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

• Consider how Americans consume news media across various platforms. (Pew Research Center, September 20, 2022)
• Explore environmental and health hazards by census tract. (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, page last reviewed: August 10, 2022)
• Read about recent developments in voter registration policies. (Congressional Research Service, updated September 19, 2022)
• Review information about social media challenges involving over-the-counter and prescription medications. (U.S. Food & Drug Administration, September 15, 2022)

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

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

This entry was posted on September 22, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 505 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our September 2022 New & Noteworthy list.

Check out and delivery of New & Noteworthy titles is available to legislative staff in Capitol and District offices. To arrange check out and delivery of any of these items, you can submit an online request through the New & Noteworthy page on our website or contact the library at 512-463-1252.

1. Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920-2020
By Elisabeth Griffith
Chronicles the efforts of Black and white women for voting rights and equality after the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. Contrasts the sometimes competing goals of each group, in which the Black women's movement focused on protecting their communities from racial violence and discrimination while white women sought equal legal rights with white men. Describes the seemingly parallel struggles for political power as interwoven and complex, acknowledging the diversity of the fight for "liberty and justice for all."
Pegasus Books, 2022, 507 pages
305.420973 G853F 2022

 

 

2. Foster Care in America: A Reference Handbook
By Christina G. Villegas
Explores the American foster care system, including the history of state and federal approaches to child welfare. Presents recurring problems and controversies that affect U.S. foster care systems, and highlights proposals aimed at improving outcomes for children and families. Includes a glossary of terms used in discussions of foster care, key national and local child welfare organizations' profiles, and an annotated reference guide.
ABC-CLIO, 2022, 292 pages
362.73 V732F 2022

 

 

3. More City Than Water: A Houston Flood Atlas
By Lacy M. Johnson and Cheryl Beckett, editors
Examines the impact of Hurricane Harvey on the people and communities of Houston, Texas, through the use of maps, personal essays, interviews, and photographs collected for the Houston Flood Museum project. Urges reflection on the "link between human activities and catastrophic flooding" and presents possible outcomes for Houston and the Gulf Coast in the face of expected future natural disasters.
University of Texas Press, 2022, 292 pages
303.485 J68M 2022

 

 

4. Texas Legislative Council Drafting Manual (88th Legislature)
By Texas Legislative Council
Explains the legislative drafting process with updated examples for the upcoming 88th Legislature. Notes the manual is intended to be used primarily by the drafting staff but suggests legislators and legislative staff may find it a useful resource for understanding how legislation is drafted and analyzing legislative documents. Includes city and county population summaries from the 2020 census, text of the Code Construction Act, and a memorandum on local and bracket bills.
Texas Legislative Council, 2022, 318 pages
L1400.5 D783 2022

 

 

5. We've Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible
By Beto O'Rourke
Presents Beto O'Rourke's interactions with individuals across Texas, discussing what he learned while campaigning for office and while registering voters. Explains how voting rights are essential for democracy while weaving the stories of Texans who affected election administration in Texas. Highlights Dr. Lawrence Aaron Nixon's 20-year effort to overturn SB 44, 38th Legislature, 2nd C.S. from 1923, which prohibited African-Americans from voting in Democratic primaries.
Flatiron Books, 2022, 211 pages
324.6 OR74W 2022

 

 

6. ScholAthlete's Survival Guide: Essential Study Skills for the Scholar Athlete
By Tamsen Valoir and Jolanda Jones
Provides guidance to student athletes on how to balance athletics and academics at the college level. Shares study skill techniques and tips, interspersed with co-author Representative Jolanda "Jo" Jones' own academic experiences as a ScholAthlete.
Booklocker.com, 2008, 126 pages
378.17 V198S 2008

 

 

This entry was posted on September 19, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 560 views. Print this entry.

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

• Explore the relaunch of the Civil Rights Digital Library. (Digital Library of Georgia, September 9, 2022)
• Search a free case law database for decisions from federal courts and state appellate courts. (Free Law Project, September 12, 2022)
• Find safety rest areas along Texas highways. (Texas Department of Transportation, © 2022)
• Review storm resources, including an electric outages map. (Public Utility Commission of Texas, © 2022)

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

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

This entry was posted on September 15, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 564 views. Print this entry.

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.

• September 20, 2022
  • House Committee on Higher Education and House Committee on Public Education (Joint)
• September 21, 2022
  • House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
• September 23, 2022
  • House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues

September 20, 2022
House Committee on Higher Education and House Committee on Public Education (Joint)
Charge 1: Evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the state’s teacher workforce, and current practices to improve the recruitment, preparation, and retention of high-quality educators. Explore the impact of the educator preparation program regulatory environment. Make recommendations to improve educator recruitment, retention, and preparation throughout the state.

• The 2022 Texas Teacher Poll: Persistent Problems and a Path Forward, Charles Butt Foundation, September 2022
• The Teacher Pay Penalty Has Hit a New High, Economic Policy Institute, August 16, 2022
• What Happened to the K-12 Education Labor Market During COVID? The Acute Need for Better Data Systems, Annenberg Institute at Brown University, August 2022
• It's Not Just COVID-19: Why Texas Faces a Teacher Shortage, Texas Tribune, July 25, 2022
• Teacher Shortage? What We Know and What We Don't Yet Know, Texas 2036, May 17, 2022
• Texas Teacher Workforce Report, 2021, Prepared for Raise Your Hand Texas, University of Houston, November 2020
• Texas Educators: Certification and Preparation and Continuing Education, Texas Education Agency
• Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) in Texas and Educator Reports and Data, Texas Education Agency
• Teacher Vacancy Task Force Overview, Texas Education Agency

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September 21, 2022
House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Charge 1: 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 1728, relating to partnerships between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and nonprofit entities to promote hunting and fishing by certain veterans; and
• HB 3081, which relates to the issuance of digital tags for the taking of certain animals.

Charge 2: Review the overall state of Texas' travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Make recommendations for statutory and regulatory changes to ensure industry resiliency and vitality. Consider the following:

• Access to federal recovery programs and efforts that enable the draw-down of federal funding;
• Improvement of workforce reliability; and
• Use of the supplemental money appropriated to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism through SB 8 (87S3).

• Texas Travel Research Dashboard, Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, last updated September 2022
• Federal Funding Overview: COVID-19 Funding and Other Major Legislation (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, July 2022
• "Travel, Interrupted: The Pandemic Hit the Tourism Industry Hard, But the Future Looks Bright, from West Texas to the Coast," Texas Highways, Texas Department of Transportation, November 2021
• "Nature Tourism in Texas: Recreation, Revenues and Science in the Great Outdoors," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, May 2021
• "Weathering the Pandemic: Texas Industries and COVID-19" (Leisure and hospitality), Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, January 2021
• The Economic Impact of Travel on Texas: 1994-2019, Dean Runyan Associates, Prepared for Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism, June 2020
• Travel Research, Travel Texas, Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism

Charge 3: Review state efforts to preserve and develop Texas state parks and open spaces to ensure affordable public access to outdoor recreational and educational opportunities.

• Natural Agenda: A Strategic Plan for Texas Parks and Wildlife, Fiscal Years 2023-2027, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, June 1, 2022
• Staff Report with Final Results: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Sunset Advisory Commission, June 2021
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Self-Evaluation Report, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, August 2019
• Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, January 2015
• Education, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

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September 23, 2022
House Committee on Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
Charge 3: Examine obstacles to the reporting of domestic violence and how these obstacles contribute to the difficulty in obtaining and enforcing a protective order. Examine new technologies that could facilitate domestic violence reporting without putting victims at risk of further violence and harm.

• 16th Annual Domestic Violence Counts Report, National Network to End Domestic Violence, March 2022
• Domestic Violence in Texas, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2021
• Texas Family Violence Program Statewide Report, As Required by Human Resources Code, Section 51.006, Texas Health and Human Services, November 2020
• Honoring Texas Victims: Family Violence Fatalities in 2020, Texas Council on Family Violence, 2020
• Creating a Safer Texas: Access to Safety, Justice, & Opportunity, Texas Council on Family Violence, 2019
• Technology Safety & Privacy: A Toolkit for Survivors, National Network to End Domestic Violence

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This entry was posted on September 14, 2022 at 9:35 AM and has received 969 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider how much income seniors need to live independently. (University of Massachusetts Boston, ©2021)
• Find resources on how to report and prevent illegal dumping. (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, July 13, 2022)
• Read about occupational licensing for immigrants. (Council of State Governments, September 7, 2022)
• Explore campaign finance disclosure requirements by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, July 5, 2022)

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

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

This entry was posted on September 8, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 501 views. Print this entry.

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.

• September 13, 2022
  • House Committee on Energy Resources and House Committee on State Affairs (Joint)
  • House Committee on Public Health
  • Senate Committee on Local Government
• September 14, 2022
  • House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
  • House Committee on Public Health
  • Senate Committee on Local Government
  • Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
• September 15, 2022
  • House Committee on Business & Industry

September 13, 2022
House Committee on Energy Resources and House Committee on State Affairs (Joint)
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

• SB 3, relating to preparing for, preventing, and responding to weather emergencies and power outages. (Joint charge with Committee on State Affairs)

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

• HB 4 relating to the provision and delivery of telemedicine and telehealth services; and
• HB 1616 relating to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

Charge: Study the impact of fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in Texas. Evaluate existing data collection, dissemination, and mitigation strategies regarding opioid abuse in Texas. Make recommendations to improve coordinated prevention, education, treatment, and data-sharing.

• With National Data on Drug Overdoses Lacking, University of Texas Project Looks to Help Provide a Solution, Texas Tribune, July 5, 2022
• As Opioid Overdoses Surge, States Expand Treatment, National Conference of State Legislatures, May 17, 2022
• First Digital Platform to Track and Prevent Drug Overdoses in Texas Launches, The University of Texas at Austin, December 2, 2021
• Addressing Substance Use in Texas: Public Health Agency Action Plan, Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Texas Department of State Health Services, January 2020
• Agency Action Plan to Address Substance Abuse, Texas Department of State Health Services
• Death Rate Maps & Graphs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Drug Overdose Deaths, Texas Department of State Health Services
• Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, National Center for Health Statistics

Charge: Study current telemedicine trends by assessing and making recommendations related to standardizing required documentation healthcare providers must obtain for consent for treatment, data collection, sharing and retention schedules, and providing telemedicine medical services to certain cancer patients receiving pain management services and supportive palliative care.

• National Survey Trends in Telehealth Use in 2021: Disparities in Utilization and Audio vs. Video Services, Office of Health Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, February 1, 2022
• 2022 Interoperability Standards Advisory Reference Edition, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, January 10, 2022
• Removing Regulatory Barriers to Telehealth Before and After COVID-19, Brookings Institution, May 6, 2020
• Telemedicine in Texas, Texas Medical Association
• United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI), Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Senate Committee on Local Government
Charge: Affordable Housing: Study issues related to affordable housing, homelessness, and methods of providing and financing affordable housing. Make recommendations to improve transparency and accountability, as well as to better utilize existing federal, state, and local programs.

• Texas Housing Insight, Texas Real Estate Research Center, August 17, 2022
• The State of The Nation's Housing 2022, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, June 22, 2022
• Housing Choice Plan, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, May 2022 revised
• The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes, National Low Income Housing Coalition, April 2022
• Here's One Way States Are Boosting Affordable Housing, Stateline, March 2, 2022
• Housing Not Handcuffs 2021: State Law Supplement, National Homelessness Law Center, November 2021
• Housing Affordability and Homelessness in Texas, Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, March 2021
• Interim Report to the 86th Legislature (Charge 2 – Housing Affordability), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, November 2018
• Paycheck to Paycheck Database, National Housing Conference

Charge: Taxpayer Funded Lobbying: Study how governmental entities use public funds for political lobbying purposes. Examine what types of governmental entities use public funds for lobbying purposes and what level of transparency is available to the public. Make recommendations to protect taxpayers from paying for lobbyists who may not represent the taxpayers' interests.

• Limiting Public Funds for Lobbying, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 3, 2021

Charge: Extraterritorial Jurisdictions: Study issues related to municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions and annexation powers, including examining possible disannexation authority. Determine whether extraterritorial jurisdictions continue to provide value to their residents and make recommendations on equitable methods for disannexation.

• The Pursuit of Property in Texas: Municipal Annexation and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, Texas Public Policy Foundation, December 2021
• Municipal Annexation in Texas, Texas Municipal League, updated July 2021
• Interim Report to the 86th Legislature (Charge 1 – ETJ Limitations and Notice), Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, November 2018

Charge: Special Purpose Districts: Perform a comprehensive study on the powers and purposes of various special purpose districts and their associated legislative templates. Make recommendations to improve public transparency in operations of special purpose districts and associated legislative templates.

• Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature, House Committee on Special Purpose Districts, December 2018
• Invisible Government: Special Purpose Districts in Texas, Research Spotlight, Senate Research Center, October 2014
• Special Purpose District Sales and Use Tax, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Tax Rates and Levies (Special district rates and levies, 2017-2021), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Water District Database (WDD), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

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September 14, 2022
House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Charge: Monitor 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:

• Oversight: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
• Examine the impact of the dicamba herbicide on the implementation of HB 1957, relating to the labeling of wine as originating from an area of this state or with the name of a vineyard in this state.

• Facing Widespread Vine Death, Texas Vineyard Owners File Lawsuit Over Herbicide Drift, Wine Spectator, March 30, 2022
• Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association Responds to Dicamba Impact, Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, June 21, 2021
• Herbicide Damage Survey for 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 2019
• Understanding and Recognizing Synthetic Auxin Damage in Grapes, Texas A&M Agriculture and Life Sciences, April 2017

House Committee on Public Health
Charge: Examine existing resources and available opportunities to strengthen the state’s nursing and other health professional workforce, including rural physicians and nurses.

• Nursing Workforce Reports, Texas Health and Human Services, updated August 17, 2022
• Going the Distance: Helping Rural Medicine on Its Hard Road to Better Health, Texas Medicine, August 2022
• Texas Physician Education Pipeline, As Required by Texas Health and Safety Code Section 105.009, Texas Health and Human Services, May 2022
• Nursing in Texas: Charting the State's Nursing Profession, Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Accounts, April 2022
• 2020 Trends, Distribution, and Demographics Fact Sheets (Health care professions), Texas Health and Human Services, updated October 26, 2021
• State Health Facts: Providers & Service Use (Data on the health care workforce and health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers, and rural health centers), Kaiser Family Foundation

Charge: Assess ongoing challenges in the rural health care system and the impact of legislation and funding from the 87th regular and special sessions on strengthening rural health care and the sustainability of rural hospitals and health care providers. Evaluate federal regulations authorizing the creation of a Rural Emergency Hospital provider type and determine if promoting this type of facility could increase local access to care in rural areas of the state.

• Texas Rural Hospital Survey Results, Connected Nation Texas, May 11, 2022
• The Impact of COVID-19 on the Rural Health Care Landscape, Bipartisan Policy Center, May 2022
• Rural Emergency Hospital: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, October 2021
• Texas State Guide, Rural Health Information Hub, Last reviewed April 19, 2021
• Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Model Summary, National Rural Health Association, April 12, 2021
• 2021-2022 Update to the Texas State Health Plan (Rural Health in Texas), Statewide Health Coordinating Council, March 2021

Senate Committee on Local Government
Charge: Property Tax Reform: Review the effect of Senate Bill 2 (86th Legislature), the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019, and related legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Make recommendations for further property tax reform and relief.

• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Implementation Monitoring: SB 2), House Committee on Ways and Means, January 2021
• Interim Report, Senate Committee on Property Tax, November 2020
• Truth-in-Taxation: Tax Rate Adoption, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Appraisal Reform: Review the implementation of Senate Bill 63, House Bill 988, and other related legislation passed by 87th Legislature. Make recommendations to ensure appraisal guidelines are effective and taxpayers have enforcement mechanisms.

• Interim Report, Senate Committee on Property Tax, November 2020
• Appraisal Protests and Appeals, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Valuing Property, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Charge: Efficiency Audits: Study the concept of efficiency audits for cities, counties and special purpose districts and under what circumstances they should be performed. Evaluate whether efficiency audits provide Texans tools to combat wasteful government spending and report whether they are needed before local government tax ratification elections.

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Charge: Natural Gas Storage: Study the economic benefits of expanding the state's underground natural gas storage capacity and infrastructure. Investigate and make recommendations for additional natural gas transportation opportunities.

• Underground Natural Gas Storage by All Operators, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 31, 2022
• Underground Natural Gas Storage Capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 31, 2022
• Pipeline Projects Announced to Expand Permian Natural Gas Capacity, U.S. Energy Information Administration, August 4, 2022
• Gas Storage Statistics, Texas Railroad Commission, updated August 3, 2022
• Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) - Natural Gas Storage Facilities, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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:

• House Bill 1284, Relating to the regulation of the injection and geologic storage of carbon dioxide in this state.
• House Bill 3973, Relating to a study on abandoned oil and gas wells in this state and the use of the oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund.
• The Rail Road Commission (RRC) will be providing the Committee with an update on their rules adoption pertaining to Senate Bill 3 (87R), relating to preparing for, preventing and responding to weather emergencies and power outages; increasing the amount of administrative and civil penalties. Public testimony will not be heard on the RRC update.

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September 15, 2022
House Committee on Business & Industry
Charge: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

• HB 3746, relating to certain notifications required following a breach of security or computerized data; and
• SB 1588 and SB 581, relating to the powers and duties of certain property owners’ associations.

Charge: Evaluate the overall state of data privacy and online consumer protections in Texas and study the related laws and legislative efforts of other states. Make recommendations to ensure consumer data protections and online privacy.

• US State Privacy Legislation Tracker, International Association of Privacy Professionals, last updated August 11, 2022
• Privacy Legislation Related to Internet Service Providers, National Conference of State Legislatures, August 8, 2022
• State Laws Related to Digital Privacy, National Conference of State Legislatures, June 7, 2022
• Texas at the Crossroads - An Update on Privacy Legislation, Texas Appleseed, November 15, 2021
• Report, Texas Privacy Protection Advisory Council, September 2020
• Data Breach Reporting, Attorney General of Texas

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This entry was posted on September 8, 2022 at 1:20 PM and has received 798 views. Print this entry.

Below is a list of members (as of September 6, 2022) not returning to the 88th Texas Legislature in their current offices. Note that regardless of election outcomes, all of these legislators will keep their respective seats until January 2023, unless they resign earlier.

To learn more about who will be on the general election ballot, information about candidates by county and party is available on the Texas Secretary of State's candidate ballot order page. Results of the primary election and primary runoff elections are available on the Texas Secretary of State's election results page.

Total members not returning to 88th Legislature (as of September 6, 2022) = 35

House = 29; Senate = 6

Texas House of Representatives

	Rep. Michelle Beckley	Defeated in Democratic primary runoff election for Lieutenant Governor, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Kyle Biedermann	Retiring
	Rep. Jeff Cason	Retiring
	Rep. Garnet Coleman	Resigned effective 2/28/2022
	Rep. Jasmine Crockett	Running for Congressional District 30
	Rep. John Cyrier	Retiring
	Rep. Joe Deshotel	Retiring
	Rep. Alex Dominguez	Defeated in Democratic primary election for Texas Senate District 27, 3/1/2022
	Rep. Jake Ellzey	Elected to Congressional District 6 on 7/27/2021; resigned from Texas House effective 7/30/2021
	Rep. Art Fierro	Defeated in Democratic primary election, 3/1/2022
	Rep. John Frullo	Retiring
	Rep. Dan Huberty	Retiring
	Rep. Celia Israel	Running for Mayor of Austin
	Rep. Phil King	Running for Texas Senate District 10
	Rep. Matt Krause	Defeated in Republican primary runoff election for Tarrant County District Attorney, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Lyle Larson	Retiring
	Rep. Ben Leman	Retiring
	Rep. Eddie Lucio III	Resigned effective 1/31/2022
	Rep. Mayes Middleton	Running for Texas Senate District 11
	Rep. Ina Minjarez	Defeated in Democratic primary runoff election for Bexar County Judge, 5/24/2022
	Rep. Jim Murphy	Retiring
	Rep. Leo Pacheco	Resigned effective 8/19/2021
	Rep. Chris Paddie	Retiring; Resigned effective 3/1/2022
	Rep. Tan Parker	Running for Texas Senate District 12
	Rep. Eddie Rodriguez	Defeated in Democratic primary election for Congressional District 35, 3/1/2022
	Rep. Scott Sanford	Retiring
	Rep. Phil Stephenson	Defeated in Republican primary runoff election, 5/24/2022
	Rep. John Turner	Retiring
	Rep. James White	Defeated in Republican primary election for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, 3/1/2022; resigned effective 8/11/2022

Texas Senate

	Sen. Dawn Buckingham	Running for Texas Land Commissioner
	Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr.	Retiring
	Sen. Jane Nelson	Retiring
	Sen. Beverly Powell	Retiring; suspended campaign for Texas Senate District 10, 4/6/2022
	Sen. Kel Seliger	Retiring
	Sen. Larry Taylor	Retiring

This entry was posted on September 6, 2022 at 11:25 AM and has received 1221 views. Print this entry.

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

• Explore law enforcement legislation by state from May 2020 through May 2022. (National Conference of State Legislatures, August 22, 2022)
• Review the most recent food price outlook forecasts for 2022 and 2023. (Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 25, 2022)
• Track two decades of opioid overdoses in the U.S. (JAMA Network Open, July 28, 2022)
• Consider the potential economic impact of millions of Americans' employment statuses affected by long Covid. (Brookings, August 24, 2022)

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

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

This entry was posted on September 1, 2022 at 3:15 PM and has received 561 views. Print this entry.

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.

• September 6, 2022
  • House Committee on Insurance
• September 8, 2022
  • House Committee on Appropriations
  • House Committee on Transportation
  • House Committee on Ways & Means
• September 9, 2022
  • House Committee on Appropriations

September 6, 2022
House Committee on Insurance
Charge: Review existing state laws, administrative regulations, and agency practices to identify barriers to competition in the insurance marketplace. Examine existing business practices in the industry to determine if additional laws or regulations are needed to promote competition, lower premiums, and protect consumers.

• Review consumer rights and appraisal in automotive and homeowner policies. Review trade industry practices and interaction with insurers and consumers.
• Review current regulatory landscape for Healthcare Sharing Ministries, County Mutual Insurance Agencies, and Farm Mutual Insurance Agencies.

• Annual Legislative Report on Market Conditions: Calendar Year 2021, Texas Department of Insurance, revised May 5, 2022
• 2022 State of the Texas Property & Casualty Insurance Market, Insurance Council of Texas, 2022

Charge: Monitor the implementation compliance and enforcement of legislation related to freestanding emergency rooms to determine whether patients are adequately protected and if further safeguards and disclosures are needed.

• Senate Bill 1264: 2021 Midyear Report, Texas Department of Insurance, July 2021
• Balance Billing Protections: Senate Bill 1264 Biennial Report, Texas Department of Insurance, December 2020
• Freestanding Emergency Medical Care Facilities, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

Charge: Review Texas' insurance anti-rebating laws and model legislation related to rebates. Make recommendations for legislation that would preserve the purpose of the current statute while allowing certain services for and benefits to insurance consumers.

• Unfair Trade Practices Act (Model Law #880, Section 4, H. Rebates), National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Spring 2021
• Project History – 2021: Unfair Trade Practices Act (#880) (Rebating issues), National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2021
• Summary: Time to Dust Off the Anti-Rebate Laws, Journal of Insurance Regulation, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, November 2019
• Time to Dust Off the Anti-Rebate Laws, Journal of Insurance Regulation, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2017
• Rebating and Referral Fees, Independent Insurance Agents of Texas

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September 8, 2022
House Committee on Appropriations
1. Space Exploration and the Space Economy
Topic: Explore potential state, federal, and industry partnerships to advance the role of Texas in the space economy.

• Environmental Concerns Challenge States' Space Ambitions, Stateline, June 6, 2022
• Space Economy, Bureau of Economic Analysis, last modified on June 2, 2022
• The Future of the Low Earth Orbit Space Economy, Newsweek, March 11, 2022
• United States Space Priorities Framework, White House, December 2021
• Commercial Space Transportation: FAA Continues to Update Regulations and Faces Challenges to Overseeing an Evolving Industry, U.S. Government Accountability Office, June 16, 2021
• Commercial Human Spaceflight, Federal Aviation Administration
• NASA Partnerships, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

2. Employee Retirement System of Texas
Topic: Provide an overview of the ERS Fund and implementation of SB 321.

• Actuarial Valuation Reports for Pension Plans Administered by ERS as of August 31, 2021 (Summary), Employees Retirement System, December 8, 2021
• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Charge 4 – ERS and TRS pension funds), House Committee on Pensions, Investments and Financial Services, January 2021
• ERS Actuarial Valuation Reports, Employees Retirement System of Texas

3. Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Topic: Provide an overview of the TRS fund, and examine the current status of TRS Care and TRS ActiveCare.

• Rooted in Texas: 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, Teacher Retirement System of Texas, November 20, 2021
• TRS-Care Retirees Health Care Plan Teacher Retirement System of Texas, GASB Statement No. 74, Financial Reporting for Postemployment Benefit Plans Other Than Pension Plans, Actuarial Valuation for Fiscal Year Ending August 31, 2021, Teacher Retirement System of Texas, November 1, 2021
• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature (Charge 4 – ERS and TRS pension funds), House Committee on Pensions, Investments and Financial Services, January 2021

4. Department of Family and Protective Services
Charge 4: Monitor efforts by the Department of Family and Protective Services to implement Section 11, HB 5 (87S2), relating to foster care capacity improvement.

• Request for Applications (RFA) For HB5 Foster Care Capacity, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, May 6, 2022
• Department of Family and Protective Services: Historical Appropriations and Expenditures (Presented to Senate Select Committee on Child Protective Services), Legislative Budget Board, March 2022

Topic: Examine the current status of children without placement in the State's care.

• Monthly Data (Children in DFPS Care), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
• CPS Dashboard: Key Performance Metrics, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

5. Health and Human Services Commission
Topic: Review the Texas Medicaid Program including the status of the 1115 Waiver, end of the Public Health Emergency, and implementation of HB 133.

• Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension Tracker, Kaiser Family Foundation, August 25, 2022
• Medicaid Waiver Tracker: Approved and Pending Section 1115 Waivers by State, Kaiser Family Foundation, August 19, 2022
• Unwinding the PHE: What We Can Learn From Pre-Pandemic Enrollment Patterns, Kaiser Family Foundation, May 10, 2022
• Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and Department of State Health Services Joint Biennial Report, As Required by Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 34.015, Texas Health and Human Services and Texas Department of State Health Services, revised February 2022
• Interim Report to the 87th Legislature?(Charge 1?– Health Care Costs), Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, January 2021
• Medicaid 1115 Waiver, Texas Department of Health and Human Services

Topic: Explore the goals of and eligibility for the Alternatives to Abortion Program and opportunities for enhancing services across the state.

• Alternatives to Abortion Report for Fiscal Year 2021, As Required by 2022-23 General Appropriations Act, Senate Bill 1, 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021 (Article II, Health and Human Services Commission, Rider 68), Texas Health and Human Services, December 2021
• An Anti-Abortion Program Will Receive $100 Million in the Next Texas Budget, But There's Little Data on What's Being Done With the Money, Texas Tribune, June 8, 2021
• Alternatives to Abortion, Texas Health and Human Services

House Committee on Transportation (Brownsville)
Charge: Discuss tools available to reduce the unprecedented increase in fatalities on Texas roads.

• Self-Reported Risky Driving in Relation to Changes in Amount of Driving During the COVID-19 Pandemic, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, February 2022
• The Safe System Approach: How States and Cities Are Saving Lives, Public Roads, Federal Highway Administration, Winter 2022
• Deadly Crashes on Rural Roads Prompt New Safety Efforts, PEW Charitable Trusts, August 17, 2021
• Traffic Safety Trends | State Legislative Action 2020, National Conference of State Legislatures, July 2, 2021
• Texas Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths: 2015-2019 Fact Sheets, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, January 2021
• Examining the Increase in Pedestrian Fatalities in the United States, 2009-2018, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, January 2021
• Annual Texas Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics (2021), Texas Department of Transportation

Charge: Study policies impacting truck transportation, a key link in the supply-chain, including utilizing state property and right-of-way for natural gas fueling stations and truck parking, the potential shortage of drivers and sellers of commercial trucks, the shortage of truck parking options to accommodate hours of service regulations, and ways to reduce border crossing wait times. Examine regulatory and statutory impediments to connected vehicle and autonomous technologies aimed at improving the safety and efficiency of trucking in Texas.

• How Free-Wheeling Texas Became the Self-Driving Trucking Industry's Promised Land, Reuters, June 17, 2022
• Drivers Wanted: Texas Trucking Strives to Stay on the Move, Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, April 2022
• Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan 2021, Texas Department of Transportation, March 19, 2021
• Impacts of Global Supply Chain Changes in the Post-Pandemic Environment in Texas, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, January 2021
• Texas Statewide Truck Parking Study, Texas Department of Transportation, April 2020
• Is the U.S. Labor Market for Truck Drivers Broken?, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2019

Charge: Examine the ability of the state’s seaports to promote the public purposes of state economic growth, diversification, and commerce through development of port-owned properties within their boundaries. Review the investments needed for Texas ports to remain competitive in handling increased cargo volumes and ensuring a resilient supply chain.

• 2021 Survey of State Funding Practices for Coastal Port Infrastructure (Texas), Texas A&M Transportation Institute, October 2021
• Texas Port Profiles, Texas Department of Transportation, updated March 2020
• Port Authority Transportation Reinvestment Zone: Executive Summary (Land Development Within Port-Owned Property), Texas A&M Transportation Institute, March 2017
• 2022-2023 Texas Port Mission Plan, Port Authority Advisory Committee

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

• HB 2404, relating to creating and maintaining a database of information regarding certain local economic development agreements;
• SB 2 (86R - the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019) and related property tax reform legislation passed by the 87th Legislature, including HB 1869, HB 2429, HB 2723, and SB 1438.
• Monitor legislation relating to reform of the property tax appraisal system, including HB 988, HB 2941, HB 3971, SB 63, SB 916, and SB 1919.

Charge: Study Texas' property tax appraisal system and make appropriate recommendations to improve the appraisal system. The study should include:

• Assessing the accuracy of appraised values and operational effectiveness of appraisal districts;
• Evaluating methods of selecting chief appraisers, appraisal review boards, and appraisal district directors;
• Evaluating existing appraisal protections for taxpayers and ease of taxpayer participation in the appraisal process.

• Interim Report, Senate Committee on Property Tax, November 2020
• Appraisal Review Boards, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Valuing Property, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Charge: Conduct a comprehensive review of the impact of not renewing Chapter 313, Tax Code. Evaluate tax incentives offered by other states and make recommendations for incentivizing manufacturers and other capital-intensive businesses to locate to Texas.

• Next Chapter: A Point/Counterpoint Examination of an Incentive, Site Selection Magazine, September 2021
• Take It To the Limit: Benefits and Costs of Chapter 313 Tax Limitations, Texas Real Estate Research Center, March 11, 2021
• Understanding Chapter 313: School Property Tax Limitations and the Impact of State Finances, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, January 27, 2021
• Report of the Texas Economic Development Act 2021, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. January 2021
• Most Business Incentives Don't Work. Here's How to Fix Them, Brookings Institution, November 4, 2019
• Who Benefits from Economic Development Incentives? How Incentive Effects on Local Incomes and the Income Distribution Vary with Different Assumptions about Incentive Policy and the Local Economy, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, March 1, 2018
• Interim Report to the 85th Legislature (Charge 3: Economic Development Incentives), Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development, November 2016
• Tax Code Chapter 313 — Value Limitation and Tax Credits, Texas Comptroller for Public Accounts

Top

September 9, 2022
House Committee on Appropriations
1. Texas Education Agency
Charge 6: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Expenditures

• Federal Funding Overview: COVID-19 Funding and Other Major Legislation (Presented to Senate Finance Committee), Legislative Budget Board, July 2022
• State Plan for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, submitted by the Texas Education Agency to the U.S. Department of Education, April 21 2021
• Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grant Programs, Texas Education Agency

2. Higher Education: Access and Affordability
Topic: Examine options for increasing access to and affordability of successfully obtaining post-secondary degrees and credentials.

• Access and Affordability: An Update on Higher Education in Texas, Every Texan, April 21, 2022
• Today's College Student and the Rising Costs of Higher Education, LegisBrief, National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2, 2022
• 60x30TX Progress Report, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, July 2021
• Texas: College Affordability Profile, Southern Regional Education Board, January 2021
• Legislator's Guide to the Issues 2021-2022: Higher Education Affordability, Texas Public Policy Foundation, September 21, 2020
• A New Course for Higher Education: Strengthening Access, Affordability, and Accountability, Bipartisan Policy Center, January 2020

3. Higher Education: Excellence and Research Funding
Topic: Review current Texas research and endowment funds and explore opportunities for enhanced state investments.

• Research Funding in Texas Overview: Fiscal Year 2022, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Fiscal Reports (Includes Research Expenditures Fiscal Years 2018-2021, Expenditures under Texas Comprehensive Research Fund and Core Research Support Fund, Fiscal Years 2019-2020), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

4. Texas Juvenile Justice Department
Topic: Explore the role of appropriations in the agency's current efforts to improve staff recruitment and retention.

• Almost 600 Texas Youths Are Trapped in a Juvenile Prison System on the Brink of Collapse, Texas Tribune, August 2, 2022
• Adult and Juvenile Correctional Population Projections: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2027, Legislative Budget Board, July 2022
• Texas Juvenile Justice Department and Office of the Independent Ombudsman: Sunset Staff Report (Issue 1: TJJD's Critical Staffing Issues), Sunset Advisory Commission, May 2022

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

• Explore the most recent life expectancy data for the Unites States. (National Center for Health Statistics, August 23, 2022)
• Track rainfall totals and other information related to the lower Colorado River basin. (Lower Colorado River Authority, accessed August 24, 2022)
• Read about ways to filter microplastics from water. (Popular Science, updated June 19, 2022)
• Consider the implications of America's retirement savings shortfall. (Bloomberg via Wealth Management.com, August 16, 2022)
• Browse a variety of topics related to health in the Unites States. (National Center for Health Statistics, August 12, 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.

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