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Governor's Proposed Budget

Feb 13

posted by TexasLRL in Governor

You may have already seen the Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) and the House and Senate's respective appropriations bills. You also can view Gov. Abbott's proposed budget in the library's governors database by clicking on "governor budgets" in our popular searches.

 

Additional budget information is available on the library's state budget page.

 

This entry was posted on February 13, 2017 at 2:25 PM and has received 1082 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, February 9

Feb 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.

  • Examine the quality of education in each state. (American Legislative Exchange Council, January 24, 2017)
  • Consider the relationship between workforce health and productivity. (Health Affairs, February 2017)
  • Explore school choice resources. (National Conference of State Legislatures, February 3, 2017)
  • Review the economic value of public libraries in Texas. (IC2 Institute, University of Texas at Austin, February 3, 2017)
  • Read about the economic impact of human trafficking in Texas. (Bureau of Business Research at The University of Texas at Austin, December 2016)

 

This entry was posted on February 9, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 668 views. Print this entry.

Bills in the News: Transportation Network Companies

Feb 6

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

 

Try using the subject VEHICLES FOR HIRE (S0795) to find bills related to transportation network companies.

 

 

Resources

News

 

This entry was posted on February 6, 2017 at 2:30 PM and has received 1898 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, February 2

Feb 2

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.

  • Examine Governor Greg Abbott's proposed budget for 2018-2019. (Office of the Governor, January 2017)
  • Review Texas education statistics in brief. (Texas Education Agency, January 2017)
  • Read about how Texas is adapting to the changing workforce environment. (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, December 2016)
  • Explore data security laws by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, January 16, 2017)

This entry was posted on February 2, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 782 views. Print this entry.

State of the State Address

Jan 31

posted by TexasLRL in Governor

When Gov. Greg Abbott gives his "State of the State" address on January 31, he will carry on a long-standing tradition in Texas leadership, one that pre-dates statehood and governors. The Constitution of the Republic of Texas required the president to provide occasional updates on the state of the government and to recommend areas of attention to the legislature. The practice was carried on when Texas became a state, with the governor presenting the message, and continues to this day.

 

The governor's mandate, per the Texas Constitution, Article 4, Section 9, is to "give to the Legislature information, by message, of the condition of the State, and he shall recommend to the Legislature such measures as he may deem expedient." In the first State of the State message by Gov. J. Pinckney Henderson on February 24, 1846, his message is something of a to-do list for the newly annexed state. State leaders, from comptroller to United States Congressmen, needed to be elected as soon as possible. Texas needed a new tax system, to determine a way to provide for public schools, to organize judicial districts, and more.

 

Henderson gave his second State of the State message on December 15, 1847. (That year, Texas got two State of the State messages in December, since Henderson stepped down as governor, and George T. Wood took the position.) Henderson discusses what the Legislature had done to establish Texas as a state in their first year (and admonishes them for what wasn't completed), but also speaks at length about some current events—the Mexican War and "Indian affairs."

 

Indeed, these messages often begin with a broad overview of the current news, then use those events  to lead in to discussion of specific issues. State of the State topics often are similar to those on the governor's campaign platform, especially if the governor has been recently elected. The address provides legislators with greater insight into the governor's goals for session.

 

The governor delivers the State of the State address to a joint session, at the Legislature's invitation. (See HCR 48, 84th R.S.) Of course, the general public also can view the speech via television, the Internet, etc., so the Governor's audience for the message is much wider than it used to be.

 

Today's "State of the State" messages from the governor are similar in many ways to Gov. Henderson's—describing the current health and well-being of Texas, and setting out what the governor sees as priorities that the Legislature ought to tackle to promote future prosperity. While the historical context surrounding the speech changes, themes like education, budget, and transportation (to name a few) recur again and again. The text of past State of the State addresses can be found in the library's governors database by searching for the phrase, "state of the state." 

 

Images:
The screen in the House Chamber displays a welcome message to the members of the House and Senate gathered to hear the governor's message.

 
Gov. Coke R. Stevenson addresses the 49th Legislature on January 11, 1945. His speech largely looked toward post-World War II planning efforts. Neal Douglass Photography Collection, Austin History Center, accessed via the Portal to Texas History.

 

This entry was posted on January 31, 2017 at 10:38 AM and has received 6666 views. Print this entry.

Governor's Emergency Items

Jan 30

posted by TexasLRL in Governor

Did you know that the Texas Constitution prohibits the House and Senate from passing legislation during the first 60 days of a regular legislative session? That is—unless either chamber suspends the rule by a vote of four-fifths of its membership, or if the legislation is an appropriation or other matter declared by the governor to be an emergency. This is part of the order of business set out by Article 3, Section 5, of the Texas Constitution. What constitutes an "emergency"? Anything that the governor wants to be prioritized in that year's session, or any issue the governor wants to support. If a bill is related to a governor's emergency item, members can decide to vote on it earlier in the session.

 

To take best advantage of that 60-day head start permitted by the emergency designation, the items typically are submitted early in session. Emergency items are ideally matters that could be addressed in the first few months of session. However, the governor can submit emergency items at any time throughout the session. Due to a prohibition in the house rules against considering other bills making an appropriation before the general appropriations bill has finally passed, emergency items submitted by the governor after the first 60 days of a regular session typically relate to appropriations for specific purposes. For example, Gov. William P. Clements submitted two emergency appropriation matters to the 66th Legislature following major tornadoes in Wichita Falls and the surrounding area (filed on April 26, 1979, and May 2, 1979).

 

Recent emergency matters include legislation relating to transportation, abortion, wildfire damage and recovery, and much more. You can explore a listing of emergency items dating from the 38th session (1923) to the 84th (2015) via the library's governors database. 

 

Images:

 
House Journal, 51st R.S. (1949): Governors have used emergency items in different ways over the years, resulting in some submitting items more frequently than others. Govs. Beauford H. Jester and William J. Clements both submitted about 50 emergency items, but Jester spent just two years in office (an average of 25 items/year) and Clements served for a total of eight years (an average of 6.25 items/year). In this 1949 emergency item, Jester hails the work of the Gilmer-Aikin Committee and encourages the Legislature to support its educational reform recommendations.

 
Senate Journal, 43rd R.S. (1933): In March 1933, Gov. Miriam (Ma) Ferguson issued a general proclamation/legislative message declaring a bank moratorium in an attempt to address the growing financial problems of the Great Depression. Her decree was sustained a few days later by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's declaration of a national bank holiday (with federal guidelines).

 
Message from the Office of the Governor to the 84th R.S. (2015): The governor's emergency items are published in the House and Senate Journals, and the governors' messages, press releases, and other materials are collected by the library. Many of these documents (such as Gov. Abbott's 2015 item on transportation) also are available online in our House and Senate Journals and Texas governors database.

 

 

This entry was posted on January 30, 2017 at 10:00 AM and has received 6901 views. Print this entry.

New & Noteworthy List for January 2017

Jan 27

posted by TexasLRL in New & Noteworthy

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


To arrange check out and delivery of any of these items, please contact the library at 463-1252. 
 

1. Taming Texas: How Law and Order Came to The Lone Star State By James L. Haley and Marilyn P. Duncan
Presents the state of Texas' court system and how it evolved through history. Examines the days before law and order came to Texas and how early Texans organized the courts. Outlines how the court system borrows from an eclectic array of European, Mexican, and Spanish influence. Explores various topics including slavery, women's rights, criminal and civil courts, civil rights, and an overview of our current court system in Texas.
Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, 2016. 131 pages.
347.764 H137T 2016


 

 

2. Issues Facing the 85th Texas Legislature
Presents issues that may be considered by the 85th Legislature. Focuses on a variety of broad categories and topics that arose during the interim session including border security, education, criminal justice, health and human services, state affairs, and transportation. Provides concise descriptions of the issues, giving historical context as needed.
Senate Research Center, 2017. 104 pages.
Online at: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/_assets/srcpub/85th_Issues_Facing.pdf
L1803.8 IS8L 2017


 

 

3. Topics for the 85th Legislature
Highlights prominent issues lawmakers may consider during the 85th Texas Legislature. Provides succinct summaries of a variety of topics including property taxes, Child Protective Services and foster care reform, abortion, school choice, school testing, college affordability, voter ID, water needs, and gun regulations.
House Research Organization, 2016. 16 pages.
Online at: http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/topics85-1.pdf
L1801.9 ST94 85-1


 

 

4. Bill Ratliff: A Profile of Courage and Leadership in American Politics By Robert Edward Sterken Jr.
Highlights the factors that led former Senator and Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff to be known for his integrity and the philosophy that "nothing is politically right that is morally wrong." Considers his work on education, tort reform, and redistricting to show why he was called Obi-Wan Kenobi by his peers and named recipient of the 2005 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.
Lexington Books, 2016. 218 pages.
328.73092 ST45B 2016


 

 

5. Metaphors Be With You: An A-To-Z Dictionary of History's Greatest Metaphorical Quotations By Dr. Mardy Grothe
Presents a compendium of metaphorical quotations representing “the very best things that have ever been said” about 250 topics of deep human interest. Organizes the quotations by topic rather than by author and uses QR Codes to link each of the topics covered in this book to its corresponding section of Dr. Mardy's Dictionary of Metaphorical Quotations, the world's largest online database of more than 25,000 metaphorical quotations organized into over 1,000 categories. Explains that no source information for the quotations is provided in the book, but detailed citations for the quotations - and much more - can be found in the online database.
Harper, 2016. 478 pages.
Online at: http://www.drmardy.com/dmdmq/
808.882 G915M 2016


 

 

6. Seeing Texas History: The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum By Victoria Ramirez, ed.
Illustrates Texas history by highlighting selected artifacts that have been displayed in special exhibitions at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Features full-color plates with brief explanatory captions. Spotlights pieces ranging from Stephen F. Austin's Spanish grammar book to the William B. Travis letter from the Alamo, from Bill Pickett's spurs to Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar.
University of Texas Press, 2016. 134 pages.
976.4 B876S 2016

 

This entry was posted on January 27, 2017 at 12:10 PM and has received 1315 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, January 26

Jan 26

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.

  • Track legislation from the 85th Legislature related to transportation. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute, updated January 25, 2017)
  • Explore services for veterans in Texas. (Texas Veterans Portal, accessed January 26, 2017)
  • Examine consumer law topics and resources. (LegalConsumer.com, ©2005-2017)
  • Find court opinions from 418 jurisdictions. (Free Law Project, CourtListener, accessed January 26, 2017)  
  • Read about the economic impact of an increased minimum wage. (The Heritage Foundation, January 19, 2017)
  • Review presidential actions, including executive orders and memoranda. (The White House, accessed January 26, 2017)

This entry was posted on January 26, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 557 views. Print this entry.

End-of-Session Deadline Calendar, 85th R.S.

Jan 20

posted by TexasLRL in 85th Session, Legislative process

The end-of-session deadlines calendar for the 85th Regular Session is now available. The calendar is a practical summary of deadlines for action under House and Senate rules, and is not intended as an interpretation.  End-of-session deadline calendars and dates of interest for previous sessions are available on the library website: Session deadline calendars

 

This entry was posted on January 20, 2017 at 12:25 PM and has received 2345 views. Print this entry.

Week in Review, January 19

Jan 19

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.

  • Read about the future of health care spending. (Private Enterprise Research Center, Texas A&M University, December 2016)
  • Review migration patterns related to Texas. (Texas Demographic Center, January 2017)
  • Look at the City of Houston's new approach to pensions. (City of Houston, accessed January 18, 2017)
  • Explore school bus safety. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, January 2017)
  • Consider prisoners' access to social media. (Stateline, January 13, 2017)
  • Examine tobacco use by middle and high school students. (Office of Adolescent Health, December 27, 2016)

This entry was posted on January 19, 2017 at 3:15 PM and has received 592 views. Print this entry.

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