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

• Explore how doorbell cameras affect privacy. (Politico, March 7, 2023)
• Consider the benefits of a four-day work week. (Scientific American, March 7, 2023)
• See whether more frequent sharing on social media means sacrificing accuracy. (MIT News, March 6, 2023)
• Review legal and business risks of AI and chatbots. (Tech Policy Press, February 28, 2023)
• Read about state sales tax revenue for February 2023. (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, March 1, 2023)

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 9, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 451 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider how Americans feel about the use of AI in health care. (Pew Research Center, February 22, 2023)
• Explore free datasets. (Google Research, February 28, 2023)
• Keep the night skies dark this spring for migratory birds. (Audubon Texas, accessed March 1, 2023)
• Read about the increasing pedestrian death rate. (Streetsblog USA, February 28, 2023)

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 2, 2023 at 3:20 PM and has received 502 views. Print this entry.

Thursday, February 23 marked the 45th day of the 88th Regular Session. That means we're 3/4 of the way to the 60-day bill filing deadline, which is Friday, March 10, 2023.

For those who are curious, here is a look at bill statistics* in comparison to a similar period last session.

*Statistics generated from Texas Legislature Online's Bill Search.

This entry was posted on February 27, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 699 views. Print this entry.

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

• Review top cybersecurity risks for 2023. (Bipartisan Policy Center, February 2023)
• Consider housing market valuations in the context of flooding risks. (Nature, February 16, 2023)
• Search for state legislation related to 911 services. (National Conference of State Legislatures, updated February 15, 2023)
• Find out if your vehicle is subject to a recall. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, accessed February 22, 2023)
• Read about a fatal disease in rabbits spreading eastward in Texas. (Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, February 21, 2023)

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 February 23, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 539 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our February 2023 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. Biennial Revenue Estimate 2024-2025
By Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Projects the available revenue lawmakers have for state programs and services through the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year and the upcoming 2024-25 biennium. Includes summary tables, revenue estimates, fund details (Schedules I-III), and an economic outlook for Texas.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2023, 99 pages
C2600.3 R322 2024-25

 

 

2. Budget 101: A Guide to the Budget Process in Texas
By Senate Research Center
Provides a broad overview of the Texas biennial budget process, including the roles of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), the State Auditor’s Office (SAO), and the Office of the Governor. Highlights how the general appropriations bill moves through the legislative process. Discusses how the budget is administered and the sources of state revenue that fund the budget.
Senate Research Center, 2023, 85 pages
L1803.8 B859B 2023

 

 

3. Public Utility Commission of Texas, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Office of Public Utility Counsel: Sunset Staff Report with Commission Decisions
By Sunset Advisory Commission
Presents the Sunset Commission’s decisions on statutory recommendations which will form the basis of the Sunset bill for the following entities: Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC). Includes modifications and new recommendations raised during the public hearing. Notes the Sunset review of these entities was moved up two years to monitor legislative changes made in response to Winter Storm Uri’s impact on the Texas electric grid.
Sunset Advisory Commission, 2023, 122 pages
S1500.8 P96UD 2023

 

 

4. Sources of Revenue: A History of State Taxes and Fees in Texas, 1972-2022
By Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Details the history and current status of Texas revenue sources back to 1972. Profiles major state taxes and fees collected by presenting information on when they were enacted as well as their administration, rate and base changes, allocations, and statutory authority. Includes tables of legislative sessions and their associated major tax, fee, revenue-related bills, and taxes that have been repealed or abolished since 1972.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 2023, 274 pages
C2600.8 SO85 2023

 

 

5. What's Prison For? Punishment and Rehabilitation in the Age of Mass Incarceration
By Bill Keller
Examines the American prison system and mass incarceration through the experiences of inmates and corrections officials throughout the nation. Argues for prison reform and supports programs that provide rehabilitative assistance for reintroduction to society. Presents examples and data from U.S. prisons with innovative programs as well as European prison models.
Columbia Global Reports, 2022, 159 pages
365 KK29W 2022

 

 

6. Marijuana Federalism: Uncle Sam and Mary Jane
By Jonathan H. Adler, editor
Reviews states’ efforts to legalize marijuana across the United States. Examines the relationship between state and federal regulations of marijuana, including issues that arise when state and federal policies differ. Addresses the effects that different policies and laws have on areas such as law enforcement and banking. Provides a brief review of cannabis support in Texas during the 2018 elections.
Brookings Institution Press, 2020, 195 pages
362.29 AD237M 2020

 

 

This entry was posted on February 22, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 396 views. Print this entry.

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

• Find places to charge electric vehicles for free. (Market Watch, February 11, 2023)
• Track where farm subsidies go. (Environmental Working Group, ©2023)
• Review the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA). (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, last reviewed February 2, 2023)
• Read about federal debt and the statutory debt limit. (Congressional Budget Office, February 15, 2023)

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 February 16, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 397 views. Print this entry.

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

• Consider issues related to consent to commercial data collection and use practices. (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, February 2023)
• Explore a road map to developing electric vehicle charging infrastructure. (Great Plains Institute / Carbon Solutions, February 2023)
• Read about the infant-toddler child care costs crisis. (Ready Nation, February 2023)
• Review Americans’ top policy priorities. (Pew Research Center, February 6, 2023)

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 February 9, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 442 views. Print this entry.

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

• Check traffic all over the state. (Texas Department of Transportation, accessed January 25, 2023)
• Explore recent and older volumes of the Congressional Directory. (U.S. Government Printing Office, accessed January 25, 2023)
• Review income and wealth growth in the U.S. (Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, accessed January 25, 2023)
• Avoid scams on social media. (PCMag, January 17, 2023)

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 January 26, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 530 views. Print this entry.

The Library is continually adding new books to its collection. Below are the titles from our January 2023 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. A Visitor's Guide to the Texas Legislature
By Texas Legislative Council
Provides a brief overview of the Texas Legislature and its purpose in state government. Describes the legislative process, the role of lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate, and the function of key figures in each chamber. Includes accessible bill-to-law flowcharts, a legislative glossary, and photographs of legislators in action.
Texas Legislative Council, 2023, 27 pages
L1400.5 V831G 2023

 

 

2. No Longer Welcome: The Epidemic of Expulsion from Early Childhood Education?
By Katherine M. Zinsser
Presents research on the prevalence and consequences of the expulsion of young children from early childhood education programs. Discusses the systemic issues that can lead to such expulsions, including adverse childhood experiences, a fragmented and expensive childcare system, and the emotional toll on educators from low pay and high student-to-teacher ratios. Warns that a post-COVID child-care system may be ripe for a spike in exclusionary discipline.
Oxford University Press, 2023, 174 pages
371.5 Z78N 2023

 

 

3. Can Legal Weed Win?: The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics
By Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner
Explores the history of the cannabis industry, with emphasis on legal developments over the last quarter century. Posits that in many cases licensing requirements, regulations, and taxes have hampered plans to replace the black market for marijuana with legal channels. Suggests how cannabis-related businesses can thrive and the possible futures of legal and illegal cannabis markets. Points out that the demand for cannabis in Texas, where medical use is limited and recreational use is prohibited, has increased sales across the state line in Oklahoma.
University of California Press, 2022, 211 pages
338.1 G624C 2022

 

 

4. Social Media, Freedom of Speech, and the Future of our Democracy
By Lee C. Bollinger and Geoffrey R. Stone, editors
Compiles a series of essays by legal experts addressing the issue of "bad" speech on the internet, such as hate speech, disinformation, and incitement to violence. Suggests policies to protect First Amendment rights while lessening the harm caused by "bad" speech online, including modifications to 47 U.S. Code § 230 - Protection for Private Blocking and Screening of Offensive Material. Includes an introductory essay outlining the current legal landscape on the regulation of social media.
Oxford University Press, 2022, 404 pages
342.730853 B692SO 2022

 

 

5. Women Across Time = Mujeres a Través del Tiempo: Sixteen Influential South Texas Women
By Susan L. Roberson, editor
Profiles the sixteen South Texas women represented in the public mural Mujeres a Través del Tiempo (Women Across Time) by Arnold Gonzáles Sr. housed on the campus of Texas A&M University–Kingsville. Examines the lives of ranchers, educators, politicians, artists, and others who served the community. Includes biographies of Former Representative Frances 'Sissy' Farenthold and Former Representative Irma Rangel.
Texas A&M University Press, 2022, 233 pages
976.4 R638W 2022

 

 

6. Electrify: An Optimist's Playbook for our Clean Energy Future
By Saul Griffith
Discusses the importance of shifting the United States from fossil-fuel to clean energy. Proposes adapting the national grid infrastructure to run on renewable sources, and updating houses and business with incentives similar to the Rural Electrification Act. Presents a plan with a combination of economics, politics, and engineering. Provides statistics and data from various states around the country to support the theory.
The MIT Press, 2021, 269 pages
333.793 G853EL 2021

 

 

This entry was posted on January 24, 2023 at 9:10 AM and has received 1604 views. Print this entry.

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

• Access budget-related documents for the 88th legislative session. (Legislative Budget Board, accessed January 18, 2023)
• Try a mapping tool that can identify suitable areas for energy-related projects. (U.S. Department of Energy, accessed January 18, 2023)
• Find where to dispose of controlled substances such as unused prescription medications. (U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration, accessed January 18, 2023)
• Read about the persistent gender wage gap. (University of Chicago, January 2023)

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 January 19, 2023 at 3:15 PM and has received 518 views. Print this entry.