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Current Articles & Research Resources, November 7, 2024

Nov 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.

 

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 November 7, 2024 at 4:00 PM and has received 330 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings and Sunset Commission Meeting – Week of November 11, 2024

Nov 6

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, Sunset review, 88th Session

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 11, 2024
Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education
Charge: Higher Education - “Faculty Senates”: Review and analyze the structures and governance in higher education, focusing on the role of “faculty senates,” and like groups, in representing faculty interests to higher education institution administrations. Make recommendations to establish guidelines for the role and representation of faculty by “faculty senates,” and like groups, at higher education institutions in Texas.

Charge: Stopping DEI to Strengthen the Texas Workforce: Examine programs and certificates at higher education institutions that maintain discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Expose how these programs and their curriculum are damaging and not aligned with state workforce demands. Make recommendations for any needed reforms to ensure universities are appropriately educating students to meet workforce needs.

Charge: Improving K12-College Pathways: Review the availability of Advanced Placement and dual credit course offerings in high schools and examine the transfer requirements required for students to receive higher education course credit. Identify the current challenges to streamlining the transfer process, including adequate counseling for high school students. Make recommendations to ensure students receive credit for successful completion of these courses.

 

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November 13, 2024
Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
Charge: Protecting Vulnerable Texans in Emergencies: Examine commercial residential settings for the elderly and individuals with intellectual disabilities, including assisted living facilities, boarding homes, group homes, and independent living communities. Identify emergency preparedness and response protocols required during severe weather for these populations. Make recommendations, if necessary, for the establishment and enforcement of emergency protocols to ensure vulnerable populations are protected.

Charge: Examining the links between Nutrition and Chronic Disease: Examine the role that food supply plays in chronic disease. Identify ways that Texas can support a healthier food supply, including ways to better inform consumers and incentivize food producers. Make recommendations for reforming the state’s health-related research efforts to improve public health through enhanced nutritional awareness, revised pharmaceutical development, and non-pharmacological interventions.

 

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November 14, 2024
Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Charge: Enhancing Workforce Productivity: Study ways to increase the state’s workforce productivity, including access to childcare. Make recommendations, within existing resources, to maintain childcare availability to support a growing workforce.

 

Sunset Advisory Commission
Consideration and possible action on the new recommendations for the following agency:
Texas Real Estate Commission special-purpose review

Staff presentation and public testimony:

 

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This entry was posted on November 6, 2024 at 3:15 PM and has received 402 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 31, 2024

Oct 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.

  • Review early voting information by date or county and check the status of your ballot-by-mail. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed October 30, 2024)
  • Read about how America has historically handled compulsory voting. (Harvard Law Review, February 2024)
  • Examine aspects of the process of denial of coverage by health insurance companies. (ProPublica, October 23, 2024)
  • Explore information about invasive and exotic species in North America. (Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, accessed October 30, 2024)
  • Consider levels and causes of stress in the United States. (American Psychological Association, October 2024)

 

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 October 31, 2024 at 3:15 PM and has received 190 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of November 4, 2024

Oct 29

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 88th Session

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 7, 2024
Senate Committee on Local Government
Charge: Housing Affordability: Study issues related to housing, including housing supply, homelessness, and methods of providing and financing affordable housing. Make recommendations to reduce regulatory barriers, strengthen property rights, and improve transparency and accountability in public programs for housing.

Charge: Additional Property Tax Relief and Reform: Report on the effects of prior property tax relief and reform, including the $18 billion tax cut with the $100,000 homestead exemption authorized by the 88th Legislature. Focus particularly on the interaction between Senate Bill 2, 88th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, and Senate Bill 2, 86th Legislature. Make recommendations for further property tax relief and reform, including methods to improve voter control over tax rate setting and debt authorization, and mechanisms to dissolve taxing entities such as municipal management districts (MMDs) and tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZs) when they have outlived their purpose.

 

 

This entry was posted on October 29, 2024 at 4:30 PM and has received 300 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 24, 2024

Oct 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.

  • Monitor current and historical drought data in Texas. (Texas Water Development Board, accessed October 23, 2024)
  • Find consumer protection resources and how to file a consumer complaint. (Attorney General of Texas, accessed October 23, 2024)
  • Report fraud, scams, and bad business practices. (Federal Trade Commission, accessed October 23, 2024)
  • Explore the Texas Main Street Program. (Texas Historical Commission, accessed October 23, 2024)
  • Review new rules related to how all mobile handsets must be made compatible with hearing aids. (Federal Communications Commission, October 17, 2024)

 

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 October 24, 2024 at 3:15 PM and has received 357 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 17, 2024

Oct 17

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 the lack of law or regulation regarding the use of federal facial recognition technology. (U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, September 2024)
  • Consider social media consumer data surveillance. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, October 8, 2024)
  • Explore state elections. (National Conference of State Legislatures, updated September 20, 2024)
  • Review drilling permits issued. (Railroad Commission of Texas, accessed October 16, 2024)
  • Find information on rural law enforcement development grants. (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, accessed October 16, 2024)

 

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 October 17, 2024 at 3:30 PM and has received 460 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 21, 2024

Oct 17

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 88th Session

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.

 

October 21, 2024
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Topic: Criminal procedure related to capital punishment and new science writs under Article 11.073, Code of Criminal Procedure.

 

 

This entry was posted on October 17, 2024 at 9:35 AM and has received 424 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy Books and Reports: October 2024

Oct 15

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our October 2024 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. Digitally Invisible: How the Internet is Creating the New Underclass
By Nicol Turner Lee
Presents personal anecdotes and testimonials to demonstrate how digital deserts and lack of internet access are exacerbating the economic, health, and social disparities challenging the less fortunate. Discusses the impact of digital inequality on minority groups such as people of color, the elderly, rural populations, and students. Argues that the U.S. must make drastic changes to achieve digital equality and remain competitive on the world stage.
Brookings Institution Press, 2024, 226 pages
303.48 T954 2024

 

 

2. Discredited: Power, Privilege, and Community College Transfer
By Lauren Shudde
Investigates the obstacles that many students face when they transfer from community colleges to universities. Analyzes results of a six-year study conducted on transfer-intending students in two Texas community college districts. Discusses how universities have created barriers to the student-transfer pathway, including uneven information access; inconsistent and ambiguous transfer criteria; and credit loss. Calls for changes at the university and state government levels to facilitate easier and more equitable transfers between institutions.
Harvard Education Press, 2024, 178 pages
378.1 SCH384D 2024

 

 

3. Essentials of Texas Water Resources, 8th ed.
By Holly Heinrich, editor
Compiles a collection of essays by 78 experts on core concepts of Texas water resources and laws, along with recent developments and issues. Covers a variety of topics, including water rights; surface water and groundwater issues; flood management; water utilities; water districts; climate change; and the economics of water.
State Bar of Texas, 2024, Various paging
B600.8 ES74 2024

 

 

4. The Fall of Roe: The Rise of a New America
By Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer
Chronicles the last decade of Roe v. Wade before it was overturned in 2022. Investigates the rise of conservative political and religious campaigns to restrict abortion access, and the failure of reproductive rights advocates to recognize and effectively respond to the threat to abortion rights. Mentions former State Senator Wendy Davis and her filibuster against SB 5, 83rd Legislature, 1st C.S., along with former Texas Governor Ann Richards and her daughter Cecile Richards. Includes a chapter on the passage of the Texas Heartbeat Act (SB 8, 87th Legislature, R.S.).
Flatiron Books, 2024, 433 pages
342.7308 D541 2024

 

 

5. No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States
By Erwin Chemerinsky
Contends that the U.S. Constitution should be replaced because it has contributed to the nation’s current political polarization and dysfunction. Argues that due to the Constitution’s inherent flaws—its treatment of race, dependence on the Electoral College, an unrepresentative Senate, and the influence of the Supreme Court—it is a threat to American democracy. Suggests that if the political climate continues to degrade and the Constitution is not changed, the U.S. may be on the path to various forms of secession.
Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2024, 223 pages
973.93 C517N 2024

 

 

6. That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America
By Amanda Jones
Documents the experience of a school librarian in Louisiana while facing book challenges relating to LGBTQ+ issues and racism. Describes recent events relating to book banning; censorship; and intellectual freedom in U.S. libraries, including in Llano, Texas.
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024, 269 pages
303 J76T 2024

 

 

7. Turtle on a Post: A Memoir of Texas State Senator Carl Parker
By Carl Parker and Jim Sanderson
Offers a collection of memoir essays on the personal and political experiences of former State Senator Carl Parker. Details the workings of being a legislator through anecdotes from his time in the Texas House of Representatives (1962-1977) and the Texas Senate (1977-1995). Highlights legislative processes; goals; and accomplishments through stories of his committee work; the Killer Bees; repealing antiquated laws; and passing major statewide legislation. Includes an appendix of legislation passed with Carl Parker as the primary author for the 58th through 73rd Legislatures.
Lamar University Literary Press, 2024, 207 pages
328.764 P238T 2024

 

 

 

This entry was posted on October 15, 2024 at 3:50 PM and has received 496 views. Print this entry.

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 10, 2024

Oct 10

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.

  • Compare the fiscal plans of the presidential campaigns. (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, October 7, 2024)
  • Explore a media bias chart. (Ad Fontes Media, accessed October 9, 2024)
  • Track wildfire risk in your area. (Texas A&M Forest Service, accessed October 9, 2024)
  • Search congressionally mandated reports. (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), accessed October 9, 2024)

 

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 October 10, 2024 at 3:15 PM and has received 281 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of October 14, 2024

Oct 8

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 88th Session

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.

 

October 15, 2024
Senate Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Impeachment Reform: Evaluate the constitutional and statutory impeachment procedures in our state. Make recommendations to ensure a fair and transparent process.

Charge: Lottery: Study “lottery courier services,” which allow their clients to purchase lottery tickets over the internet. Report on the number of couriers and the magnitude of sales from such services in Texas. Determine whether courier services are operating legally in Texas and whether a change in law is needed to respond to technological advancements to protect children in our state and to maintain original legislative intent. Recommend legislation to clarify Texas’s laws regarding online lottery sales.

Charge: Addressing Homelessness: Study programs that address the homelessness crisis in Texas. Specifically, review programs like Haven for Hope and determine whether such programs could be a model throughout our state. Propose legislation to address the root causes of homelessness by expanding successful programs for cities of all sizes.

Charge: Public Trust in Government: Examine the current state of accountability, ethics, and transparency in local government. Recommend ways to bolster public trust in local government by strengthening the Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

 

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October 16, 2024
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
Topic: Criminal procedure related to capital punishment and new science writs under Article 11.073, Code of Criminal Procedure.

 

House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th 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 1859, relating to the regulation of air conditioning and refrigeration contracting, including eligibility for an air conditioning and refrigeration technician registration or certification;
  • HB 3579, relating to the regulation of massage therapists and massage establishments by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and political subdivisions; and
  • HB 4446, relating to certain licensing and permitting requirements for game rooms; authorizing an occupational permit or license; authorizing a fee.

The Committee will be hearing invited testimony only regarding the following agencies: Texas Racing Commission, State Office of Administrative Hearings, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and Texas Lottery Commission.

The Committee will also hear invited testimony only relating to the Texas Lottery Commission current rules and regulations regarding “lottery courier services,” and single buyer mass purchases.

 

House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations
Charge: Study the threat posed by hostile foreign organizations and related entities on the Texas economy, security, and values.

Charge: Evaluate the ways in which hostile foreign organizations acquire property, including real property, in Texas as well as the attendant risks. Recommend policy changes to mitigate the risks posed by ownership of Texas assets by hostile foreign organizations

Charge: Examine rates of intellectual property (IP) theft in the state and identify the industries most impacted. Make recommendations to better secure the IP of government and businesses operating in the state and ensure Texas remains competitive in the face of economic aggression by hostile foreign organizations.

 

Senate Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Runoff Elections: Study the prerequisites, timing, and efficiency of runoff elections. Make recommendations to increase the efficiency and lower the costs of runoff elections. Examine the 50% vote threshold to avoid a runoff, particularly when four or more candidates are running for the same office. Report whether the vote percentage threshold should be lowered in some instances.

Charge: Stop Noncitizen Voting: Evaluate the current safeguards in place to prevent noncitizens from voting in elections. Recommend legislation to facilitate the removal of noncitizen voters from the voter rolls as well as legislation to prevent noncitizens from registering to vote in Texas.

Charge: Election Audit Reports: Evaluate the Secretary of State’s election audit reports. Make recommendations to secure our elections and ensure counties follow the law.

Charge: Unmasking Protestors: Study the use of face coverings and hoods designed to conceal the identity of those bent on committing crimes at protests. Recommend legislation to stop the chaos and destruction by those who attempt to commit crimes while concealing their identity during public gatherings.

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on State Affairs passed by the 88th Legislature. Specifically, evaluate the impact of Senate Bill 2284, relating to the sale of distilled spirits to ultimate consumers by the holder of a distiller's and rectifier's permit. Report whether the increased sale of distilled spirits has had a positive impact on economic development and public safety in this industry.

 

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October 17, 2024
Senate Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Social Media & Protecting Children: Study the impact of social media use on children. Review current mechanisms in place to protect minors online. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 18, 88th Legislature, relating to the protection of minors from harmful, deceptive, or unfair trade practices in connection with the use of certain digital services and electronic devices, including the use and transfer of electronic devices to students by a public school. Make policy recommendations to further protect Texas children online.

Charge: Responsible Investing: Study the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors on our state’s public pensions, with a focus on proxy voting services. Make recommendations to ensure our state’s pension systems vote and invest in accordance with their fiduciary responsibility to maximize profit. Additionally, monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 13, 87th Legislature, relating to state contracts with and investments in certain companies that boycott energy companies. Specifically, examine how a company is removed from the list of companies that boycott energy companies when the company ceases to boycott energy companies. Report on how frequently the list maintained by the comptroller is updated and make recommendations to ensure an ongoing accurate list.

Charge: Beverages with THC: Evaluate Texas laws and regulations concerning THC beverage manufacturing and delivery. Report on the current regulations and safeguards Texas may or may not have in place for drinks with any amount of THC. Recommend legislation to protect Texas consumers.

 

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This entry was posted on October 8, 2024 at 3:20 PM and has received 431 views. Print this entry.

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