any proposed investment restrictions on fund performance.

 

House Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • HB 5, relating to the expansion of broadband services to rural areas

  • HB 1505, relating to attachments for broadband service on utility poles owned by an electric cooperative and establishing and funding a pole replacement program for deployment of certain broadband facilities

Charge: Study the status and adequacy of cyber security preparedness among state agencies and contractors. Make recommendations that enhance cyber security measures considering evolving threats to Texas' information technology infrastructure.

Charge: Review the impact of state government procurement of goods and services from businesses and other commercial entities owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for restrictions on state government procurement. Consider the impact of any proposed procurement restrictions on state government efficiency and effectiveness and the state’s access to scientific and technological advances.

 

House Committee on Transportation
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

Charge: Study current and future transportation needs and consider improvements to ensure that Texas is adequately planning for the state's population growth forecasts. Evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation projects and investment decisions.

Charge: Study the impact of the increasing sale and use of electric and alternatively fueled vehicles on revenue predictions for the state highway fund. Recommend a road use revenue equalization methodology to create fairness and parity between gasoline, electric and alternatively fueled vehicles.

Topic: Review the state's work in transportation safety.

 

Top

 

April 27, 2022
House Committee on Business & Industry
Charge: Review operational changes and strategies employed by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to improve outcomes related to Unemployment Benefit Services, including application and payment processes, customer services, and fraud deterrence.

Charge: Study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on unemployment trends, hurdles to workforce reentry, and industry-specific disruptions.

 

House Committees on Defense & Veterans' Affairs and Homeland Security & Public Safety (Joint Hearing)
Charge: Monitor the activities of the Texas State Guard and the Texas National Guard participating in Operation Lone Star. Consider any legal or logistical support that can be provided to these organizations to increase operational efficiencies in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety. Review and assess the inventory of these agencies. Make appropriate recommendations.

 

 

This entry was posted on April 21, 2022 at 2:10 PM and has received 1558 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy Books and Reports: April 2022

Apr 20

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our April 2022 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 or contact the library at 512-463-1252.

 

1. The Mexican American Experience in Texas: Citizenship, Segregation, and the Struggle for Equality
By Martha Menchaca
Chronicles the long presence of Mexican Americans in Texas and their efforts to obtain social and economic equality, from the Spanish and Mexican periods to present day. Addresses property rights, citizenship, segregation, civil rights, and more, along with the Texas Legislature's role in these matters. Highlights the achievements of Mexican Americans, including their crucial part in challenging and disassembling exclusion laws in Texas.
University of Texas Press, 2022, 432 pages
976.4 M455M 2022

 

 

2. Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments
By Erin L. Thompson
Describes recent developments in the national debate on public monuments in the United States, including Confederate monuments. Discusses the aesthetic, legal, political, and social issues involved, and the complex motivations of participants in current controversies over public monuments.
W. W. Norton & Company, 2022, 264 pages
725.940973 T468S 2022

 

 

3. Texas Ethics Laws: An Annotated Guide to Lobby and Campaign Finance Laws in Texas
By Andrew Cates
Provides a guide to frequently cited laws and regulations relating to campaign financing, conflicts of interest, lobbying, and governmental ethics. Includes historical background through practice notes, case law, Attorney General and Ethics Commission opinions, as well as cross-references to the Texas Administrative Code.
Independently published, 2022, 502 pages
328.33 C283T 2022

 

 

4. How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
By Clint Smith
Reflects on how the history of slavery is memorialized in the United States by visiting and collecting the stories about monuments and landmarks connected to those events. Explores the narratives and legacy of slavery through research, interviews, and the author's personal experience as a Black man. Includes a chapter on celebrations of Juneteenth in Galveston, the passage of HB 1016, 66th Legislature, R.S., making Juneteenth an official Texas state holiday, and a profile of former Representative Al Edwards Sr.
Little, Brown and Company, 2021, 336 pages
973.0496073 SM642H 2021

 

 

5. Identified with Texas: The Lives of Governor Elisha Marshall Pease and Lucadia Niles Pease
By Elizabeth Whitlow
Presents a dual biography of former Texas Governor Elisha Marshall Pease and his wife Lucadia Niles Pease. Explores their professional and personal lives from 1812-1905, including Pease's years in Texas’ first three Legislative sessions, his two terms as Governor, life in Austin during the Civil War, and his gubernatorial appointment during Reconstruction. Highlights Lucadia's independent travels and marriage to Pease, noting she considered herself a "women's rights woman" and supported her daughter's desire to attend college.
University of North Texas Press, 2022, 432 pages
976.4 W613ID 2021

 

 

6. Judging Inequality: State Supreme Courts and the Inequality Crisis
By James L. Gibson and Michael J. Nelson
Analyzes the levels of political, economic, and social inequality in the United States by documenting – in the State High Court Inequality Database – nearly 6,000 decisions made by 50 state supreme courts from 1990 to 2015. Focuses on the influential role of the state supreme courts in shaping inequalities on issues including educational equity and adequacy, LGBT rights, and workers' rights. Argues that state courts are playing an increasing role in U.S. politics and policy creation.
Russell Sage Foundation, 2021, 356 pages
342.73085 G448J 2021

 

 

This entry was posted on April 20, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 708 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, April 14, 2022

Apr 14

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.

  • Consider which news sources Americans trust. (YouGovAmerica, April 5, 2022)
  • Read about how wind energy was recently the second largest source of electricity production in the U.S. (U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 14, 2022)
  • Review recent travel-related face mask orders from the CDC. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 13, 2022)
  • Find out how to replace a Social Security card. (CNET, April 13, 2022)

 

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

 

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on April 14, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 565 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of April 18, 2022

Apr 13

posted by TexasLRL in 87th 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.

 

April 20, 2022
House Committee on International Relations & Economic Development
Charge: Economic Development Incentives. Examine current economic development incentive programs and identify opportunities to enhance job creation in Texas. Make recommendations to promote transparency and enhance effectiveness of such programs.

 

Charge: Semiconductor Investment. Evaluate Texas' current efforts to attract semiconductor investment to the state. Identify potential strengths and vulnerabilities that could impact the success of Texas' semiconductor industry and the ability to create and maintain a reliable semiconductor supply chain.

 

Charge: Trade with Russia. Review the impact that trade with Russia has on the Texas economy, including Texas manufacturers. Consider the impact of Texas investment in businesses and funds owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for investment restrictions. Consider the impacts of any proposed investment restrictions on access by Texas businesses and the Texas scientific and technological community to capital investment, global markets, and competitive knowledge.

 

Senate Committee on Local Government
Bond Elections: Review and report on voter participation and bond election result differences between November and May elections. Make recommendations for improved voter turnout, increased election efficiencies, and better accountability of local debt.

 

Ballot Language: Study the development of the language used for constitutional amendment and local ballot propositions. Recommend changes to make ballot propositions more easily understood by voters.

 

 

April 21, 2022
House Committee on Ways & Means
Charge: Actively oversee associated rulemaking and agency actions to ensure the intended legislative outcome of:

 

Charge: Study and consider methods of providing additional property tax relief, including the use of $3 billion in available American Rescue Plan Act funds that were held for future tax relief by the 87th Legislature, and other sources of revenue. Explore options to reduce business property tax burdens and options for limiting the growth of property tax bills.

 

Charge: Evaluate the impact of shifting to destination sourcing for local sales and use tax purposes, including the benefits of reduced taxpayer confusion. Monitor the implementation of the Comptroller's amendments to 34 Tx. Admin. Code §3.334, relating to local sales and use taxes, and the Comptroller's Sales Tax Rate Locator. Make recommendations for legislation to improve Texas' local sales and use tax sourcing.

 

 

This entry was posted on April 13, 2022 at 2:15 PM and has received 991 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, April 7, 2022

Apr 7

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.

  • Explore legislation related to cannabis by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, March 21, 2022)
  • Check on flight delays at U.S. airports. (Federal Aviation Administration, accessed March 31, 2022)
  • Consider coastal carbon and its role in state environmental policy. (Pew Charitable Trusts, March 28, 2022)
  • Review ways to limit negative health and environmental effects in wildfire burn areas. (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, updated March 21, 2022)

 

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

 

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on April 7, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 666 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of April 11, 2022

Apr 7

posted by TexasLRL in 87th 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.

 

April 12, 2022
House Interim Study Committee on Criminal Justice Reform
Charge: Criminal procedure and due process from initial detention through appeal, including prosecutorial discretion.

 

House Committee on Urban Affairs
Charge #4: Study the effects of local governance, planning, and administration on the current state of municipal water and wastewater infrastructure. Examine the measures municipally owned utilities have taken and the costs required to maintain and improve that infrastructure. Make recommendations for cost-effective solutions to ensure reliable infrastructure and uninterrupted municipal utility services, especially during a severe weather event.

 

Charge #5: Study municipal fees with respect to the function of the fee and the relationship of the fee to the cost of providing an associated municipal service. Make recommendations to address municipal fees that are disproportionate or unrelated to the cost of providing the associated service.

 

 

April 14, 2022
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Charge: Study the accessibility to counsel in cases involving an indigent defendant and make recommendations to improve access to counsel in these cases. Evaluate methods to improve the effectiveness of court-appointed counsel, caseload processing, caseload distribution, and the state's compliance with applicable appointment of counsel requirements.

 

This entry was posted on April 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM and has received 990 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of April 4, 2022

Apr 1

posted by TexasLRL in 87th 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.

 

April 4, 2022
Senate Committee on Border Security
Topic: Review border security appropriations and their directed purposes. Invited testimony only from the following:

  • Office of the Governor
  • Texas Department of Public Safety
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  • Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board

Border Security Appropriations (Presented to Senate Committee on Border Security), Legislative Budget Board, March 8, 2022

 

April 5, 2022
Senate Committee on Border Security
Topic: Review border security appropriations and their directed purposes. Invited testimony only from the following:

  • Texas Military Department
  • Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
  • Office of the Attorney General
  • Office of Court Administration
  • Texas Department of Criminal Justice
  • Texas Commission on Jail Standards
  • Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  • Department of State Health Services

Border Security Appropriations (Presented to Senate Committee on Border Security), Legislative Budget Board, March 8, 2022

 

April 7, 2022
House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Charge: Study the allocation and use of state resources to preventative and rehabilitative services that address the primary challenges facing Texas youth placed in the juvenile justice system, including the redirection of those resources as necessary to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.

 

Charge: Study the programs, services, and governmental action focused on the rehabilitation of youthful offenders, including considerations related to developmental factors that impact a youth's entry into the justice system.

 

This entry was posted on April 1, 2022 at 3:00 PM and has received 1023 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, March 31, 2022

Mar 31

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.

  • Consider the safety of food packaging. (Consumer Reports, March 24, 2022)
  • Search for which corporations have violated rules and broken laws. (Good Jobs First, ©2022)
  • Review which states offer protections for monarch butterflies. (Stateline, March 28, 2022)
  • Find out ways to share large files online. (Popular Science, March 26, 2022)

 

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

 

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on March 31, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 608 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of March 28, 2022

Mar 25

posted by TexasLRL in 87th Session, Interim hearings

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas.

 

March 31, 2022
House Committee on House Administration
The committee will consider:

 

This entry was posted on March 25, 2022 at 9:30 AM and has received 629 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, March 24, 2022

Mar 24

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.

  • Explore partisan polarization in today's U.S. Congress. (Pew Research Center, March 10, 2022)
  • Submit damage reports from recent wildfires and tornadoes. (Texas Division of Emergency Management, accessed March 23, 2022)
  • Find out how to block spam calls and text messages. (Wired, March 12, 2022)
  • Review the spring weather and climate outlook for the U.S. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, March 17, 2022)

 

Librarians review and select articles from more than 1,000 print and online sources to compile a weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. View this week's Current Articles.

 

Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles by using our online form or by calling 512-463-1252.

This entry was posted on March 24, 2022 at 3:25 PM and has received 518 views. Print this entry.

Previous Entries / More Entries