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Current Articles & Research Resources, March 12

Mar 12

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.

  • See which states are considering or have enacted legislation related to Daylight Saving Time. (National Conference of State Legislatures, March 4, 2020)
  • Review federal and state laws that may have an impact on workplace leave for individuals affected by the coronavirus. (Congressional Research Service, March 6, 2020)
  • Read about the 39-state investigation of Juul Labs. (Attorney General of Texas, February 25, 2020)
  • Note that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 6, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.03.17  /  "An introduction to police and fire pensions." By Jean-Pierre Aubry and Kevin Wandrei. Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, February 2020, pp. 1-7.
    Compares the pension and retiree health benefits for police officers and firefighters with those of other local government employees. Finds police and fire retirement benefits are substantially more expensive due to earlier retirement ages, but still a very small share of total local government spending.
  • 20.03.18  /  "Unraveling the complexity of America's student debt." By Don Troop, Bennett Leckrone, and Danielle McLean. Chronicle of Higher Education, February 28, 2020, pp. A8-A11, A13.
    Considers the student loan debt problem in terms of which groups are most likely to default, finding it is not necessarily those with the largest debt. Includes profiles of five individuals with debts from $11,000 to $93,000.
  • 20.03.19  /  "Trump budget 2021: Family First enhancements, block grants, unaccompanied minors." By John Kelly. Chronicle of Social Change, February 20, 2020, pp. 1-3.
    Analyzes President Trump's 2021 budget on child welfare programs, implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act, block grants, and immigrant children. Includes Trump Budget 2021, a table of spending per program.
  • 20.03.20  /  "Privacy battles spread." By Copal Ratnam and Dean DeChiaro. CQ Weekly, February 10, 2020, pp. 28-30.
    Examines data-privacy legislation being addressed at the state level. Reports tech companies are shifting their focus to the states to shape data protection legislation because the federal legislation has stalled.
  • 20.03.21  /  "Is explosive growth in Frisco creating Orange County 2.0?" By Bill Hethcock. Dallas Business Journal, February 28, 2020, pp. 10-12.
    Highlights the drivers and demographics of the explosive growth in Frisco and surrounding counties. Provides updates on high-profile projects underway in Frisco.
  • 20.03.22  /  "Covid-19 and market turmoil: Spread and stutter." Economist, February 29th-March 6th, 2020, pp. 55-56.
    Considers how the covid-19 virus will impact financial markets, specifically the market's volatility and corporate debt. Suggests interest-rate cuts can help to soothe credit markets, but cannot do much to remedy the disruption.
  • 20.03.23  /  "Young Texans: Demographic overview (Part one of a two-part series)." By Olga Garza, et al. Fiscal Notes, February 2020, pp. 6-10.
    Discusses demographic characteristics of young Texans and the primary drivers of under-eighteen population growth in the state.
  • 20.03.24  /  "The latest on homelessness." By Rick Mauch. Fort Worth Business Press, February 10-23, p. 26.
    Examines recent data trends relating to the homeless population in Fort Worth and the city's continuum of care service areas.
  • 20.03.25  /  "How the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board went rogue." By Jeremy Bagott. Houston Business Journal, February 20, 2020, p. 46.
    Questions the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board's practice of "incorporation by reference," which allows a nonprofit to draft and approve regulations that Texas real estate appraisers must follow.
  • 20.03.26  /  "Lights out in Mexico's upstream market?" By Miriam Grunstein. Issue Brief (Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy), February 27, 2020, pp. 1-5.
    Tracks the change in direction of Mexico's energy policy under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and its effect on global investors.
  • 20.03.27  /  "Rebates — the little-known factor behind increasing drug list prices." By Rita Rubin. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), March 3, 2020, pp. 812-813.
    Details the drawbacks of the drug rebate model that currently underlies much of the pharmaceutical market.
  • 20.03.28  /  "Critical power: Supporting customers with medical needs." By Susan Partain. Public Power, January/February 2020, pp. 14-19.
    Highlights how several public power utilities have adapted for customers who depend on electricity for life support-related purposes.
  • 20.03.29  /  "Reaching for the cure." By Sean Price. Texas Medicine, February 2020, pp. 38, 40.
    Observes that Texas' rules regarding Medicaid coverage for hepatitis C medications are among the nation's strictest. Notes that the 86th Legislature passed a budget measure and requested a feasibility study on new methods to make hepatitis C medications affordable for Medicaid patients.
  • 20.03.30  /  "Home front." By Joshua Roberson. Tierra Grande, January 2020, pp. 19-21.
    Examines how military communities influence the housing markets in Texas.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on March 12, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 1694 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, March 5

Mar 5

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.

  • Review election returns from the March 3 primaries. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed March 4, 2020)
  • Consider book censorship in U.S. prisons. (NPR, February 22, 2020)
  • Explore ways Southern states can look to the Netherlands for ideas to bolster resilience against recurrent floods. (Southern Legislative Conference, January 2020)
  • Read about rule changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (AP News, March 4, 2020)

 

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.03.01 / "Will the ERA cross the finish line?" By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo. Christian Science Monitor, February 24, 2020, p. 15.
    Discusses the legal situation regarding ratification by the 38th state of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) including the effect of final ratifications happening after a Congressional deadline. Considers whether the amendment is still needed and explains potential opposition to it.
  • 20.03.02 / "Students say Republicans have made it harder for them to vote in some states." By Danielle McLean. Chronicle of Higher Education, February 28, 2020, pp. 18-19.
    Examines how students at various college campuses believe they have been the victim of voter suppression attempts. Includes a discussion of Abilene Christian University students and the effect of a law passed by the Texas Legislature (HB1888, 86th Legislature) banning early voting locations that do not remain open through the entirety of early voting.
  • 20.03.03 / "Business and the next recession: Downturn, disrupted." Economist, February 22nd-28th, 2020, pp. 61-63.
    Reports the impact of the next recession will be affected by economic changes since the 2007 recession: the dominance of the digital world, the social context shift, and too much corporate debt.
  • 20.03.04 / "Church-run charter schools? Court arguments stir discussion." By Evie Blad. Education Week, February 12, 2020, pp. 6-7.
    Addresses the possibility of church-run charter schools presented during oral arguments for the United States Supreme Court case Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue on January 29, 2020, a case that challenges the barring of public tax credits for religious schools.
  • 20.03.05 / "New funding for early education: New law increases funding for Texas' youngest students." By Peggy Fikac. Fiscal Notes, February 2020, pp. 1, 3-5.
    Highlights the state's new investment in early childhood education in HB3, 86th Legislature, through the $835 million Early Education Allotment. Looks at how the new funding will assist economically disadvantaged students and pre-Kindergarten in Texas.
  • 20.03.06 / "Health policy brief: Precarious work schedules and population health." By Kristen Harknett and Daniel Schneider. Internet Resource, February 2020, pp. 1-6.
    Asserts that unstable and unpredictable work schedules are correlated with poor health outcomes for adults, challenges with child care arrangements, and behavioral problems in young children. Notes that several cities and one state have passed laws to regulate scheduling practices.
  • 20.03.07 / "When state policy makes national politics: The case of 'Obamacare' marketplace implementation." By Samuel Trachtman. Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law, February 2020, pp. 111-141. (Note length)
    Examines how state-level implementation of the Affordable Care Act can affect the national-level political implications of the law. Concludes that state legislators often implement federal law in ways that benefit their political parties more than their constituents.
  • 20.03.08 / "Rural America doesn't have to starve to death." By Nick Shaxson. Nation, March 2/9, 2020, pp. 12-17.
    Contrasts increased farming wealth in United States agribusiness with a financial "hollowing" and increased poverty of small rural farming communities. Includes the economic impact of concentrated animal feeding operations [CAFOs], also known as factory farms.
  • 20.03.09 / "Beneficial electrification test to assess benefits and costs: To achieve widespread decarbonization." By M. Sami Khawaja, et al. Public Utilities Fortnightly, February 10, 2020, pp. 24-29, 51.
    Considers using a benefit cost analysis [BCA] framework to evaluate electrification investments.
  • 20.03.10 / "Massage parlor panic." By Elizabeth Nolan Brown. Reason, March 2020, pp. 17-24.
    Discusses the growing focus on human trafficking in terms of raids and stings directed at massage parlors. Argues little evidence of human trafficking has been found in these cases. Concludes these efforts become immigration stings that target Asian women, thereby doing more harm than help to these "victims."
  • 20.03.11 / "What's killing the monarchs?" By Gabriel Popkin. Scientific American, March 2020, pp. 17-24.
    Covers different theories about why the monarch butterfly population is declining and how scientists are trying to determine the cause or causes.
  • 20.03.12 / "Stop milking it, dairy farmers tell plant-based competitors." By Marsha Mercer. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), March 2, 2020, pp. 1-5.
    Discusses the debate over labeling regulations for plant-based milk and food products. Points out states that have introduced milk labeling bills.
  • 20.03.13 / "Not seeing eye to eye." By Joey Berlin. Texas Medicine, February 2020, pp. 25-27.
    Debates the legislative intent of the Texas Optometry Act (SB781, 61st Legislature, R.S.) regarding a Texas Optometry Board rule preventing physicians from employing optometrists while leasing their office space from an optician.
  • 20.03.14 / "Preserving 'do no harm'." By Joey Berlin. Texas Medicine, February 2020, pp. 22-23.
    Summarizes the judicial history of Kelly v. Houston Methodist Hospital, which is attempting to overturn a provision of the Texas Advance Directives Act (SB1260, 76th Legislature).
  • 20.03.15 / "The changing landscape of the Texas Citizens Participation Act." By Laura Lee Prather and Robert T. Sherwin. Texas Tech Law Review, Winter 2020, pp. 163-198. (Note length)
    Discusses how HB2730, 86th Legislature, amended the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), which allows defendants the ability to file a motion to dismiss a legal action, including a SLAPP [Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation] suit, if it is based on the right of free speech, right to petition, or right of association. Examines how these changes will affect pending issues within Texas courts of appeals, including awarding sanctions and the TCPA's applicability to trade secret cases, attorney discipline cases, and employment disputes. Identifies remaining open questions related to pre-suit requests for discovery and the new definitions of "matter of public concern" and "right of association."
  • 20.03.16 / "Battle for the ballot." By Vera Bergengruen. Time, March 2/9, 2020, p. 76.
    Reports that this year, 29 states have introduced legislation that will expand voting rights while 15 states have filed bills making it harder to vote. Includes discussion of voter registration in Texas.

 

 

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

 

This entry was posted on March 5, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 875 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, February 27

Feb 27

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.

  • Find out what you need to bring to the polls in order to vote. (Texas Secretary of State, February 24, 2020)
  • Track COVID-19 cases on a global scale. (Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering, updated February 11, 2020)
  • Explore the Smithsonian's repository of 2-and 3-dimensional images released into the public domain. (Smithsonian Magazine, February 25, 2020)
  • Search the Purple Book, the FDA's database of FDA-approved biological products. (United States Food and Drug Administration, accessed February 26, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.02.36  /  "When Trump doesn't love you back." By Bryan Gruley and Joe Deaux. Bloomberg Businessweek, February 17, 2020, pp. 48-53.
    Profiles the effects the Trump administration's steel tariffs have had on JSW Steel USA Inc., in Baytown, Texas. Details how JSW Steel once backed the tariffs but is now suing the federal government.
  • 20.02.37  /  "By 2020, they said, 2 out of 3 jobs would need more than a high-school diploma. Were they right?" By Goldie Blumenstyk. Chronicle of Higher Education, February 21, 2020, p. A19.
    Reviews trends in the level of education achieved and requirements for certain jobs in terms of a 2013 prediction from Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce forecasting that 63 percent of all jobs would need some education beyond high school by 2020. Explains the prediction came true but that broad trends can be misleading.
  • 20.02.38  /  "The other war on [avian] migrants." Economist, February 22nd-28th, 2020, p. 34.
    Reports on a proposed regulation that would weaken the criminal scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act [MBTA] by ending the decades-old practice of penalizing the "incidental take" of protected birds. Notes the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal would clarify that the MBTA's criminal scope extends only to conduct that intentionally injures birds.
  • 20.02.39  /  "Peter Hotez, vaccine campaigner: Anger in a time of autism." Economist, February 22nd-28th, 2020, pp. 29-30.
    Describes efforts by the co-founder of the National School of Tropical Medicine (Baylor College of Medicine) in Houston to educate parents on vaccine safety and to counter the anti-vaccine movement.
  • 20.02.40  /  "How four communities are facing the future." By Benjamin Herold. Education Week, February 5, 2020, pp. 23-27.
    Compares the city of Austin's approach to providing K-12 workforce preparation with three very different local communities in Connecticut, Georgia, and Wyoming.
  • 20.02.41  /  "Ranks of homeless students surging." By Sarah D. Sparks. Education Week, February 12, 2020, pp. 1, 20-21.
    Discusses the effects of the record-high influx of homeless students on schools in the United States. Reports Texas schools have had over a 9.5 percent increase in enrolled homeless students since 2015. Mentions Bastrop, Texas.
  • 20.02.42  /  "Drug price moderation in Germany: Lessons for U.S. reform efforts." By James C. Robinson, Patricia Ex, and Dimitra Panteli. Internet Resource, January 2020, pp. 1-8.
    Outlines how Germany employs positive and negative incentives to encourage drugmakers to moderate drug prices, with minimal government intervention. Describes how the United States could apply similar principles to price-setting for drugs and other health care technologies.
  • 20.02.43  /  "The lost city of Montopolis." By Kevin D. Williamson. National Review, February 24, 2020, pp. 30-32.
    Highlights the homeless situation in Austin and Governor Abbott's response to it. Discusses the state-owned property being used as a temporary encampment. Considers factors leading to homelessness.
  • 20.02.44  /  "Bankruptcies increase." By Mikaila Adams. Oil and Gas Journal, February 3, 2020, p. 14.
    Reviews bankruptcies filed by North American oil and gas producers since 2015, including those in Texas. Refers to a report from Haynes and Boone.
  • 20.02.45  /  "The hidden toll of wildfire." By Kyle Dickman. Scientific American, March 2020, pp. 38-45.
    Discusses an aerial campaign led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to study the chemical composition of wildfire smoke. Explains that the effects of wildfire smoke on human health are not yet well understood, but the campaign is collecting data to help determine this.
  • 20.02.46  /  "Texas landfills: The need for administrative reform of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's permitting process." By William Todd Keller. St. Mary's Law Journal, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 187-222 (Note Length).
    Provides a brief history of landfills and an overview of issues related to their construction, operation, and regulation. Points out potential regulatory and legislative suggestions to help reform the landfill permitting process.
  • 20.02.47  /  "DNA databases are boon to police but menace to privacy, critics say." By Lindsey Van Ness. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), February 20, 2020, pp. 1-8.
    Reports several lawmakers around the country are filing legislation to stop or restrict police searches of genetic code databases, while others want to make it easier for police to use forensic genetic genealogy to catch criminals.
  • 20.02.48  /  "The next great Texas energy resource." By Matt Kapinos and Hayden Harms. Texas Lawyer, March 2020, pp. 40, 42.
    Explains why traditional energy companies are investing in renewable energy projects.
  • 20.02.49  /  "Lina Hidalgo's year of living dangerously." By Christopher Hooks. Texas Monthly, March 2020, pp. 56-66.
    Profiles Lina Hidalgo's first year serving as Harris County Judge on the Harris County Commissioners' Court, including the court's decision to settle a lawsuit over the county's bail system. Discusses the repercussions of electing a Democratic majority to the court in 2018 and how this change may epitomize the future of Texas politics. Describes the role of former state Senator Rodney Ellis, who currently serves as Harris County Precinct One Commissioner.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on February 27, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 1331 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, February 20

Feb 20

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.

  • Find federal legislative and executive documents related to the commemoration of National African American History Month. (The Library of Congress, January 30, 2020)
  • Review the most recent update of Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876. (Texas Legislative Council, February 2020)
  • Explore state law enactments related to criminal records and reentry programs. (National Conference of State Legislatures, January 29, 2020)
  • Track Article III and federal appeals court appointments by presidential administration back to the Reagan era. (The Heritage Foundation, February 12, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.02.24  /  "Innocence detectives." By Henry Gass. Christian Science Monitor, February 17, 2020, pp. 22-28.
    Profiles the House of Renewed Hope, a Dallas nonprofit organization run by Christopher Scott and Steven Phillips, two men exonerated for crimes they did not commit after spending a combined 37 years in prison. Highlights their work to exonerate other prisoners.
  • 20.02.25  /  "At Texas State, the culture war comes to campus." By Michael Vasquez. Chronicle of Higher Education, February 14, 2020, pp. A8-A12, A14.
    Discusses recent disruptive events at Texas State University as a sign of the increasingly sharp racial and political divisions in the country. Highlights controversies between a conservative student and Kelly Stone, a lecturer in a sexuality class, who ultimately lost her teaching position. Mentions Stone is now running for a spot on the Texas Railroad Commission.
  • 20.02.26  /  "This university's board has the power to fire anyone — 'even down to the janitor'." By Lindsay Ellis. Chronicle of Higher Education, February 14, 2020, pp. A18-A19.
    Highlights the Texas Southern University Board of Regents' recent bylaws change, which gives them power to fire any university employee, and the board's action to place President Austin A. Lane on administrative leave while they review potential improprieties in admissions. Comments the bylaws change could run afoul of accreditation standards and is not considered a "best practice" for boards.
  • 20.02.27  /  "The border of business." By Jessica Corso. Dallas Business Journal, February 14, 2020, pp. 24-25.
    Discusses how the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA]'s renegotiation as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA] could impact Texas businesses.
  • 20.02.28  /  "The economics of migration: Delayed reaction." Economist, February 15th-21st, 2020, pp. 19-20.
    Examines whether a decline in America's immigrant population is connected to the nearly ten percent increase in wages of people without a high school diploma.
  • 20.02.29  /  "Hospital use declines after implementation of Virginia Medicaid's addiction and recovery treatment services." By Andrew J. Barnes, et al. Health Affairs, February 2020, pp. 238-246.
    Considers the effects of Virginia's application of a Section 1115 waiver to reforming its Medicaid substance use disorder [SUD] treatment services. Found that treatment for opioid use disorder [OUD] increased, while emergency department and inpatient hospital use decreased among Medicaid beneficiaries with OUD.
  • 20.02.30  /  "Explaining Texas v. U.S.: A guide to the case challenging the ACA." By MaryBeth Musumeci. Internet Resource, January 2020, pp. 1-10.
    Addresses common questions about Texas v. U.S. and the status of the Affordable Care Act. Includes infographic timelines, a map indicating states' positions on the litigation, and flowchart of potential outcomes.
  • 20.02.31  /  "Revisiting the proposal for a wealth tax." By Jack Salmon and Veronique de Rugy. Policy Brief (Mercatus Center, George Mason University), February 7, 2020, pp. 1-13.
    Discusses the political debate about implementing a progressive wealth tax. Evaluates the potential outcomes of such a policy if implemented in the United States.
  • 20.02.32  /  "Affordable utility service: Advice to regulators." By Kenneth Costello. Public Utilities Fortnightly, February 1, 2020, pp. 78-81.
    Discusses different kinds of energy assistance used to address affordability problems and how effective the assistance is.
  • 20.02.33  /  "Navigable Waters Protection Rule to replace WOTUS." By Jessica Domel. Texas Agriculture, February 7, 2020, p. 12.
    Compares the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule [NWPR] with the 2015 Waters of the United States [WOTUS] rule. Proposes the NWPR will reduce regulatory uncertainty and limit federal control under the Clean Water Act.
  • 20.02.34  /  "Clearing the haze." By Sean Price. Texas Medicine, February 2020, pp. 16-21.
    Considers the problem of e-cigarettes and EVALI [e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury], particularly as they relate to teenagers' rising use of vaping products. Notes that vaping is subject to SB21, 86th Legislature, which forbids the sale of tobacco or vaping products to anyone under 21.
  • 20.02.35  /  "News from America's best medical society." By Joey Berlin, Steve Levine, and David Doolittle. Texas Medicine, February 2020, pp. 10, 12, 14.
    Highlights current policy issues of interest to Texas physicians, including the Texas Department of Insurance's emergency rule regarding surprise billing and SB1264, 86th Legislature; federal legislation on surprise billing; and extending postpartum Medicaid coverage.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on February 20, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 902 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, February 13

Feb 13

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 trends in workforce development. (National Conference of State Legislatures, February 4, 2020)
  • Read about identity and community in Black Americans. (Pew Research Center, February 5, 2020)
  • Review President Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2021. (The White House, February 10, 2020)
  • Consider ways to prevent children from accessing adults' prescription medication. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 12, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.02.13  /  "How a fringe idea went mainstream." By Vimal Patel. Chronicle of Higher Education, January 31, 2020, pp. A8-A12.
    Examines the $1.5 trillion student loan debt problem that is increasingly affecting the middle class. Argues the debt is a clear case of exploitation with the investor class making money from students as the debt is repackaged and sold. Predicts a solution will be found since President Trump and many Democrats are seeking a remedy.
  • 20.02.14  /  "Praying for a political payoff?" By Rob Boston. Church & State, February 2020, pp. 4-5.
    Analyzes the Trump administration's guidelines on prayer and other religious activities in public schools, released on January 16, 2020.
  • 20.02.15  /  "America's quiet policing crisis." By Charles Fain Lehman. City Journal (Manhattan Institute), February 5, 2020, pp. 1-3.
    Reports police departments across the United States are confronting a recruitment crisis. Includes the Police Executive Research Forum's recommendations on how to improve recruitment efforts.
  • 20.02.16  /  "Car trouble." By Jessica Wehrman. CQ Weekly, January 21, 2020, pp. 14-21.
    Explores the transitioning auto industry and its struggles to navigate the federal regulatory complexity recently created by policies of the Trump administration.
  • 20.02.17  /  "Testing and college admissions: What's SAT?" Economist, February 8th-14th, 2020, pp. 23-24.
    Examines the debate over the use of college entrance exams, such as the SAT and ACT, as a requirement for college admissions. Discusses the lawsuit seeking to end the University of California System's use of these tests.
  • 20.02.18  /  "Guns in political advertising over four US election cycles, 2012-18." By Colleen L. Barry, et al. Health Affairs, February 2020, pp. 327-333.
    Observes that gun references have increased substantially in candidate-related ads in recent elections, particularly in communities more attuned to elections or that were near mass shootings.
  • 20.02.19  /  "Implications of the rapid growth of the nurse practitioner workforce in the US." By David I. Auerbach, Peter I. Buerhaus, and Douglas O. Staiger. Health Affairs, February 2020, pp. 273-279.
    Observes that the registered nurse [RN] workforce has been reduced following policy advocating for greater use of nurse practitioners to fill the health care gap left by physician shortages.
  • 20.02.20  /  "State policy recommendations for addressing teacher shortages." By Ana Ramón. IDRA Newsletter (Intercultural Development Research Association), January 2020, pp. 1-2.
    Identifies various alternative teacher certification programs that have been used in Texas, including the IDRA accelerated teacher certification model designed to prepare teachers for diverse classrooms. Presents seven policy recommendations for the Texas Legislature to consider in the areas of recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly qualified educators.
  • 20.02.21  /  "Caring for tomorrow." By Alisa Chester. Internet Resource, January/February 2020, pp. 1-3.
    Describes Texas hospitals' work to enhance access to pediatric mental health care, curb the outbreak of teen vaping, address the rising uninsured children rate, and use telemedicine to provide access to pediatric specialists in rural areas.
  • 20.02.22  /  "Out-of-network bills for privately insured patients undergoing elective surgery with in-network primary surgeons and facilities." By Karan R. Chhabra, et al. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), February 11, 2020, pp. 538-547.
    Evaluates out-of-network billing across common elective operations — like knee replacements, breast lumpectomies, and others — performed with in-network primary surgeons and facilities. Finds that almost 21 percent of episodes had an out-of-network bill.
  • 20.02.23  /  "How Black Lives Matter is changing Black History Month." By Olivia B. Waxman. Time, February 17, 2020, pp. 18-19.
    Examines how the Black Lives Matter movement is transforming how black history is being taught in public schools.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on February 13, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 899 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, February 6

Feb 6

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 state roles in protecting the electric grids. (National Conference of State Legislatures, January 24, 2020)
  • Review a list of local fire departments that offer smoke alarm programs. (State Fire Marshal, updated January 27, 2020)
  • Consider the mortality consequences of the opioid epidemic. (Cato Institute, January 15, 2020)
  • Find a lot of fact sheets about utilities in Texas. (Public Utility Commission of Texas, accessed February 5, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.02.01  /  "Online governance: A court of public opinions." Economist, February 1st-7th, 2020, p. 57.
    Discusses Facebook's draft of the bylaws that will govern the company's oversight board, with details on the board's structure and decision-making authority.
  • 20.02.02  /  "The politics of gender: Changing states." Economist, February 1st-7th, 2020, pp. 21-22.
    Explains why blanket bans on medical interventions for transgender children are likely to be counterproductive and suggests a better approach. Mentions Senator Ted Cruz and the James Younger custody case in Dallas County.
  • 20.02.03  /  "2019 county election website review." By League of Women Voters of Texas. Internet Resource, November 2019, pp. 1-26 (Note Length).
    Evaluates Texas county websites for accessibility and security of voting and election information in light of new Texas election laws, HB933 and HB1241, 86th Legislature. Provides best practices for providing accurate election information online.
  • 20.02.04  /  "Malpractice liability and quality of care." By William M. Sage and Kristen Underhill. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), January 28, 2020, pp. 315-317.
    Suggests that greater tort liability was not associated with improved quality of patient care, based on a systematic review of studies published between 1990 and 2019.
  • 20.02.05  /  "Who's paying now? The explicit and implicit costs of the current early care and education system." By Elise Gould and Hunter Blair. Policy Report (Economic Policy Institute), January 15, 2020, pp. 1-12.
    Examines the chronic underfunding and hidden costs of the current early care and education [ECE] system, including forgone parental income and the underpayment of ECE teachers.
  • 20.02.06  /  "Electrify everything? Heat and light in deep decarbonization policies." By Hal Nelson. Public Utilities Fortnightly, January 2020, pp. 62-66.
    Considers two essential questions about decarbonization policies that share the common element of electrification of transport and buildings. Provides various examples.
  • 20.02.07  /  "Grid modernization: State policies." By Kristy Hartman, et al. Public Utilities Fortnightly, January 2020, pp. 68-71.
    Discusses the National Conference of State Legislatures' [NCSL] work and resources relating to utilities. Refers to NCSL's recent report, Modernizing the Electric Grid: State Role and Policy Options.
  • 20.02.08  /  "Sex offender laws are broken. These women are working to fix them." By Hallie Lieberman. Reason, February 2020, pp. 42-48.
    Reviews the history of laws relating to sex offenders and sex offender registries. Highlights the work of various reform groups seeking changes to these laws.
  • 20.02.09  /  "Changes & opportunities in agriculture." By David M. Kohl. Texas Banking, February 2020, pp. 8-11.
    Looks at economic cycles in the agricultural industry, including "green shoots," or positive industry developments, such as value-added agricultural services and the emergence of younger farmers and ranchers.
  • 20.02.10  /  "Employee monitoring: An overview of technologies, treatment, and best practices." By Andrew Milam Jones. Texas Bar Journal, February 2020, pp. 98-100.
    Considers technological and legal developments regarding employee monitoring. Points out circumstances that support the monitoring of employees.
  • 20.02.11  /  "The engineer will see you now." By Jason Heid. Texas Monthly, February 2020, pp. 66-72.
    Profiles the development and inaugural class of EnMed, a collaboration between Houston Methodist and Texas A&M University in which future graduates will earn an M.D. and a master's degree in engineering. Discusses the potential benefits of a multi-discipline medical education.
  • 20.02.12  /  "Feeding a changing world." By Alana Semuels. Time, February 3, 2020, pp. 66-71.
    Explores the future of food tech and the startup companies that are creating new methods of food production to counter the negative impact the current agricultural system is having on the environment. Addresses the benefits of planet-friendly foods and farming, as well as the obstacles to these alternatives.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on February 6, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 873 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, January 30

Jan 30

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.

  • See how states are planning for more extreme weather events and natural disasters. (Stateline, January 29, 2020)
  • Explore the differences among Americans relating to their preferred news sources. (Pew Research Center, January 24, 2020)
  • Read about federal funding for women's health services in Texas. (Texas Health and Human Services Commission, January 24, 2020)
  • Consider how Americans like to spend their spare time. (Gallup, January 24, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.01.44  /  "IDEA turns 45." By Michelle Healy. American School Board Journal, February 2020, 16-20.
    Reviews the positive impact of the Individuals with Disabilities Act [IDEA] since its passage in 1975 but argues its full potential hasn't been realized due to funding challenges. Discusses the effects of IDEA's funding shortages and what can be done to improve and modernize the law.
  • 20.01.45  /  "General counsel's report." By Jim Allison. County Progress, January 2020, pp. 6, 52-55.
    Provides an overview of the 86th Texas Legislature and the issues assigned to legislative committees to study during the interim. Lists almost two dozen bills as assigned to legislative committees that affect county governments.
  • 20.01.46  /  "California exit: Amid an exodus, Golden State loses its luster." By Mark Calvey. Dallas Business Journal, January 17, 2020, pp. 16-19, 22-23.
    Reports the corporate exodus out of California is showing signs of accelerating, and area businesses are bracing for further departures. Points out the top ten states where Californians are moving.
  • 20.01.47  /  "Housing: No place like home." Economist, January 18th-24th, 2020, pp. 3-12.
    Presents special report highlighting shortcomings in current housing policies. Suggests flexible planning systems, appropriate taxation, and financial regulation can turn housing into a force for social and economic stability.
  • 20.01.48  /  "California ride share contracting legislation is a solution in search of a problem." By Ryan Radia. Internet Resource, December 17, 2019, pp. 1-11.
    Argues California's Assembly Bill 5, 2019-2020 Regular Session, which redefines whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor, will negatively impact ride share companies like Uber and Lyft. Discusses how minimum wage, health insurance, employee expenses, and employee leave will result in reduced pay and flexibility for drivers, higher costs for the companies, and higher fares for customers.
  • 20.01.49  /  "A field guide to the taxes of Texas (2020)." Internet Resource, January 27, 2020, pp. 1-26 (Note Length).
    Provides a graphical overview of major Texas state and local taxes, including sales and use, motor vehicle sales, motor fuel, franchise, oil production, and natural gas production taxes. Describes revenue by source, future revenue growth, historical volatility, and major exemptions for each tax. Includes charts on local property and sales taxes.
  • 20.01.50  /  "Municipalities feel the chill of Knick in the air." By Abigail M. Jones. Natural Resources & Environment, Winter 2020, pp. 57-58.
    Summarizes Knick v. Township of Scott, a case recently decided by the United States Supreme Court, which overturned a precedent barring plaintiffs from bringing actions in federal court under the Fifth Amendment's takings clause unless they had already lost in state court. Discusses how this ruling may effect federal challenges to local zoning ordinances by oil and gas companies and fracking moratoriums by municipal governments.
  • 20.01.51  /  "The Texas Pension Review Board: A model for nationwide reform." By Josh B McGee. Report (Manhattan Institute), January 14, 2020, pp. 1-15.
    Commends the Texas Pension Review Board [PRB] for its positive impact on state pension funding policy and offers model legislation for states who wish to create a PRB-style agency. Mentions Senators Paul Bettencourt, Joan Huffman, and Royce West, as well as SB322, 86th Legislature.
  • 20.01.52  /  "Texas sees job, output gains from 2018 U.S. tax cut." By Anil Kumar. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Fourth Quarter 2019, pp. 10-13.
    Looks at the effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 on state tax calculations, state-level tax breaks, job growth, and economic activity in Texas.
  • 20.01.53  /  "Filling in for the Feds." By Alan Greenblatt. State Legislatures, January/February 2020, pp. 10-16.
    Reports Congress' lack of legislative productivity is placing the burden on states to address the perennial issues that Washington has either failed to address or refused to fund, including infrastructure funding, Medicaid costs, immigration, and gun rights.
  • 20.01.54  /  "Shell's crude awakening." By Justin Worland. Time, January 27, 2020, pp. 40-46.
    Examines how oil and gas companies are responding to concerns regarding climate change. Profiles the Royal Dutch Shell company and discusses its strategies to remake itself and survive in a time when shifting political and economic tides threaten the future of fossil fuels. Mentions oil firms in Texas.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on January 30, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 867 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, January 23

Jan 23

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 trends in criminal justice reforms by state. (The Sentencing Project, January 2020)
  • See maps of where Americans are least active. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 16, 2020)
  • Find out if you are registered to vote before the deadline for registering to vote in the March primary election. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed January 22, 2020)
  • Review the Administrative Law Handbook 2020. (Texas Attorney General, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.01.33  /  "Preventing tragedy: Learning from one another, states take steps to make schools safer." By Joel Sams. Capitol Ideas, Issue 5 2019, pp. 22-25.
    Discusses school safety provisions of Florida Senate Bill 7026 (2018), and school safety policies adopted in several states relating to building security, extreme risk protection orders, and threat assessment programs.
  • 20.01.34  /  "Attrition rate down to 21%, but Texas high schools lost over 88,000 students last year." By Roy L. Johnson. IDRA Newsletter (Intercultural Development Research Association), November-December 2019, pp. 5-6.
    Presents the results of the 34th annual report on trends in dropout and attrition rates in Texas public schools. Explains latest data shows continued, gradual improvement, but Latino and Black students were two times more likely to leave school without graduating than White students.
  • 20.01.35  /  "Large-capacity magazine bans linked with fewer mass shootings, deaths." By Jennifer Abbasi. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), January 14, 2020, pp. 108-109.
    Considers a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health that found a correlation between large-capacity magazine bans and lower rates of high-fatality mass shooting deaths.
  • 20.01.36  /  "Rurality and risk of perinatal depression among women in the United States." By Nichole Nidey, et al. Journal of Rural Health, Winter 2020, pp. 9-16.
    Reports that the odds of perinatal depression risk were higher by 21 percent among rural versus urban women, adjusted for race, ethnicity, and maternal age. Notes that the risk difference is not significant when adding maternal education, health insurance coverage, and WIC participation.
  • 20.01.37  /  "Observations from the trenches — Wayfair, a year and a half later." Journal of State Taxation, Winter 2019, pp. 29-34.
    Describes the effects of economic nexus changes in South Dakota v. Wayfair from a business compliance perspective. Addresses sales and use tax compliance software and the role of state governments in regulating sales tax sourcing and e-filing and online registration.
  • 20.01.38  /  "The border of business." By Jessica Corso. San Antonio Business Journal, January 10, 2020, pp. 11-14.
    Examines how the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA] may impact the Texas economy. Highlights the value of exports from Texas to Mexico, estimated at $260 billion per year, and how the USMCA might affect this value.
  • 20.01.39  /  "Gentrification transforming neighborhoods in big Texas cities." By Yichen Su. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Fourth Quarter 2019, pp. 3-7.
    Analyzes gentrification and neighborhood transition trends in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. Includes statistics on college graduates, income, racial and ethnic groups, housing construction, and home values in these cities, and discusses the implication of displacing at-risk, vulnerable populations to suburban areas.
  • 20.01.40  /  "Body cameras may not be the easy answer everyone was looking for." By Lindsey Van Ness. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), January 14, 2020, pp. 1-7.
    Highlights studies showing mixed results on body cameras leading to reductions in use of force by police or how people view the police.
  • 20.01.41  /  "Texas Legislature to study, focus on interim charges in 2020." By Julie Tomascik. Texas Agriculture, January 3, 2020, p. 9.
    Reports on some of the issues the Texas Legislature will examine in interim studies. Lists topics important to rural Texans and farmers, including eminent domain, rural broadband, personal property tax, groundwater regulation, hemp, food labels, and pesticide application.
  • 20.01.42  /  "Breaking down barriers." By Sean Price. Texas Medicine, January 2020, pp. 42-44.
    Describes the benefits of long-acting reversible contraceptives [LARCs] and the regulatory barriers to prescribing them for women and their physicians. Notes the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's plans to study ways to improve access to LARCs by decreasing financial and administrative burdens.
  • 20.01.43  /  "Something in the air." By Christopher Collins. Texas Observer, January/February 2020, pp. 24-29.
    Investigates the effect of fecal dust pollution generated by cattle feedlots on Texans living in the Panhandle. Reports communities in feedlot hot spots have some of the highest levels of asthma in Texas and have little recourse but to move due to the lack of state regulation.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on January 23, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 1087 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, January 16

Jan 16

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.

  • Read about how to file your taxes for free. (ProPublica, January 10, 2020)
  • Consider how the political climate in Texas may change as more people move here from out of state. (Stateline, January 13, 2020)
  • Consider a recent Fifth Circuit ruling related to the Affordable Care Act. (Health Affairs, January 13, 2020)
  • Review toll increases. (Texas Department of Transportation, December 23, 2019)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.01.17  /  "To be better citizens, students sue for the right to learn civics." By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo. Christian Science Monitor, December 30, 2019, pp. 6-7.
    Discusses a class-action lawsuit currently before a United States District Court in Rhode Island in which students argue they have a constitutional right to an adequate civics education to prepare them for successful participation in a democracy.
  • 20.01.18  /  "Project Blitz 2.0." By Rob Boston. Church & State, January 2020, pp. 4-5.
    Provides an example of state legislation promoted by the Project Blitz campaign to weaken church-state separation, the Ohio Student Religious Liberties Act of 2019.
  • 20.01.19  /  "New law news: House Bill 2820 eliminates TRS's 403(b) registry." Classroom Teacher (Texas Classroom Teachers Association), Fall 2019, p. 5.
    Discusses why HB2820, 86th Legislature, which removed the Teacher Retirement System's regulatory authority over 403(b) investment products, was enacted. Addresses potential problems with the new law.
  • 20.01.20  /  "Sex education in Texas schools: TexEd." Economist, January 4th-10th, 2020, pp. 18-19.
    Discusses the Austin Independent School District's [AISD] revised Human Sexuality & Responsibility Curriculum. Notes the controversy surrounding AISD's decision may foreshadow a larger battle when the State Board of Education considers revising state health and sex education standards in 2020.
  • 20.01.21  /  "Sexual assault: Her word against his." Economist, January 4th-10th, 2020, pp. 42-44.
    Explains why few rapists are convicted. Uses a fictional case study to illustrate the difficulty of weighing "he-said-she-said" evidence.
  • 20.01.22  /  "Tax trends at the dawn of 2020." By Jared Walczak. Fiscal Fact (Tax Foundation), January 6, 2020, pp. 1-21.
    Looks at trends in state tax policy in 2020, including sales taxes on e-commerce after Wayfair v. South Dakota, legalization and taxation of marijuana, and taxation of sports betting.
  • 20.01.23  /  "California sets off privacy scramble." By Jeff John Roberts. Fortune, January 2020, pp. 18-19.
    Discusses national implications of the new California Consumer Privacy Act on businesses and consumers. Notes over twenty other states are copying the California law.
  • 20.01.24  /  "Out-of-network billing and negotiated payments for hospital-based physicians." By Zack Cooper, et al. Health Affairs, January 2020, pp. 24-32.
    Estimates that specialists' ability to bill out of network raises total health care costs for people with employee-sponsored insurance by approximately 3.4 percent ($40 billion). Proposes that hospitals be required to sell a package of facility and physician services to protect patients and provide a competitively determined price.
  • 20.01.25  /  "Structural urbanism contributes to poorer health outcomes for rural America." By Janice C. Probst, Jan Marie Eberth, and Elizabeth Crouch. Health Affairs, December 2019, pp. 1976-1984.
    Argues that biases in current models of health care funding treat health care as a service for an individual, rather than as infrastructure for a population. Suggests conceptualizing rural health care as infrastructure — similar to roads, telecommunications, and electricity — and adopting funding models accordingly.
  • 20.01.26  /  "Texas higher education law aims to improve outcomes for students in developmental education." By Bricio Vasquez. IDRA Newsletter (Intercultural Development Research Association), November-December 2019, pp. 1-2, 6.
    Explains that too many community college students are placed in non-credit remedial classes due to reliance on a single measure of college readiness with the unintended consequence of hindering progress and raising student attrition. Cites HB2223, 85th Legislature, R.S.; presents alternative approaches to college placement.
  • 20.01.27  /  "Marijuana update for practitioners: There is a bright line, a grey one." By Janel Greiman. Journal of MultiState Taxation and Incentives, January 2020, pp. 10-34.
    Analyzes the changing landscape of state laws legalizing recreational and medical marijuana and the tax implications. Includes a state-by-state list of marijuana or cannabis statutes, regulations, and voter-approved ballot initiatives, as well as a table of marijuana cultivation application and license fees across the states.
  • 20.01.28  /  "State and local government spending on public employee retirement systems." National Association of State Retirement Administrators, Updated December 2019, pp. 1-6.
    Describes nationwide spending on public pensions and trends in pension costs and financing. Notes Texas' pension contribution was 3.07 percent of all state and local government direct general spending in fiscal year 2017, compared to the United States average of 4.71 percent.
  • 20.01.29  /  "Scoot over: How electric scooters violate the ADA and what cities can do to maintain Title II compliance." By Jo Ann Mazoch. SMU Law Review, Fall 2019, pp. 871-893.
    Highlights the ways in which electric scooters violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and the problems that electric scooters create for cities. Introduces solutions that allow cities to keep sidewalks accessible for people with disabilities.
  • 20.01.30  /  "Neighborhood Centers, Inc. v. Walker: The curious outcomes of new charter school legislation in Texas." By Brittny Mandarino. South Texas Law Review, Summer 2019, pp. 639-645.
    Discusses Texas legislation related to open enrollment charter schools and efforts to provide increasing protection for students and employees. Examines Neighborhood Centers, Inc. v. Walker and how a recent change in the applicability of laws to charter schools, HB1170, 84th Legislature, has affected the protection of employees under the Texas Whistleblower Act.
  • 20.01.31  /  "Electric cars will challenge state power grids." By Alex Brown. Stateline (Pew Charitable Trusts), January 9, 2020, pp. 1-6.
    Examines whether states will be able to sufficiently boost power production to meet the increase in consumption from electric vehicles.
  • 20.01.32  /  "Taking privacy to a new level." By Sean Price. Texas Medicine, January 2020, pp. 28-29.
    Outlines the new privacy protections set out by HB4390, 86th Legislature, which dropped the threshold for breach reporting from 500 patients to 250, requires medical entities to report breaches to the Texas attorney general's office within 60 days, and established the Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on January 16, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 939 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, January 9

Jan 9

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 state legislation related to maternal and child health. (National Conference of State Legislatures, December 20, 2019)
  • Consider the legal status of smokable hemp. (Stateline, January 6, 2020)
  • Examine campaign and election security policy. (Congressional Research Service, January 2, 2020)
  • Read about which diet tops the list of best diets overall. (U.S. News and World Report, accessed January 8, 2020)

Members of the Texas legislative community may request the articles below here or by calling 512-463-1252.

  • 20.01.01  /  "A full count." By Michelle Healy. American School Board Journal, December 2019, pp. 26-29.
    Discusses the efforts of school districts across the United States to help ensure students are accurately counted in the 2020 Census. Reports 36 states lost $550 million in federal funding each year due to an undercount of children in the 2010 Census.
  • 20.01.02  /  "Cannabis: Green rolls in — slowly — under bigger state program." By Paul Thompson. Austin Business Journal, December 13, 2019, p. A4.
    Considers how legalization of hemp production and expansion of the state's Compassionate Use Program will affect the cannabis industry and the medical cannabis market. Mentions HB3703 and HB1325, 86th Legislature.
  • 20.01.03  /  "HB 3 and assessment: Comprehensive bill bringing changes to classrooms across Texas." Classroom Teacher (Texas Classroom Teachers Association), Fall 2019, pp. 9-11.
    Addresses the programmatic changes of HB3, 86th Legislature, relating to teacher incentive allotment/local teacher designation systems, additional school year days, literacy achievement academies, and assessment. Includes discussion of HB3906, 86th Legislature, another key bill on assessment.
  • 20.01.04  /  "Thanks for the support." Classroom Teacher (Texas Classroom Teachers Association), Fall 2019, pp. 14-15.
    Highlights members of the 86th Legislature who stood out for supporting teachers. Presents education-related issues and legislation backed by these lawmakers.
  • 20.01.05  /  "The shocking rise of Rx drug prices." By Lisa L. Gill. Consumer Reports, January 2020, pp. 38-48.
    Examines the factors that contribute to ballooning drug costs and how people can pay less for their medications.
  • 20.01.06  /  "At the heart of the crisis." By Sandhya Raman. CQ Weekly, December 9, 2019, pp. 14-19, 21.
    Examines how officials in Dayton, Ohio, have been able to significantly reduce opioid overdose deaths in their community. Attributes their progress to a variety of factors, including increased access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, interagency teams sharing resources and data, and the involvement of community outreach groups.
  • 20.01.07  /  "Adoption: Fostering enmity." Economist, December 7th-13th, 2019, pp. 28-29.
    Discusses a proposed rule by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that would allow recipients of federal grants from the agency, including faith-based adoption agencies and foster care providers, to exclude same-sex couples on religious grounds.
  • 20.01.08  /  "Rural-urban differences in severe maternal morbidity and mortality in the US, 2007-15." By Katy Backes Kozhimannil, et al. Health Affairs, December 2019, pp. 2077-2085.
    Finds that while severe maternal morbidity and mortality increased among both rural and urban residents from 2007-2015, rural residents had a nine percent greater probability of severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Considers clinical factors, such as the opioid epidemic and workforce shortages, as well as social factors, such as housing, racism, food security, and more.
  • 20.01.09  /  "Using incentives within the market for prosperity: What every community needs to know to optimize economic development [Part Two]." By M. Ray Perryman. Perryman Report and Texas Letter, Vol. 36, No. 10, pp. 1-7.
    Focuses on the use of incentives, pointing out some of the key components of the appropriate use of this type of economic development tool.
  • 20.01.10  /  "Net neutrality is back once again: Questions remain." By Steve Goodman. Public Utilities Fortnightly, December 2019, p. 64.
    Provides an update on the state of net neutrality. Refers to a recent decision in a case challenging the Federal Communication Commission's most recent rulemaking order on net neutrality.
  • 20.01.11  /  "Expert views on gun laws." By Arthur Z. Berg, John R. Lott, Jr., and Gary A. Mauser. Regulation (CATO Institute), Winter 2019-2020, pp. 40-47.
    Compares the views of public health researchers with those of criminologists and economists on a wide range of gun control policies. Finds that academics from different fields vary widely in their views on the effectiveness of gun control.
  • 20.01.12  /  "Is the sky really falling? A closer look at the current pension "crisis" and the constitutionality of retroactive pension reform." By Aaron Wallace. South Texas Law Review, Summer 2019, pp. 597-638 (Note Length).
    Argues that there is not a pension crisis, and if there is credible risk, retroactive pension reform is not the only viable solution. Describes the Contracts Clause, the history of its application by the United States Supreme Court, and how it could be used to challenge pension reform. Highlights changes to the Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund, SB2190, 85th Legislature, R.S., and Texas' failure to recognize pensions as contractual obligations.
  • 20.01.13  /  "The persecution of Alfred Brown." By Angela Morris. Texas Lawyer, January/February 2020, p. 14-15.
    Examines the role of the Texas Attorney General and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in proceedings required under the Tim Cole Act to determine whether victims of wrongful incarceration are entitled to state compensation.
  • 20.01.14  /  "Far-reaching implications." By Joey Berlin. Texas Medicine, December 2019, pp. 26-28.
    Points out that Texas' high uninsured rate impacts not only uninsured people but also shapes the healthcare industry, influences public health conditions, affects school and work attendance, and produces other ripple effects.
  • 20.01.15  /  "Shot in the dark." By Laura Beil. Texas Monthly, January 2020, pp. 76-87.
    Profiles Dorothy O'Connell (a Brazoria County resident), her use of stem cell therapy to cure arthritis, and the resulting medical complications that almost killed her. Discusses the stem cell industry and its lack of regulation, including the Food and Drug Administration's role, the history of the clinic and companies that supplied her treatment, and related legislation, HB810, 85th Legislature, R.S. Mentions Representatives Tan Parker and Drew Springer.
  • 20.01.16  /  "The prison inside prison." By Michael Barajas. Texas Observer, January/February 2020, pp. 12-22.
    Details the harmful psychological effects of long-term solitary confinement on inmates in prisons operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Provides a history of the use and abuse of the controversial punishment in the United States and efforts to reform the practice. Mentions legislation filed in 2019 that, had it passed, would have provided oversight of offenders' conditions of confinement. Quotes Representative Carl Sherman.

The Legislative Reference Library compiles this weekly annotated list of Current Articles of interest to the legislative community. Professional librarians review and select articles from more than 300 periodicals, including public policy journals, specialized industry periodicals, news magazines, and state agency publications. Members of the Texas legislative community may request articles using our online form.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 832 views. Print this entry.

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