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

• Track flood-related road closures in the Austin area. (ATXFloods.com, accessed May 6, 2025)
• Review an assessment of infrastructure in the U.S. (American Society of Civil Engineers, March 2025)
• Read about how tariffs may affect interest rates. (Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center, April 29, 2025)
• Find information about REAL ID compliance for air travel. (Texas.gov, accessed May 7, 2025)

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 May 8, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 56 views. Print this entry.

As the 89th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begin to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

• Monday, May 12: Last day for House committees to report House bills (HBs) and House joint resolutions (HJRs).
• Tuesday, May 13: Deadline for the House to distribute the last House Daily Calendar with House bills and House joint resolutions.
• Wednesday, May 14: Deadline for the House to distribute the last House Local and Consent Calendar with consent House bills.
• Thursday, May 15: Last day for the House to consider House bills and House joint resolutions on second reading on the House Daily or Supplemental Calendar.
• Friday, May 16: Last day for the House to consider consent House bills on second and third reading on the Local and Consent Calendar and all third reading House bills or House joint resolutions on the House Supplemental Calendar.

House and Senate calendars are available on Texas Legislature Online.

Bill statistics for the period of November 12, 2024 — May 2, 2025, are below.

This entry was posted on May 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 296 views. Print this entry.

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

• Track cancer mortality rates by state. (National Conference of State Legislatures, April 28, 2025)
• Review the 2025 State of the Air. (American Lung Association, April 23, 2025)
• Read the 2024 Internet Crime Report. (Federal Bureau of Investigation, April 23, 2025)
• Consider recommendations related to developing notification and evacuation plans for communities within areas of wildland-urban interface fire potential. (National Institute of Standards and Technology, March 2025)

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 May 1, 2025 at 5:26 PM and has received 130 views. Print this entry.

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

• Review state laws related to variable rate gas taxes. (National Conference of State Legislatures, April 15, 2025)
• Read about the U.S. Treasury market. (Brookings, April 15, 2025)
• Examine how drones could make high speed pursuits safer. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute, April 17, 2025)
• Find state park maps. (Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, accessed April 23, 2025)
• Consider GPS system vulnerabilities. (The Heritage Foundation, April 10, 2025)

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 April 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 176 views. Print this entry.

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

• Read about a recent increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 17, 2025)
• Consider the President’s authority to impose tariffs. (Congressional Research Service, April 7, 2025)
• See whether Americans are now more or less likely to favor online restrictions of certain types of content. (Pew Research Center, April 14, 2025)
• Examine the growing sector of for-profit immigration detention. (Stateline, April 11, 2025)

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 April 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM and has received 232 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our April 2025 New & Noteworthy list.

New & Noteworthy titles are available to Legislative offices and agencies. To borrow an item, please submit an online request through the New & Noteworthy page on our website or contact the library at 512-463-1252.

1. Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity
By Yoni Appelbaum
Provides a historical overview of housing, zoning, and residential mobility within America. Argues that what is frequently described as an affordable housing crisis is really a mobility crisis, in that people are not financially able to move and improve their circumstances. Demonstrates how building codes, restrictive covenants, and zoning ordinances limit opportunities for many Americans to choose where they live. Offers strategies and policies that could open up housing mobility again.
Random House, 2025, 306
304.8 AP646ST 2025

 

 

2. Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right With Our AI Future
By Reid Hoffman and Greg Beato
Offers a vision of artificial intelligence (AI) as a technology that will transform life, work, and society in a positive manner. Defines superagency as the state of widespread empowerment that occurs when millions of people get simultaneous access to a breakthrough technology. Provides a roadmap for embracing AI, without fear, to create positive change and opportunities.
Authors Equity, 2025, 259
006.301 H699S 2025

 

 

3. David Crockett Went Down Fighting: How We Know It
By Phil Guarnieri with Richard L. Range
Employs modern-day forensic investigative techniques to explore the most famous cold case in Texas history: how David Crockett died at the Alamo. Examines the Crockett execution myths and surviving evidence left by witnesses from both sides of the battle. Introduces two new critical points of evidence, including analyses of the timeline of events at the Alamo on the morning of March 6, 1836, and of the testimony of Francisco Antonio Ruiz, alcalde (mayor) of San Antonio de Béxar at the time of the siege. Includes a foreword by former Texas General Land Commissioner Jerry E. Patterson.
Red River Press, 2024, 165
976.4 G916D 2024

 

 

4. The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy
By Jessica Pishko
Investigates the power and influence of county sheriffs with a focus on the rise of the Constitutional Sheriff movement and its affiliation with far-right groups. Argues constitutional sheriffs—many of whom maintain their authority supersedes state and federal government—are a threat to their communities and democracy. Scrutinizes sheriffs’ impact on jails, immigration enforcement, gun regulation, election fraud, politics, and other issues. Questions whether the institution of the county sheriff should continue to exist.
Dutton, 2024, 468
363.28 P677 2024

 

 

5. The Venture Alchemists: How Big Tech Turned Profits into Power
By Rob Lalka
Reexamines the origin stories of Big Tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, highlighting the unprecedented power they have secured with their wealth and influence. Explores the cost of Big Tech’s power to society and ordinary people. Addresses a variety of issues, including social responsibility; privacy and civil liberties; disinformation and deep fakes; dark money and politics; racism; government regulation; and the outlook for artificial intelligence (AI).
Columbia Business School Publishing, 2024, 477
338.4 L195 2024

 

 

6. Wealth Warrior: 8 Steps for Communities of Color to Conquer the Stock Market
By Linda Garcia
Offers practical financial advice and education grounded in biographical stories and experiences. Written by State Representative Linda Garcia, this personal finance guide discusses how to adopt a warrior mentality to overcome money wounds and systemic barriers to investing in the stock market. Provides motivational insights and actionable steps to master personal finances and build wealth.
Legacy Lit, 2023, 264
332.63 G216W 2023

 

 

This entry was posted on April 16, 2025 at 3:20 PM and has received 199 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider whether news media audiences trust artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in journalism. (Poynter, April 8, 2025)
• Explore the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. (U.S. International Trade Commission, accessed April 9, 2025)
• Review statistics related to the space economy. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, March 31, 2025)
• Read about state legislative updates related to food. (National Agricultural Law Center, April 8, 2025)
• Track the hurricane forecast for 2025’s hurricane season. (Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, April 3, 2025)

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 April 10, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 201 views. Print this entry.

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

• Review six case studies related to office-to-residential conversions. (Brookings, March 26, 2025)
• Track overdose deaths by occupation and industry. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 27, 2025)
• Follow news about state and federal legislation and other legal and policy issues related to nuclear energy. (National Conference of State Legislatures, most recent issue: March 18, 2025)
• Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, last modified March 14, 2025)

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 April 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 307 views. Print this entry.

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

• Track legislation relating to artificial intelligence by state. (multistate.ai, accessed March 26, 2025)
• Read about the new iWatch Texas reporting system. (Texas Department of Public Safety, March 18, 2025)
• Review a comparison between tariffs of 2018 and 2025. (Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center, March 20, 2025)
• Consider how some states, including Texas, are responding to health insurance claim denials. (Texas Real Estate Commission, accessed March 5, 2025)

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 March 27, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 410 views. Print this entry.

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

• Track pedestrian deaths in the United States and other high-income countries. (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, March 13, 2025)
• Review recent economic projections. (Federal Open Market Committee, March 19, 2025)
• Check levels of soot, dust, and smoke in your metro area in Texas. (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, updated hourly)
• Find beach access points along the Texas coast. (General Land Office, accessed March 19, 2025)

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 March 20, 2025 at 3:15 PM and has received 391 views. Print this entry.