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Bills in the News: Sexual Assault on Campus

Mar 31

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Bills in the News

In this occasional post, we feature topics receiving widespread media coverage, tips for finding bills filed during the 85th legislative session, and related resources.

 

Bill Search

Search with the subjects Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual (I0171) AND Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs (I0223) to find bills related to sexual assault on college campuses. Be sure to click on the radio button next to "And" so that bills with both subjects assigned will be returned in your search.

 

Resources

 

News

 

This entry was posted on March 31, 2017 at 10:15 AM and has received 2150 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, March 30

Mar 30

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.

  • Consider Texas' trade policy relating to Israel. (Governing, March 30, 2017)
  • Examine statistics about criminal immigrants. (CATO Institute, March 15, 2017)
  • Read background information on congressional redistricting law and recent court rulings. (Congressional Research Service, March 23, 2017)
  • Read about how budget cuts have affected the U.S. military. (The Heritage Foundation, March 29, 2017)

 

This entry was posted on March 30, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 748 views. Print this entry.

Research Minute: Finding Committee Minutes and Testimony

Mar 27

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Committees, Search tips, Research minute

When you're researching a bill, committee minutes and testimony are great resources. To find these records, you'll need to know:

 

  • names of the house and/or senate committees to which the bill was referred, and
  • dates the bill was considered by committee or subcommittee in public hearings.

 

Find this information by searching Texas Legislature Online (TLO) (1989-present) and/or the Legislative Archive System (LAS) (which has committee information from 1973-present). Enter the bill number, making sure to select the correct chamber and session/year. For HB 1558, 84R, the History tab indicates that the bill was assigned to the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence committee and then the Senate State Affairs committee.

 

Next, select the Actions tab and scan the list to find "public hearing." HB 1558, 84R was considered in a house committee public hearing on April 14, 2015, and in a senate committee public hearing on May 14, 2015. You can tell which chamber by the "H" or "S" on the far left.

 
 

 

Now, go back and click on those committee links on the History tab. (This part will only work in TLO.) You'll see a list of the committee members for that session, and on the right, a "Meetings" link. Click here to see a list of all of the meetings the committee conducted in that session. Find the hearing date you determined from the action list to access its hearing notice, minutes, and witness list. Since multiple bills often are considered in a single hearing, do a Control-F for your bill number to find the relevant sections. You can also look on the websites for each of the committees (House, Senate), as they sometimes include meeting handouts and transcripts for the current session.

 

 

You then can use the committee names and hearing dates to search for the relevant recordings in the house and senate video archives (for which links also are available on TLO and on the "Additional sources" tab in a LAS search). There is a chart in our legislative intent guide with more information about which dates are available online or on audio tape. Transcripts are rare, but House Video/Audio Services (512-463-0920) or Senate Staff Services (512-463-0430) may have transcripts or know if one exists (perhaps with the committee records) for a certain committee hearing.

 

Another avenue of committee testimony research is the LRL's committee minutes project, which makes available minutes and related documents for house, senate, and joint committees from the 63rd-74th Legislatures (1973-1995). Some have testimony transcripts--it is always worthwhile to check.

 

For example, a search in the committee minutes database for the Senate Committee on Finance, 72R (1991) yields 92 days' worth of scanned meeting minutes. Most of the documents summarize the proceedings of the meeting and simply make note when testimony was taken, but the March 5, 1991, minutes includes a transcript.

 

The committee minutes database includes interim committees, so even if you don't have a particular bill in mind, searching here can be helpful for many legislative history projects.

 

 

Cover image by Flickr user hyacinth50.

This entry was posted on March 27, 2017 at 9:15 AM and has received 5542 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, March 23

Mar 23

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.

  • Review how states address compensation for wrongful conviction. (Governing, March 15, 2017)
  • Read the Trump administration's proposed budget. (Office of Management and Budget, 2017)
  • Explore resources related to Medicaid policy issues. (National Conference of State Legislatures, March 1, 2017)
  • Consider the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in politics and business in the U.S. (Pew Research Center, March 20, 2017)

 

This entry was posted on March 23, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 819 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy List for March 2017

Mar 22

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

New & Noteworthy List for February 2017 Request Form (PDF)


In honor of Women's History Month, we are highlighting books by or about Texas women from our collection. To arrange check out and delivery of any of these items, please contact the library at 463-1252. 

1. Black Texas Women: 150 Years of Trial and Triumph By Ruthe Winegarten
Examines the lives of black Texas women, going as far back as the Spanish colonial period, when women of color were not only free, but owned land and worked in Texas under the anti-slavery Mexican laws. Describes the pro-slavery Republic of Texas era in which white society took everything from black citizens – not only their freedom and land, but their civil rights, dignity, and self-respect. Paints a vivid picture of the lives of these inspiring women through their stories and photographs.
University of Texas Press, 1995. 427.
325.26 W725


 

 

2. Las Tejanas: 300 Years of History By Teresa Palomo Acosta and Ruthe Winegarten
Celebrates the contributions made by women of Spanish/Mexican origin to Texas from the 1700s to 2000. Provides a historical account of Tejanas in all aspects of life, focusing on their struggles and triumphs in politics, education, the arts, and business. Profiles notable Tejanas including former and current members of the Texas Legislature. Supplements this history of achievements with a selection of photographs and artwork.
University of Texas Press, 2003. 436 pages.
301.45 AC72T 2003


 

 

3. The Latina Advantage: Gender, Race, and Political Success By Christina E. Bejarano
Examines empirical evidence and statistics in Texas and California to argue that Latina women could hold a strategic advantage in the "intersectionality of gender and ethnicity." Argues that racial/ethnic minority women make up a greater percentage of other minority representatives than "white" women do among "white" elected officials. Investigates the history of the Texas Legislature and how Latina candidates are appealing to a wider, more diverse population based on qualities and political/community experience.
University of Texas Press, 2013. 183 pages.
305.868 B397L 2013


 

 

4. "Let Me Tell You What I've Learned": Texas Wisewomen Speak By PJ Pierce
Presents a collection of interviews of twenty-five women who have led extraordinary lives and shaped Texas in significant ways. Shares the wisdom and life lessons of women who have broken barriers and challenged stereotypes. Features risk-takers from a variety of backgrounds, including former and current lawmakers, who offer insights into topics such as career challenges, being a minority, families, faith, adversity, perseverance, and success.
University of Texas Press, 2002. 302 pages.
920.7209764 P611L 2002


 

 

5. A Love Letter to Texas Women By Sarah Bird
Describes key traits of many Texas women, including friendliness, sense of humor, and fearlessness, in this short, humorous tribute. Highlights Lady Bird Johnson, Laura Bush, Molly Ivins, Ann Richards, and Barbara Jordan as examples of inspirational women.
University of Texas Press, 2016. 72 pages.
813.54 B532L 2016


 

 

6. Citizens at Last: The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas By A. Elizabeth Taylor
Highlights the role of Texas women in the suffrage movement, particularly Minnie Fisher Cunningham in her leadership role as president of the Texas Equal Suffrage Association, and Jane Y. McCallum, a public relations dynamo at keeping this topic in the public spotlight. Includes the groundbreaking 1951 article by Dr. A. Elizabeth Taylor, “The Woman Suffrage Movement in Texas.” Presents a variety of documents, including Texas legislative materials, beginning with the 1868-1869 Reconstruction Convention consideration of woman’s suffrage to the 1919 ratification of the 19th Amendment.
Ellen C. Temple, 1987. 242 pages.
324 T213


 

 

7. Texas Dames: Sassy and Savvy Women Throughout Lone Star History By Carmen Goldthwaite
Highlights the stories of fifty-three Texas women and their accomplishments from early Tejas to the mid-twentieth century. Details how these courageous "Dames" broke both gender and racial barriers in education, ministry, business, entertainment, athletics, medicine, and politics. Profiles women who achieved "firsts" as doctors, scientists, bankers, attorneys, religious leaders, and state lawmakers.
The History Press, 2012. 157 pages.
976.4 G58T 2012


 

 

8. Women in Civil War Texas: Diversity and Dissidence in the Trans-Mississippi By Deborah M. Liles and Angela Boswell, editors.
Documents the experiences of Texas women during the Civil War through essays that establish the historical context and complexity of the war and its effects. Delves into issues related to secession, slavery, and ethnicity as African Americans, Germans, and Tejanos diversified the state's population. [Winner of the Liz Carpenter Award for Research in the History of Women, Texas State Historical Association, 2016]
University of North Texas Press, 2016. 297 pages.
305.409764 L627W 2016


 

 

This entry was posted on March 22, 2017 at 3:03 PM and has received 1457 views. Print this entry.

RSS Feeds from the LRL

Mar 20

posted by TexasLRL in LRL news

Did you know that you can subscribe to RSS feeds for the Index to Sections Affected, LRL Daily Clips, and this blog? Here are the links you'll use to access the location files:

 

 

(Or, click on the orange RSS icons in the Quick Links navigation on our homepage to get the ISAf and clips links, and the orange RSS box on the top left of this blog.)
 

Copy and paste that URL into whatever program you use to receive/organize RSS feeds. If you use Outlook, select the RSS Feeds folder, Add a New RSS Feed, and then paste the URL into the "location" box.

 

You will start receiving ISAf updates as bills are indexed, as blog entries are posted, and/or daily clips, directly in the Outlook folder or your e-reader of choice. And if you decide you don't want to subscribe anymore, simply delete the folder.

 

 

This entry was posted on March 20, 2017 at 12:48 PM and has received 2808 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, March 16

Mar 16

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.

  • Review the 2017 Texas HHS Fact Book. (Texas Health & Human Services Commission, 2017)
  • Consider the legal landscape of school district policies related to undocumented students. (Education Week, February 27, 2017)
  • Pinpoint the locations of dams that require repairs or improvements. (Stratfor, March 14, 2017)
  • Examine factors that impact border crossing times. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute, February 2017)

This entry was posted on March 16, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 994 views. Print this entry.

Bill Filing Deadline Statistics, 85th Legislature

Mar 13

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 85th Session, Bill statistics, Legislative process

Friday marked the bill filing deadline for the 85th Regular Session. When the deadline had passed, a total of 6,654 bills and joint resolutions had been filed. How does this compare to previous sessions?

 

This entry was posted on March 13, 2017 at 1:54 PM and has received 2347 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, March 9

Mar 9

posted by TexasLRL in Week in review

In this weekly post, we feature online articles and policy reports published recently, and other helpful research tools.

  • Review health care spending in Texas. (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, January 31, 2017)
  • Read the recent executive order on immigration. (The White House, March 6, 2017)
  • Consider the historical context of the Scalia vacancy. (Congressional Research Service, March 1, 2017)
  • Try to balance the federal budget. (Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at Brookings / Wilson Center, accessed March 2017)

This entry was posted on March 9, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 922 views. Print this entry.

TxLege Terms: Enabling Legislation

Mar 7

posted by TexasLRL in TxLege Terms, Legislative process

In this occasional post, we explain terms used in the Texas legislative environment.

 

Legislators propose amendments to the Texas Constitution by filing joint resolutions (JRs). These JRs must be passed in both the house and senate by a two-thirds vote, and then approved by the voters of the state.

 

A legislator also may file a complementary bill to the JR describing how the JR would be implemented if approved. This complementary bill is called the enabling legislation. It may be passed during the same session as the JR or in a subsequent session. If voters reject a constitutional amendment (JR), the enabling legislation has no effect.

 

For example, the 84th Legislature passed seven constitutional amendments that were on the November 2015 ballot. In the House Research Organization's Amendments Proposed publication, their explanation of each ballot proposition includes whether the proposition has an enabling bill (in this case, propositions 1, 2, and 4) and what the enabling bill does. All seven constitutional amendments passed in 2015, so the joint resolutions' respective bills also went into effect as scheduled.

 

Investigate our Constitutional Amendments database to learn more about the process of amending Texas' constitution. Here you can search for amendments, find reports analyzing proposed amendments, see past amendment election dates and outcomes, and find additional sources.

 

 
 

 

This entry was posted on March 7, 2017 at 9:00 AM and has received 3438 views. Print this entry.

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