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Current Articles & Research Resources, December 1, 2022

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.

  • Track resource adequacy for Texas' electric grid this winter. (Electric Reliability Council of Texas, November 29, 2022)
  • Read about domestic terrorism. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, October 2022)
  • Consider mental health and well-being in the workplace. (U.S. Surgeon General, 2022)
  • Review marriage laws by state. (Congressional Research Service, November 22, 2022)
  • Explore law enforcement surveillance technologies by city, county, or state. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, accessed November 30, 2022)

 

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

 

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

Interim Hearings and Sunset Commission Hearings – Week of December 5, 2022

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 5, 2022
House Committee on State Affairs
Topic: Update on the proposed changes to the ERCOT market design.

 

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December 6, 2022
House Committee on House Administration
Topic: Invited testimony only from any Member of the 88th Legislature who submits a proposal for a suggested rules change to the Committee.

 

House Committee on House Administration
Topic: The committee will meet to consider the adoption of a parental leave pool.

 

Sunset Advisory Commission
Staff presentation and invited testimony only:

 

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December 7, 2022
Sunset Advisory Commission
Staff presentation and invited testimony only:

 

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December 8, 2022
House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Strategic Fiscal Review & Federal Relief Funds
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Strategic Fiscal Review and Federal Relief Funds will meet to consider the following agency reviews:

  • Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  • Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Low-level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission
  • Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
  • Texas Water Development Board
  • Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Office of Public Utility Counsel
  • Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

 

State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory
Topic: The advisory committees shall review the overall operation, function, and structure of the funds at least semiannually and may provide comments and recommendations to the board on any matter.

 

Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund Advisory
Topic: The advisory committee shall review the overall operation, function, and structure of the resiliency fund at least semiannually and may provide comments and recommendations to the board on any matter.

 

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December 9, 2022
Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
Charge: Illegal Temporary License Plates: Examine and report on the relationship of the unlawful sale and use of temporary paper license plates with crimes related to human trafficking, drug trafficking, theft, and homicide.

Charge: Re-entry Programs for Inmates: Review current offender re-entry programs provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and county jails, and identify barriers to their success. Make recommendations to enhance successful programs to ensure adequate resources and support for released offenders.

Criminal Case Backlogs: Evaluate the current backlog of criminal cases. Consider and recommend ways to reduce delays and ensure timely resolution of cases, including an examination of methods developed by district attorneys, judges, and court administrators.

Public Safety: Examine the recent Harris County release from custody of hundreds of criminal defendants onto the streets without bond or review by a magistrate. Identify what caused this threat to public safety in Harris County and determine if it has occurred in any other counties in Texas. Make recommendations to ensure criminal defendants are timely brought before a magistrate for probable cause hearings and bond hearings, and that appropriate bond is set.

 

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First Day of Prefiling Statistics, 88th Regular Session

In Texas, the House Rules (Rule 8, Section 7) and the Senate Rules (Rule 7.04(a)) allow legislators to prefile bills "beginning the first Monday after the general election preceding the next regular legislative session."

 

Prefiling for the 88th Texas Legislature began on Monday, November 14, 2022, the first Monday after the general election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. A total of 920 bills and resolutions were filed in the House and Senate on November 14, a record number for the first day of the prefiling period.

 

Below are statistics comparing all bills and resolutions filed during the prefiling period for the 71st Legislature (1989) to the 88th Legislature (2023).

 

Chart comparing the number of bills and joint resolutions filed during the prefiling filing period from the 71st to the 88th legislative sessions.

 

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

Current Articles & Research Resources, November 17, 2022

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.

  • Read about signing up for Medicare during open enrollment. (Texas Department of Insurance, reviewed September 14, 2022)
  • Check on home heating systems for carbon monoxide leaks. (Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, October 10, 2022)
  • Track seasonal flu cases in the U.S. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, updated November 10, 2022)
  • Consider whether mothballed nuclear power plants could be restarted. (Manhattan Institute, November 3, 2022)

 

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

 

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

Current Articles & Research Resources, November 10, 2022

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.

  • View election results for the November 8, 2022 midterm election. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed November 9, 2022)
  • Explore aspects of online consumer data collection. (Congressional Research Service, October 31, 2022)
  • Review the U.S.'s most recent national defense strategy. (U.S. Department of Defense, October 27, 2022)
  • Track TxDOT projects by location. (Texas Department of Transportation, accessed November 9, 2022)
  • Consider the stability of the U.S. financial system. (Federal Reserve Board, November 2022)

 

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

 

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

Interim Hearings – Weeks of November 7 and November 14, 2022

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 10, 2022
House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence CANCELED
Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • HB 1540, which implements various changes to state law based on recommendations of the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force.

Additionally, the Committee will conduct oversight of the following legislation:

  • HB 569 – relating to credit toward payment of a fine and costs for certain misdemeanants confined in jail or prison before sentencing.
  • HB 1005 – relating to the requisites of a bail bond given by certain defendants and to conditions of release on bond for certain defendants.
  • SB 111 – relating to certain duties of law enforcement agencies concerning certain information subject to disclosure to a defendant.
  • SB 162 – relating to a false statement made to illegally acquire a firearm; creating a criminal offense.
  • SB 768 – relating to increasing the criminal penalties for manufacture or delivery of fentanyl and related substances; creating a criminal offense.
  • SB 1125 – relating to the disposition of certain controlled substance property and plants seized by or forfeited to a law enforcement agency.
  • SB 1354 – relating to the prosecution of the offense of injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual.

Charge: Examine ways to increase the rate of compliance for court-ordered appearances, including new technologies that will facilitate contact with those ordered to appear. Consider the effectiveness of virtual appearances for certain offenses.

 

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November 14, 2022
House Committee on Natural Resources (Weslaco)
The committee will meet to take testimony on issues regarding the Hidalgo County Water Improvement District No. 3 as they relate to both the introduced and passed versions of SB 2185.

 

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November 15, 2022
Senate Committee on Border Security
Charge: Community Impact: Study and report on the impact of Operation Lone Star on border, rural, and urban communities throughout Texas.

 

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November 16, 2022
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Charge: Groundwater Management and Protection: Evaluate the status and effectiveness of the State's groundwater management process, including data used to support regional water planning and conservation goals. Report on the effectiveness of the State's groundwater protection efforts and whether statutory changes are needed to protect groundwater quality.

Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs passed by the 87th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:

  • Senate Bill 8 (86th Legislature), Relating to state and regional flood planning;
  • Senate Bill 601 (87th Legislature), Relating to the creation and activities of the Texas Produced Water Consortium;
  • Senate Bill 905 (87th Legislature), Relating to guidance on the regulations applicable to the potable reuse of wastewater; and
  • House Bill 3516 (87th Legislature), Relating to the regulation of the recycling of fluid oil and gas waste.

 

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November 17, 2022
Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
Charge: Electricity: Assess the electricity market in Texas. Study issues impacting the Texas electric grid, including transmission planning and maintenance scheduling. Study the consequences of increased electric vehicle usage and charging on the generation, transmission and distribution, and retail sectors of Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and evaluate their potential impact on increased electric demand and reliability of the grid. Examine the growth of renewable energy generation in the state and evaluate its impact on grid reliability. Make recommendations to strengthen the reliability of the grid, and meet the future generation needs of ERCOT through new and existing dispatchable generation. Assess plans to expeditiously add new dispatchable generation. Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3, 87th Legislature.

Charge: Blockchain and Virtual Currencies: Study current state and federal regulations surrounding blockchain and virtual currencies. Examine how these technologies impact industries such as banking, business, and electricity. Make recommendations to protect consumers while encouraging innovation. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 1576 and House Bill 4474, 87th Legislature.

 

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Charge: Economic Development Programs: Review the programs in Chapters 380 and 381 of the Local Government Code. Consider the benefits of each program in generating economic development. Make recommendations for improvements to Chapters 380 and 381 to increase transparency and accountability and the effectiveness of the programs.

Charge: Hotel Occupancy Taxes: Study the collection and use of hotel occupancy taxes. Evaluate and make recommendations related to the effectiveness, costs of rebates, incentives, and other taxes applied to qualified hotel and convention center projects. Investigate and determine whether the creation of a standard Hotel Occupancy Tax legislative template is feasible, and whether it would enable the legislature to more efficiently evaluate proposed Hotel Occupancy Tax bills during the legislative session.

Charge: Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development passed by the 87th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:

  • Senate Bill 13, Relating to state contracts with and investments in certain companies that boycott energy companies.

 

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Current Articles & Research Resources, November 3, 2022

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.

  • Review daylight saving time legislation by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, October 20, 2022)
  • Consider possible improvements to rural Texas roadways. (TRIP, a National Transportation Research Nonprofit, September 2022)
  • Read about increasing threats to and harassment of local officials. (Princeton University, October 20, 2022)
  • Explore the Texas Historic Sites Atlas. (Texas Historical Commission, accessed November 2, 2022)

 

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

 

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

Sunset Commission Meeting, November 10, 2022

Sunset Advisory Commission, November 10
Consideration and possible action on the recommendations for the following agencies:

Staff presentation and public testimony:

 

 

 

Current Articles & Research Resources, October 27, 2022

In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community.

  • See whether you are registered to vote. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed October 26, 2022)
  • Consider the level of stress Americans are experiencing. (American Psychological Association, October 2022)
  • Explore how Democrats and Republicans differ over what their children should learn in school. (Pew Research Center, October 26, 2022)
  • Read about how rural roads are disproportionately dangerous compared to urban roads. (Governors Highway Safety Association, September 2022)

 

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

 

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

Interim Hearings – Week of October 24, 2022

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 26, 2022
House Committee on Appropriations
Topic: Update from the Broadband Development Office

Topic: Update on the Unified Transportation Program

Topic: Overview of select agency Legislative Appropriations Requests

 

 

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