Legislative Reference Library of Texas

Interim Hearings - Week of December 5, 2016

Nov 28

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of December 5

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.

December 7

House Committee on Transportation

Topic: Autonomous vehicles

Autonomous, Self-Driving Legislation, National Conference of State Legislatures, November 11, 2016
Federal Automated Vehicles Policy: September 2016, United States Department of Transportation, September 20, 2016
State Laws on Autonomous Vehicles, The Council of State Governments, September 15, 2016
Autonomous Vehicle Implementation Predictions: Implications for Transport Planning, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, September 1, 2016
Understanding the Limitations of Autonomous Vehicles and the Need for Public Transportation, Center for American Progress, August 4, 2016
NACTO Policy Statement on Automated Vehicles, National Association of City Transportation Officials, June 22, 2016
Automated Vehicle Crash Rate Comparison Using Naturalistic Data, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, January 8, 2016
Urban Mobility System Upgrade: How Shared Self-Driving Cars Could Change City Traffic, International Transport Forum at the OECD, Corporate Partnership Board, 2015

Topic: Safety issues

Traffic Safety Trends: State Legislative Action 2015, National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2016
State Legislators' Traffic Safety Priorities: Summary of Findings, National Conference of State Legislatures, December 12, 2015
Safety and Liability of Autonomous Vehicle Technologies, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014

Topic: Sunset

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Texas Sunset Advisory Commission

House Select Committee on Transportation Planning

Topic: Update from TxDOT on HB 20, 84th Legislature

HB 20 – Preliminary Report (Legislative report), Texas Department of Transportation, March 31, 2016
HB 20 – Initial Report: Revenue Projections, Funding Categories & Allocations, Performance-Based Decision Making (Legislative report), Texas Department of Transportation, September 1, 2015

December 8-9

Sunset Advisory Commission

December 8

Commission decisions:

Staff presentation and public testimony:

December 9

Staff presentation and public testimony:

This entry was posted on November 28, 2016 at 10:42 AM and has received 1107 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of November 28, 2016

Nov 22

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of November 28

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.

November 30

Joint Select Committee to Determine a Sufficient Balance of the Economic Stabilization Fund

Topic: Determine and adopt a sufficient balance to maintain in the Economic Stabilization Fund

The Economic Stabilization Fund, a.k.a. The Rainy Day Fund (Blog), Legislative Reference Library, October 17, 2016
"The Texas Economic Stabilization Fund: Saving for Rainy Days," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, September 2016
Overview of the Economic Stabilization Fund (Presentation), Legislative Budget Board, April 19, 2016
"Why States Save: A Look at Texas," Pew Charitable Trusts, January 19, 2016
Why States Save: Using Evidence to Inform How Large Rainy Day Funds Should Grow, Pew Charitable Trusts, December 2015

December 1

House Committee on Insurance

Charge: Weather-related property insurance claims and incidence of litigation of these claims

Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 2), Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, November 2016
2016 Already Setting Record Insured Losses, Insurance Council of Texas, September 30, 2016
Texas Insured Property Losses Setting Record in 2016, Insurance Journal, September 29, 2016
Interim Hearings - Week of October 3 (Lawsuits related to property claims from hail storms and weather events), House Committee on Business & Commerce, September 23, 2016

This entry was posted on November 22, 2016 at 1:05 PM and has received 878 views. Print this entry.

Preview of the 85th Texas Legislature

Nov 18

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Members of the Legislature

Below you'll find a preview of the 85th Texas Legislature. New and returning members will be sworn in on January 10, 2017, the opening day of the regular session.

Membership statistics for previous sessions are available on the library's Member statistics page.

Summary of the 85th Legislature

Party	House	Senate	Overall
Democrat	55	11	66
Republican	95	20	115
Total	150	31	181

Gender	House	Senate	Overall
Women	29	8	37
Men	121	23	144
Total	150	31	181

Members not returning to the 85th Texas Legislature

Not Returning		Replacement
	Sen. Rodney Ellis (D)		Borris Miles (D)
	Sen. Kevin Eltife (R)		Bryan Hughes (R)
	Sen. Troy Fraser (R)		Dawn Buckingham (R)
	Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (R)		Scott Cosper (R)
	Rep. Myra Crownover (R)		Lynn Stucky (R)
	Rep. Marsha Farney (R)		Terry Wilson (R)
	Rep. Allen Fletcher (R)		Tom Oliverson (R)
	Rep. Rick Galindo (R)		Philip Cortez (D)
	Rep. Patricia Harless (R)		Kevin Roberts (R)
	Rep. Bryan Hughes (R)		Cole Hefner (R)
	Rep. Jim Keffer (R)		Mike Lang (R)
	Rep. Susan King (R)		Stan Lambert (R)
	Rep. John Lujan (R)		Tomas Uresti (D)
	Rep. Marisa Márquez (D)		Evelina Ortega (D)
	Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D)		Diana Arevalo (D)
	Rep. Borris Miles (D)		Shawn Thierry (D)
	Rep. Doug Miller (R)		Kyle Biedermann (R)
	Rep. Elliott Naishtat (D)		Gina Hinojosa (D)
	Rep. John Otto (R)		Ernest Bailes (R)
	Rep. Gilbert Peña (R)		Mary Ann Perez (D)
	Rep. Debbie Riddle (R)		Valoree Swanson (R)
	Rep. Kenneth Sheets (R)		Victoria Neave (D)
	Rep. David Simpson (R)		Jay Dean (R)
	Rep. Wayne Smith (R)		Briscoe Cain (R)
	Rep. Stuart Spitzer (R)		Lance Gooden (R)
	Rep. Laura Thompson (I)		Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D)
	Rep. Scott Turner (R)		Justin Holland (R)
	Rep. Sylvester Turner (D)		Jarvis Johnson (D)
	Rep. Molly White (R)		Hugh Shine (R)

This entry was posted on November 18, 2016 at 9:52 AM and has received 2850 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, November 17

Nov 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.

Read the findings of a recent report about Child Protective Services. (Texas Tribune, November 4, 2016)
Consider how the current political climate has affected the 2016 election season. (The Weekly Standard, November 16, 2016)
Examine infrastructure maintenance and funding. (The New York Times, November 14, 2016)
Explore how Americans use social media. (Pew Research Center, November 11, 2016)

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers! Week in Review will return on Thursday, December 1.

This entry was posted on November 17, 2016 at 3:15 PM and has received 662 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, November 10

Nov 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.

Review election night returns. (Texas Secretary of State, 2016)
Read about the Electoral College. (National Archives and Records Administration, accessed November 9, 2016)
Examine the Terrorist Screening Database. (Congressional Research Service, November 7, 2016)
Consider strategies to reverse the diabetes epidemic. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016)

This entry was posted on November 10, 2016 at 3:15 PM and has received 647 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of November 21, 2016

Nov 9

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of November 21

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.

November 21

House Committees on Human Services and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues (Joint Hearing)

Charge: Youth recruited into human trafficking, pipeline from foster care

Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014 (Summary of major child welfare and sex trafficking provisions), National Conference of State Legislatures, October 6, 2016
Child Welfare and Human Trafficking, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway, July 2015
"The Civil Rights of Sexually Exploited Youth in Foster Care," Richmond School of Law, University of Richmond Scholarship Repository, 117 West Virginia Law Review 1225, 2015
The Sex Trafficking Marketplace: Addressing Demand through Legislation and Tactics, Children at Risk (Houston, TX), 2015
The Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force Report 2014, Office of the Attorney General, December 2014
Guidance to States and Services on Addressing Human Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, September 13, 2013
Report to the 83rd Legislature, Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking, January 2013
Texas Youth Connection: Human Trafficking, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
What is Human Trafficking? and Specific CPS Program Activity to Address Trafficking, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

This entry was posted on November 9, 2016 at 3:04 PM and has received 917 views. Print this entry.

Bill Prefiling Statistics and FAQ

Nov 9

posted by TexasLRL in Legislative process

Bill prefiling begins November 14, 2016. Starting that day, returning members and members-elect may file bills to be considered during the regular session of the 85th Legislature, which begins at noon on January 10, 2017.

For a general overview of bill prefiling, see our previous blog post, Bill Prefiling FAQs.

This entry was posted on November 9, 2016 at 8:36 AM and has received 2696 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of November 14, 2016

Nov 7

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings - Week of November 14

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.

November 14
November 16

November 14 Top

House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics

Charge 1: Ethics laws governing public officers and employees

"Major Transparency Bill Headed Back to Legislature for ‘Cleanup’," San Antonio Express-News, May 28, 2016
"Analysis: Ethics Reform — if Texas Voters Really Want It," Texas Tribune, March 25, 2016
A Guide to Ethics Laws for State Officers and Employees, Texas Ethics Commission, Revised September 15, 2015
State Officers and Employees, Texas Ethics Commission
State Officer & Employee Publications & Guides, Texas Ethics Commission

House Committee on Pensions

Charge: Immediate and long-term fiscal impact to the state of the unfunded liabilities for the Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer Supplemental Retirement Fund (LECOS) as part of the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS)

Overview: Law Enforcement & Custodial Officer Supplemental Retirement Fund, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, August 31, 2015
Benefits for State Employees and Public and Higher Education Employees: Legislative Primer, Texas Legislative Budget Board, October 2014
The Feasibility of Adding Select Populations to the Law Enforcement and Custodial Officers Supplemental Retirement Fund (LECOSRF), Employees Retirement System of Texas, September 1, 2014
Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer Supplemental Retirement Fund of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, Annual Actuarial Valuation - Funding as of August 31, 2013, Gabriel Roeder Smith & Company, November 21, 2013

Keeping a Sharp Eye On Public Pension Obligations, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, December 2012
Interim Report to the 81st Texas Legislature (Charge 6 -Law Enforcement & Custodial Officers Supplemental Retirement Fund), House Committee on Pensions and Investments, January 2009

November 16 Top

House Committee on County Affairs

Topic: Improvements to Child Protective Services such as salary increases, employee retention, recruitment of qualified employees, and additional suggestions on ways to decrease turnover and create better outcomes within the agency

Letter to Senator Jane Nelson, Senate Finance Chair, from Commissioner H.L. Whitman, Jr., Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (revising plan to address Child Protective Services issues, $12,000 pay raise, additional caseworkers and investigators), October 27, 2016
Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick and Speaker Straus Direct DFPS to Take Immediate Action to Protect Texas Children; Letter to Commissioner Hank Whitman, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Child Protective Services), October 12, 2016
Child Welfare Financing SFY 2014: A Survey of Federal, State, and Local Expenditures, Texas Fact Sheet, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, and Child Trends, October 2016
Commissioner Whitman Submits Letter Outlining Proposals for CPS Overhaul to Governor Abbott; Letter to Governor Greg Abbott from Commissioner H.L. Whitman, Jr., Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (Child Protective Services 10-point plan), July 5, 2016
Child Protective Services: Dallas County Management Review, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, May 2016
Progress Report to the Sunset Advisory Commission: Child Protective Services Transformation, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, April 2016
An Introduction to Child Welfare Funding, and How States Use It, Child Trends, January 2016
Child Maltreatment 2014, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, January 2016
Child Protective Services Business Plan, Fiscal Year 2016, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, October 2015
Child Protective Services (CPS) Reports and Presentations, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Topic: Improvements to criminal justice system such as diversion practices, increasing training provided to jail staff, improving Texas' racial profiling policies, and additional suggestions on ways to better the criminal justice system

From Incarceration to Reentry: A Look at Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities in Correctional Education and Training, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), October 2016
Committee Meeting Handouts - DPS Racial Disparities, House Committee on County Affairs, September 20, 2016
Interim Hearings - Week of September 19, 2016, House Committee on County Affairs, Legislative Reference Library, September 9, 2016
Prioritizing Treatment Over Punishment: An Overview of Mental Health Diversion from Jail in Texas, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, June 2016
Risk, Not Resources: Improving the Pretrial Release Process in Texas, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, June 2016
President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing: One-Year Progress Report, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, May 2016
2015 Traffic Stop Data Report, Texas Department of Public Safety, 2016
Racial Disparities in Texas Department of Public Safety Traffic Stops, 2002-2014, Frank R. Baumgartner, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, et al., November 18, 2015
Overincarceration of People with Mental Illness: Pretrial Diversion Across the Country and the Next Steps for Texas to Improve its Efforts and Increase Utilization, Texas Public Policy Foundation, June 2015
Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, May 2015
Pretrial Diversion (State Laws), National Conference of State Legislatures, May 13, 2015

This entry was posted on November 7, 2016 at 2:23 PM and has received 1105 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, November 3

Nov 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.

Examine court security and ways to improve it. (Texas Judicial Council, October 2016)
Review the 2016 Texas Transportation Poll. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute, November 1, 2016)
Track health insurance premium increases by state. (Freedom Partners, October 26, 2015)
Read about the legal processes for contesting a presidential election. (Congressional Research Service, October 24, 2016)
Explore demographic characteristics of the voting population by state. (U.S. Census Bureau, October 28, 2016)
Evaluate the well-being of the country's Latino children. (National Council of La Raza, September 29, 2016)
Consider factors other than smoking that may cause lung cancer. (American Cancer Society, November 1, 2016)