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Current Articles & Research Resources, June 16, 2022

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

  • Review information related to school shootings by location. (Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), accessed June 15, 2022)
  • Track air quality on Google Maps. (The Verge, June 9, 2022)
  • Explore statistics related to the Compassionate Use Program. (Texas Department of Public Safety, accessed June 15, 2022)
  • Read about how data brokers sell cell phone location data to the federal government. (Electronic Frontier Foundation, June 13, 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 June 20, 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.

 

June 20, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

 

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June 21, 2022
House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs CANCELED
Charge: Examine programs and funding streams connected to services that improve mental health outcomes for servicemen and women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Topic: Update on Military Equipment available to local governments through the Texas Law Enforcement Support Office.

 

House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

 

Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following areas:

  • School Safety
  • Police Training
  • Social Media

Speaker Dade Phelan letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick letter to Speaker Dade Phelan (Uvalde response, mental health, school safety), June 13, 2022

 

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June 22, 2022
House Committee on State Affairs
Charge: Update on the continued progress of the proposed changes to the ERCOT market design.

 

Senate Committee To Protect All Texans
The Committee will hear invited and public testimony on the following areas:

  • Mental Health
  • Firearm Safety

Speaker Dade Phelan letter to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick letter to Speaker Dade Phelan (Uvalde response, mental health, school safety), June 13, 2022

 

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

Staff presentation and public testimony:

 

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June 23, 2022
House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety and House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Charge #1: Study the implementation and impact of Senate Bill 11 (86th Legislature, Regular Session) and any other pertinent laws. Identify additional policies, protocols, and strategies that will help create a safer environment in schools and local communities.

Charge #2: Examine strategies to prevent acts of violence, including measures to enhance firearm safety in Texas.

Charge #3: Evaluate the preparedness of and coordination between state and local agencies, non governmental entities, and law enforcement for the prevention of and response to mass violence, including the content and efficacy of active shooter response training.

 

House Committee on State Affairs
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 2, relating to the governance of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Office of Public Utility Counsel, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas

Charge: Examine the efforts of power generation facilities to weatherize their facilities.

Charge: Review the status of projects intended to reduce transmission congestion within the electrical grid.

 

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Current Articles & Research Resources, June 9, 2022

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

  • Consider how executive pay has climbed recently. (Institute for Policy Studies, June 2022)
  • Read about Americans' views on government. (Pew Research Center, June 6, 2022)
  • Review wildfire statistics. (Congressional Research Service, June 1, 2022)
  • Explore the U.S. Drought Monitor. (National Drought Mitigation Center, released June 9, 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 June 13, 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.

 

June 13, 2022
Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
Wildfires and Prescribed Burns: Examine ways to reduce the risk of and destructive impact of wildfires. Monitor the role the Prescribed Burning Board plays in controlled burns. Recommend practices and improvements that public and private landowners may use to reduce fire risks.

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:

  • HB 1247, Relating to the development of and report on a tri-agency work-based learning strategic framework by the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
  • HB 4110, Relating to the registration of metal recycling.

 

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June 14, 2022
House Committee on County Affairs
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 1545, relating to the continuation and functions of the Commission on Jail Standards;
  • HB 1906, relating to grants awarded to reimburse counties for the cost of monitoring defendants and victims in cases involving family violence; and
  • HB 2073, relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers, detention officers, and emergency medical technicians employed by, appointed by, or elected for a political subdivision.

Charge: Study statutorily mandated services provided by sheriffs and constables and determine whether fee schedules are set at sufficient levels to allow for cost recovery without placing undue burdens on recipients of those services.

 

House Committee on House Administration
Topic: Interim budget for The Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting.

 

Senate Committee on Finance
Charge: Long-term Care Funding: Examine state investments in the long-term care system. Study nursing facility funding issues and the impact of the pandemic on capacity and delivery of care. Explore nursing facility quality metrics and recommend strategies to improve the sustainability of the long-term care workforce.

Charge: Medicaid: Monitor the financial impact of federal decision-making affecting supplemental Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals and health care systems, including negotiations between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Texas Medicaid agency regarding the state's 1115 Medicaid waiver and other federal proposals reducing supplemental funding streams for Texas.

 

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June 15, 2022
House Committee on Corrections and House Committee on County Affairs (Joint Hearing)
Charge: For individuals in county jails and TDCJ facilities, or on community supervision or parole, examine:

  • The availability of behavioral health services; and
  • The current treatment and recovery options available for those who are experiencing withdrawal from drug or alcohol use.

Make recommendations for best practices to address the needs of individuals requiring treatment.

 

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June 16, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

 

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June 17, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting (Uvalde)
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities and other affected parties related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

 

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Current Articles & Research Resources, June 2, 2022

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

  • Review the outlook for the 2022 hurricane season. (Congressional Research Service, May 31, 2022)
  • Discover the shelf life of many foods. (StillTasty, accessed June 1, 2022)
  • Search the land grant database. (Texas General Land Office, accessed June 1, 2022)
  • Explore COVID-19 data by county. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, accessed June 1, 2022, updated daily)

 

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 June 6, 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.

 

June 6, 2022
House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
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 1585, relating to the operations and functions of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas; and
  • SB 1444, relating to participation in the uniform group coverage program for active school employees and to a study concerning health coverage for school district employees.

Charge: Review and evaluate the actuarial soundness of the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension fund.

Charge: Study benefit enhancements, including a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Teacher Retirement System (TRS) retirees.

 

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June 7, 2022
House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Charge 2: Explore opportunities to strengthen and enforce laws to reduce illegal gaming and the proliferation of unlawful game rooms. Identify how cash-paying game rooms utilizing machines commonly known as "8-liners" have been allowed to proliferate and how the comptroller or other state agencies can assist law enforcement with ongoing investigations.

 

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June 8, 2022
House Committee on Business & Industry
Charge: Study the impact of organized retail crime on Texas businesses. Make recommendations for addressing the redistribution of stolen merchandise into the supply chain, including through online marketplaces, to protect Texas businesses and consumers. Make recommendations relating to transparency for online marketplaces and information that should be provided by sellers.

 

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June 9, 2022
House Investigative Committee on The Robb Elementary Shooting
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony from law enforcement authorities related to the facts and circumstances of the events relating to the violent acts, shootings, and murders at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Because of the quasi-judicial nature of the committee's investigation and pursuant to House Rule 4, Section 12, witnesses will be examined in executive session.

 

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Current Articles & Research Resources, May 26, 2022

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

  • Explore statistics on fatal and nonfatal injury, violent death, and cost of injury. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 4, 2020)
  • Read about the progress of investigations related to the January 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol. (U.S. Department of Justice, May 12, 2022)
  • Review the Fortune 500 rankings for 2022. (Fortune, ©2022)
  • Consider the effects data brokers have on privacy. (Popular Science, May 25, 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 May 30, 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.

 

June 1, 2022
House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
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 2089, relating to the detection and mitigation of plant pests and diseases;
  • SB 1, Rider 27 (Department of Agriculture), which relates to determining methods to increase the number of grocery stores in food deserts; and
  • SB 1, Rider 28 (Department of Agriculture), which relates to the Experimental Use Program for feral hog abatement.

Overview of the Herd Certification Program, a summary of the USDA report findings.

Charge 2: Study the access of the state’s agricultural industry to available capital through loans, grants, or other sources. Make recommendations to ensure the agricultural industry has sufficient access to available capital, as well as how the Texas Department of Agriculture can educate farmers, agricultural producers, and others about available sources of capital.

Charge 3: Study the impact on agricultural operations of governmental and regulatory requirements and practices including those that prevent or prohibit an activity that is a normally accepted agricultural practice, and make recommendations to facilitate and encourage agricultural production in the state.

 

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New & Noteworthy Books and Reports: May 2022

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our May 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. Essentials of Texas Water Resources
By Mary K. Sahs and Holly Heinrich, editors
Provides a comprehensive guide to the complex and evolving water policy issues in the state of Texas. Details the historical background of Texas water law and explores the topics of water rights, water supplies, surface water, groundwater, water planning, water management, and drinking water. Highlights selected issues in water resources law, including the Endangered Species Act, water project financing, flood management, and the water-energy nexus.
State Bar of Texas, 2022, Various paging
B600.8 ES74 2022


 

 

2. Megaregions and America's Future
By Robert D. Yaro, Ming Zhang, and Frederick R. Steiner
Defines a "megaregion" as several metropolitan areas networked by their shared economies, natural resource systems, infrastructure, history and culture. Identifies examples of such megaregions in the United States, including the Texas Triangle, Northeast Corridor, and Southern California. Presents research on megaregions and makes recommendations on how to govern economic, environmental, and infrastructural development at the megaregion scale.
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 2022, 351 pages
307.1 Y28M 2022


 

 

3. Texas and Texans in World War II: 1941-1945
By Christopher B. Bean, editor
Presents a social history of life in Texas during World War II through an edited volume of ten essays written by historians. Highlights how different groups within the population — women, Tejanos, African Americans, and unionized workers — responded to the war and how key aspects of the Texas economy were affected, including the agriculture and petroleum industries. Argues Texas was largely a rural, agricultural state prior to the war and emerged on its way to urbanization and industrialization.
Texas A&M University Press, 2022, 357 pages
940.54 B367T 2022


 

 

4. Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee: Sunset Staff Report.
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Reports on the functions and governance structure of the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board. Criticizes and recommends administrative changes to the board's dam structural repair program, which received an Economic Stabilization Fund appropriation after Hurricane Harvey in 2019. Recommends the continuation of the Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2022, 52 pages
Online at: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/reviews-and-reports/agencies/texas-state-soil-and-water-conservation-board
S1500.8 SO34IN 2022


 

 

5. Texas Water Development Board, State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee: Sunset Staff Report
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Describes the functions and governance structure of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Recommends that TWDB streamline its current project review process and include the development and collection of performance metrics for use in project evaluation. Includes recommendations regarding outreach efforts and the elimination of unnecessary advisory committees.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2022, 52 pages
Online at: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/reviews-and-reports/agencies/texas-water-development-board
S1500.8 W291IM 2022


 

 

6. Tragedy and Triumph on the Texas Plains: Curious Historic Chronicles from Murders to Movies
By Chuck Lanehart
Offers thirty-three essays exploring the social, cultural and political history of the Panhandle-South Plains region. Features iconic heroes of music, politics and sports, as well as less-familiar, overlooked but equally colorful characters. Includes chapters on Emma K. Boone, the first female Lubbock lawyer and descendant of Daniel Boone's brother, U.S. Representative George Mahon, musicians Roy Rogers and Woody Guthrie, and the Spanish Flu Pandemic.
The History Press, 2021, 143 pages
976.4 L24T 2021


 

 

7. Quest for Justice: Louis A. Bedford Jr. and the Struggle for Equal Rights in Texas
By Darwin Payne
Portrays the life of Louis A. Bedford Jr., a prominent African American attorney in Dallas. Details the legal and social obstacles Bedford encountered and challenged. Describes his struggle to establish himself in jurisprudence during the 1930's and 1940's, and his path to becoming the first African American appointed in 1966 as a municipal judge in Texas. Provides behind the scenes examination of the civil rights movement in Texas.
Southern Methodist University Press, 2009, 273 pages
347.73 P346Q 2009


 

 

 

Current Articles & Research Resources, May 19, 2022

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

  • Consider aspects of recent supply chain disruptions. (Congressional Research Service, May 13, 2022)
  • Review a statistical summary related to motor vehicle traffic fatalities and other crash statistics. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2022)
  • Examine statistics related to firearms commerce in the U.S. (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Annual Statistical Update 2021)
  • Read about the connection between pollution and health outcomes. (The Lancet Planetary Health, May 17, 2022)
  • Explore an FAQ about boater education and boating safety. (Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, accessed May 18, 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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