Source: https://lrl.texas.gov/whatsNew/client/index.cfm/2020/8
Timestamp: 2020-08-15 10:41:23
Document Index: 35051805

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 815', '§ 39', '§ 281', '§ 295', '§ 331', '§ 357', '§ 36']

House Committee on International Relations & Economic Development
Child Care Program, Texas Workforce Commission
Child Care by the Numbers (Child care statistics by local workforce development boards), Texas Workforce Commission
Amendments to Chapter 806: Purchases of Products and Services from People with Disabilities – Policy Concept (Implementation of Senate Bill 753), Commission Meeting Agenda Item #12, Texas Workforce Commission, July 7, 2020
Charge 2: Study Texas' current and future workforce pipeline structure, with a focus on input from the state's largest industries and middle skill employers. Examine what skill gaps exist within our state; identify methods of improving regional coordination and alignment between industry, the public workforce system, public schools, higher education institutions, and community-based organizations to create college and career pathways; and provide recommendations to overcome barriers in the workforce pipeline and to enhance career path options.
Prosperity Requires Being Bold: A Progress Report (Report to the Office of the Governor), Texas Education Agency / Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board / Texas Workforce Commission, February 2020
Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature (Charge 3 – Workforce needs), House Committee on Economic and Small Business Development, November 2018
Texas Workforce Consolidated 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, Texas Workforce Commission
Charge 3: Study the state's seaport infrastructure and the infrastructure at land ports of entry to facilitate international trade and economic growth. Examine seaport infrastructure and the auxiliary rail and roadway needs connected to each port as well as the port's ability to keep pace with oil and gas production. Make recommendations to maximize the economic flow of goods and products to and from seaports and study the feasibility and economic impact of dredging and widening Texas ports in order to remain competitive in international trade. Examine the infrastructure at international border ports of entry in Texas and identify transportation-related impediments to international trade that negatively impact the state. Make recommendations to reduce border wait times, facilitate economic growth, and expedite trade. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Transportation)
Texas Port Profiles, Texas Department of Transportation, updated March 2020
Interim Report to the 86th Legislature (Funding Opportunities for Texas Ports), Senate Committee on Transportation, December 2018
Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature (Charge 7 – Infrastructure at shipping ports and border ports of entry), House Committee on Transportation, November 2018
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Legislative Report – 86th Legislature, Texas Department of Transportation, Maritime Division, approved October 25, 2018
Ship Channel Improvement Report: 2020-2021 Texas Port Mission Plan, Texas Department of Transportation, Maritime Division
Texas Port Mission Plan: Investment Strategy, 86th Legislative Session, Port Authority Advisory Committee
2020-2021 Texas Port Capital Program, 86th Legislative Session, Port Authority Advisory Committee
Port Connectivity Report: 2020-2021 Texas Port Mission Plan, Texas Department of Transportation, Maritime Division
Charge 4: Examine and report on policy proposals from business, labor, and other states that utilize portable platforms to address the growing number of independent contractors and employees in the "gig economy." Study the effects and implementation of the new rules adopted by the TWC related to the "gig economy."
"U.S. Job Losses Pass 22 Million With Gig Workers Waiting for Aid," Houston Chronicle, April 16, 2020
Improving the Federal Tax System for Gig Economy Participants, Tax Foundation, October 2019
The Gig is Up: The New Gig Economy and the Threat of Subminimum Wages, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United / Food Labor Research Center (UC Berkeley), March 2019
"Marketplace Platforms" and "Employers" Under State Law – Why We Should Reject Corporate Solutions and Support Worker-Led Innovation, National Employment Law Project, May 2018
Raising Pay and Providing Benefits for Workers in a Disruptive Economy: State and Local Policies to Support Independent Contractors, Center for American Progress, October 2017
The Gig Economy: Research and Policy Implications of Regional, Economic, and Demographic Trends, Future of Work Initiative (Aspen Institute) / American Action Forum, January 2017
"'Dependent Contractors' in the Gig Economy: A Comparative Approach," 66 American University Law Review 635 (2017)
40 Texas Administrative Code § 815.134, Employment Status: Employee or Independent Contractor
Charge 5: Review the connection between the economic vitality of business and industry and the economic vitality of our military veterans transitioning into the workforce. Specifically, the committee should analyze barriers to military veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life, the effectiveness of government transition and training benefits, and current and ongoing demand for veteran and military spouse employment from industry in Texas. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs)
Resources for Military and Veteran Family Members, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, updated April 30, 2020
"Employment Situation of Veterans -- 2019" (News Release), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 19, 2020
2019 Report on the Transition from Military Service to Employment, Texas Workforce Commission, July 24, 2019
"Barriers to Work: Veterans and Military Spouses," National Conference of State Legislatures, July 17, 2018
Veterans Workforce Services in Texas, Texas Workforce Investment Council, June 2018
Veterans in Workforce Development: Participation and Labor Market Outcomes, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, June 13, 2017
US Military Veterans’ Difficult Transitions Back to Civilian Life and the VA’s Response, Brown University, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, Costs of War Project, February 2017
Exploring The Economic & Employment Challenges Facing U.S. Veterans: A Qualitative Study of Volunteers of America Service Providers & Veteran Clients, University of Southern California, School of Social Work, May 2015
Just for Veterans, Texas Workforce Commission
HJR 4, SB 7, and SB 8, which relate to statewide and regional flood planning and mitigation. Monitor the progress of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and other entities to provide for the planning, development, and financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects statewide to strengthen the state's infrastructure and resiliency to future floods.
"'Future-Proofing' Texas Against Natural Disaster: The State Plans for the Next Storm," Fiscal Notes, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, May 2019
State Flood Assessment: Report to the 86th Texas Legislature, Texas Water Development Board, January 2019
TWDB Flood Programs (Flood Infrastructure Fund, Flood Planning, Flood Protection Grant Programs), Texas Water Development Board
HB 720, which relates to appropriations of water for recharge of aquifers and use in aquifer storage and recovery projects. Monitor the rulemaking process for the permitting of unappropriated flows for aquifer storage and recovery projects by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Adopted Rules, 30 Texas Administrative Code § 39.651, Public Notice, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, May 22, 2020
Adopted Rules, 30 Texas Administrative Code § 281.19, Applications Processing, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, May 22, 2020
Adopted Rules, 30 Texas Administrative Code §§ 295.158, 297.41-297.43, and 297.1, Water Rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, May 22, 2020
Adopted Rules, 30 Texas Administrative Code §§ 331.2, 331.7, 331.9, 331.131, 331.262-331.267, and 331.19, Underground Injection Control, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, May 22, 2020
HB 721, which relates to reports on aquifer storage and recovery and aquifer recharge projects. Monitor the implementation by the TWDB of legislation to encourage the development of aquifer storage and recovery and aquifer recharge projects, including the completion of a statewide study of the state's aquifers' suitability for aquifer storage and recovery and aquifer recharge projects.
HB 722, which relates to the development of brackish groundwater. Monitor the designation of Brackish Groundwater Production Zones by the TWDB and the adoption of rules by groundwater conservation districts for the production of brackish groundwater from those Zones.
HB 807, which relates to the state and regional water planning process. Monitor the appointment of the Interregional Planning Council by the TWDB and the Council's progress toward increasing coordination among Regional Water Planning Groups.
Adopted Rules, 31 Texas Administrative Code §§ 357.10, 357.11, 357.21, 357.31, 357.33, 357.34, 357.42, 357.43, and 357.45, Regional Water Planning, Texas Water Development Board / Texas Secretary of State, Texas Register, June 21, 2020
Water Resources Planning (State Water Plan, Regional Water Planning), Texas Water Development Board
In conducting its oversight functions, the Committee will also monitor:
HB 723, which relates to the requirement that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality obtain or develop updated water availability models for certain river basins.
Updates to Groundwater Availability Models by the Texas Water Development Board
Charge 2: Study the efforts of the TCEQ, the TWDB, and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to incentivize, promote, and preserve regional projects to meet water supply needs and encourage public and private investment in water infrastructure. Identify impediments or threats to regionalization with special emphasis on:
Prioritization in planning and implementing the State Water Plan, Regional Water Plan, and other recommended water supply projects;
Fiscal Size-Up: 2020-21 Biennium (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Water Development Board, and Public Utility Commission of Texas), Legislative Budget Board, May 2020
Water Quality: Rivers, Lakes, and Estuaries (Surface Water Quality Standards), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Water Quality Program Successes, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Surface Water Rights and Availability, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Barriers to private investment and the development of public-private partnerships to implement needed water supply projects, including the retail water and wastewater industry, to address the state's growth challenges;
Improve Viability of Small Public Water Systems, Legislative Budget Board, April 2019
Financial Assistance, Texas Water Development Board
31 Texas Administration Code Chapter 363, Financial Assistance Programs, Texas Water Development Board
Public water and wastewater systems that are unable to meet federal and state standards due to inadequate operational capacity and factors that prevent such systems from being integrated into larger systems and processes that more easily facilitate the sale, transfer, or merger of systems;
Standards and Reporting Requirements for Public Water Systems, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Supply Division, revised December 2019
Water and Sewer Utilities, Public Utility Commission of Texas
State agency authority to regulate regional water supply pricing.
Rules and Regulations for Public Water Systems, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Supply Division, revised December 2019
Texas Water Code Chapter 13, Water Rates and Services
16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 24, Substantive Rules Applicable to Water and Sewer Service Providers, Public Utility Commission of Texas
Charge 3: Monitor the joint planning process for groundwater and the achievement of the desired conditions for aquifers by groundwater conservation districts.
Priority Groundwater Management Areas and Groundwater Conservation Districts: Report to the 86th Texas Legislature (IV. – District Management Plans and Joint Planning Activities), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / Texas Water Development Board, January 2019
Interim Report to the 85th Texas Legislature (Charges 1 and 6 – State and regional planning and processes), House Committee on Natural Resources, December 2016.
Interim Report to the 82nd Texas Legislature ( Charge 1 – Groundwater management planning and development of desired future conditions), House Committee on Natural Resources, December 2010
Interim Report to the 81st Legislature: Implementation of House Bill 1763 and Groundwater Management in Texas , Senate Committee on Natural Resources, February 2009
Groundwater Conservation Districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Equality
Desired Future Conditions and Desired Future Conditions Documents, Texas Water Development Board
Texas Aquifers, Texas Water Development Board
Texas Water Code Chapter 36, Groundwater Conservation Districts
Texas Water Code § 36.108, Joint Planning in Management Area
In conducting its oversight functions, the Committee will specifically monitor the following reports by the State Auditor's Office:
The committee also seeks written submissions on the following topics:
Emerging issues in groundwater and surface water interaction, in particular in areas of increasing competition for scarce resources.
The status of water markets in Texas and the potential benefits of and challenges to expanded markets for water.
This entry was posted on August 14, 2020 at 9:00 AM and has received 72 views. Print this entry.
Explore how states are responding to COVID-19 by implementing policies related to occupational licensing. (Council of State Governments, ©2020)
See what states are doing to close budget gaps resulting from decreased revenue caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. (National Conference of State Legislatures, August 12, 2020)
Read about facility-wide COVID-19 testing in nursing homes. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 11, 2020)
Track which businesses received CARES Act stimulus funding and how much they received. (Good Jobs First, ©2020)
20.08.13 / "End affirmative action for white people." By Anthony P. Carnevale, Peter Schmidt, and Jeff Strohl. Chronicle for Higher Education, June 24, 2020, pp. 22-25.
Argues higher education's perception of education merit hides deep-seated racism and class-based elitism guaranteeing the intergenerational reproduction of class and racial privilege. Explains COVID-19 and the ensuing economic and demographic changes offer an opportunity for federal and state governments to require more transparency and seek improved outcomes for public institutions.
20.08.14 / "Inside the challenges Texas women face." By Bill Hethcock. Dallas Business Journal, August 7, 2020, pp. 10-15.
Examines how economic factors related to education, housing, health insurance, and child care affect women's lives in the Lone Star State. Uses data from the Texas Women's Foundation report Economic Issues for Women in Texas.
20.08.15 / "Taxing and spending: From unthinkable to universal." Economist, August 8th-14th, 2020, pp. 1-2.
Reports the idea of a universal basic income [UBI] is gaining momentum in America. Points out the launch of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a network of mayors experimenting with UBI-like schemes that includes the mayors of Atlanta, Los Angeles, Newark, and St Paul.
20.08.16 / "The economic impact of Texas community colleges." By Patrick Graves, et al. Fiscal Notes, June/July, 2020, pp. 7-10.
Highlights a recent Comptroller's office study that found a total economic impact of $9.8 billion annually for Texas public community colleges. Discusses the important dual role community colleges play in access to higher education and workforce training.
20.08.17 / "Community use of face masks and COVID-19: Evidence from a natural experiment of state mandates in the US." By Wei Lyu and George L. Wehby. Health Affairs, August 2020, pp. 1419-1425.
Reports on a natural experiment on the effects of state government mandates for face mask use in public issued by fifteen states and Washington, D.C., between April 8 and May 15, 2020. Finds that states mandating the use of face masks in public had a greater decline in daily COVID-19 growth rates after issuing these mandates.
20.08.18 / "Incarceration and its disseminations: COVID-19 pandemic lessons from Chicago's Cook County Jail." By Eric Reinhart and Daniel L. Chen. Health Affairs, August 2020, pp. 1412-1418.
Evaluates how arrest and pretrial detention practices may be contributing to the spread of COVID-19. Uses data from Cook County Jail to analyze the relationship between jailing practices and community infections at the ZIP code level.
20.08.19 / "Key questions about nursing home regulation and oversight in the wake of COVID-19." By MaryBeth Musumeci and Priya Chidambaram. Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, August 3, 2020, pp. 1-2.
Discusses nursing home regulation and oversight in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the evolution of federal nursing home requirements and their enforcement as well as how oversight has changed as a result of the pandemic. Includes discussion of the role of state survey agencies and an appendix of related statutory citations.
20.08.20 / "State hybrid retirement plans." National Association of State Retirement Administrators, June 2020, pp. 1-12.
Examines two hybrid public retirement plan designs: a cash balance plan and a combination defined benefits [DB] and defined contribution [DC] plan. Includes Texas municipal, county, and district pension plans. Notes heightened attention to hybrid plans amid recent state reforms to public pension benefits and financing.
20.08.21 / "I don't want to be anybody's employee." By Kim Kavin. Reason, August/September 2020, pp. 46-51.
Considers legislative attempts to reclassify independent contractors as traditional salaried employees with benefits. Highlights the 2019 passage of California Assembly Bill 5, and argues it has unintended consequences and should serve as a cautionary tale for future legislative efforts.
20.08.22 / "Balancing act: Protecting critical infrastructure and peoples' right to protest." By Dan Shea. State Legislatures, July 21, 2020, pp. 1-3.
Reports several states have passed laws that either criminalize unlawful entry to critical infrastructure facilities or enhance the penalties associated with those offenses. Points out these laws' penalties and prison terms have the potential to limit civil demonstrations and may infringe on conduct protected under the United States Constitution.
20.08.23 / "Pandemic poses legal pitfalls." By Joey Berlin. Texas Medicine, August 2020, pp. 38-40.
Argues in favor of temporarily extending existing liability protections for volunteers to all physicians, health care practitioners, and facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentions a recent letter by the Texas Medical Association and other groups to Governor Greg Abbott requesting liability protection.
20.08.24 / "After the protests: Four perspectives on the state's criminal justice system." By Christopher Hooks. Texas Monthly, August 2020, pp. 1-8.
Interviews four individuals with different perspectives on how police departments and the criminal justice system in Texas can be reformed in consideration of recent public demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. Includes comments by Representative James White.
20.08.25 / "The plague election." By Molly Ball. Time, August 17-24, 2020, pp. 30-37.
Examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed political campaigns and the election system in the United States. Addresses political conventions and vote-by-mail in Texas.
This entry was posted on August 13, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 75 views. Print this entry.
posted by TexasLRL in Research Resources
Seeking information on reopening schools this Fall? We've compiled a list of resources from various state, federal, and independent organizations that you may find helpful. Please use contact information on the respective organizations' websites for any questions specific to their purposes.
Fall Restart, August 10, 2020
2020 Return to Action, August 7, 2020
Texas Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Division
COVID-19 Support: Texas Home Learning
Free Trainings for Texas Principals: Excellence in Remote Instruction
Texas State University, Texas School Safety Center
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Updates from the Texas School Safety Center, updated April 29, 2020
COVID-19 Strength & Conditioning and Sport Specific Instruction, updated July 8, 2020
Schools and Childcare Programs: Plan, Prepare, and Respond, updated July 24, 2020
Regional Educational Laboratory Program – COVID-19: Evidence Based Resources
What Works Clearinghouse – Studies of Distance Learning
Educational Association Resources
Reopening Schools Safely in the Age of COVID: A Preliminary Guide for School Leaders, July 2, 2020
A Plan to Safely Reopen America’s Schools and Communities: Guidance for Imagining a New Normal for Public Education, Public Health and Our Economy in the Age of COVID-19, 2020
COVID-19 FAQs and Resources for Texas Educators, August 10, 2020
Restart & Recovery: Considerations for Teaching & Learning, released July 14, 2020
Coronavirus Disease 2019 Resources, updated July 30, 2020
States Make Plans for Reopening, July 2020
Return-to-School Resources, updated August 10, 2020
FAQ about COVID-19, updated August 6, 2020
Reports and Other Online Resources
COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry, updated June 25, 2020
A Blueprint for Back to School, May 2020
"Concerns about Reopening Schools Loom Large," July 22, 2020
Center for Research on Education Outcomes, Stanford University
Online Charter School Study, 2015
School Districts across the Nation Plan for an Uncertain Year Ahead, August 2020
Chiefs for Change and the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Education Policy
The Return: How Should Education Leaders Prepare for Reentry and Beyond?, May 2020
Closing the K–12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning, 2020
"A Blueprint for Back to School," updated May 4, 2020
"Toward Reopening: What Will School Look Like this Fall?," updated June 29, 2020
"Reopening Resilient Schools," updated July 14, 2020
"Reopening Schools: Here are Some Districts' Plans for the Fall," July 13, 2020
"Map: Where are Schools Open?," updated August 7, 2020
"School Districts' Reopening Plans: A Snapshot," updated August 10, 2020
"What Summer Schools Learned About the Challenges of Reopening," August 7, 2020
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Healthy Buildings Program
Schools for Health: Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools, June 2020
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics
"School Closure During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: An Effective Intervention at the Global Level?," May 13, 2020
Reopening Schools in the Context of COVID-19: Health and Safety Guidelines From Other Countries, May 15, 2020
"COVID-19 and Student Learning in the United States: The Hurt Could Last a Lifetime," June 1, 2020
NGA Education's State Reopening Tracking, updated July 30, 2020
National Labor Management Partnership
Collaborating in a Crisis: Working Together to Safely Reopen Our School Buildings
"How Safe is Your School's Reopening Plan? Here's What to Look For," August 6, 2020
Guidelines for Re-Entry into the School Setting During the Pandemic: Managing the Social-Emotional and Traumatic Impact, 2020
Preventing a Lost School Year: The Crucial Importance of Motivating Students & Engaging Families
Cover image by Flickr user Scott Goddard and used under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
This entry was posted on August 12, 2020 at 10:00 AM and has received 114 views. Print this entry.
Hurricane Harvey on the verge of making landfall on the Texas coast on August 25, 2017, (flickr.com/photos/noaasatellites/36816394625: accessed July 16, 2020), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, crediting Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA).
Hurricane season for the Atlantic basin, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, runs from July 1st through November 31st each year. Preparing for the 2020 hurricane season may require additional planning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below we've listed state and federal resources related to hurricane preparedness, emergency planning and management, and disaster assistance. Several include information that addresses the additional challenges to emergency management created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please use the contact information on the respective organizations' websites for any questions specific to their purposes.
Looking for historical gubernatorial disaster declarations or legislative reports? Our Texas Governors database includes past gubernatorial proclamations, including disaster declarations related to hurricanes. The database contains a link to the popular search Disaster declarations and related materials, 2001-present. Our Legislative reports database also contains committee reports related to tropical storms, Hurricane Harvey, and emergency management.
Provides guidance and resources on how to prepare for a hurricane. Updated to include timely information related to evacuations and open emergency shelters.
Provides information on road closures, utility contacts, and an electic outage map.
Provides access to critical information during emergencies. Includes information related to the hurricane season: preparing for a storm, evacuating to safety, accessing government resources, dealing with emergencies, and avoiding scams and frauds.
Lists links to resources related to hurricane preparation as well as recovery after a disaster, including animal issues.
Includes links to resources related to home, property, and auto insurance coverage for disasters, including reviewing policies and filling claims.
Includes maps of evacuation routes from the Texas coast and a link to guides for traveling major highways in the region during an evacuation.
A voluntary registry for individuals who may need assistance during an emergency. Provides local emergency planners and emergency responders with additional information on the needs in their community.
Local Emergency Management Planning Guide, January 2008
Provides recommendations to local officials on how to prepare and keep current a local or inter-jurisdictional emergency management plan. Outlines local, state, and federal government emergency management responsibilities.
Includes links to the basic emergency management plan for the state and plans for more in-depth emergency support functions.
A Dual Disaster Handbook: 6 Recommendations for Local Leaders Responding to Floods during COVID-19, May 2020
Provides recommendations for local leaders dealing with flooding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes a checklist of recommended actions and issues to consider.
Includes information and resources related to preparing for hurricanes and natural disasters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), United States Department of Homeland Security
Allows users to find and apply for disaster assistance. Includes an interactive map of current federally-declared disasters.
COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season, May 2020
Describes planning considerations for emergency managers in light of the challenges to disaster operations posed by COVID-19.
Prepare Your Organization for a Hurricane: Playbook
Provides community leaders and employers with tools and resources to support hurricane preparedness efforts.
Lists contact information for local emergency management departments found within each state, including Texas.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States Department of Commerce
Provides up-to-date forecasts and warnings of hazardous tropical weather, including tropical storms and hurricanes.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA), United States Department of Labor
Documents employer responsibilities and workers' rights associated with response and recovery operations after a hurricane. Includes links to fact sheets for related worker safety and health resources.
This entry was posted on August 11, 2020 at 9:37 AM and has received 112 views. Print this entry.
This entry was posted on August 10, 2020 at 11:00 AM and has received 150 views. Print this entry.
Consider COVID-19's impact on agriculture in the United States. (The Hill, August 4, 2020)
Learn how to look for signs of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2020)
Read about how the Texas Department of State Health Services changed the way COVID-19 fatalities are counted. (Texas Department of State Health Services, July 27, 2020)
Review the deadline calendar for the upcoming November 3 general election. (Texas Secretary of State, accessed August 5, 2020)
20.08.01 / "Failing grades: States' responses to COVID-19 in jails & prisons." By Emily Widra and Dylan Hayre. American Civil Liberties Union, June 25, 2020, pp. 1-20.
Rates state responses to COVID-19 within correctional facilities based upon the availability of testing and personal protective equipment [PPE] for staff and inmates, the reduction in county jail and state prison populations, and the public availability of data on COVID-19 in the state prison system. Notes over 570 incarcerated individuals and over 50 correction staff have died of COVID-19 as of June 22, 2020.
20.08.02 / "Economists weigh in on Austin's recovery prospects as pandemic lingers." By Mike Cronin. Austin Business Journal, July 31, 2020, pp. A4-A5.
Presents the views of three prominent economists on the long-term resiliency of the Austin and Central Texas economies.
20.08.03 / "As a statue falls, Texas Rangers are cast as heroes and villains." By Henry Gass. Christian Science Monitor, July 27, 2020, pp. 1-4.
Explores the history of the Texas Rangers in the context of the current focus on racial tensions and law enforcement. Suggests the organization's 2023 bicentennial offers an opportunity to acknowledge its complicated history and move toward a more just and equitable future.
20.08.04 / "Texas' international trade." By David Green and Shannon Halbrook. Fiscal Notes, June/July, 2020, pp. 1, 3-6.
Explores the benefits of international trade for Texas, the role of energy, recent controversies over tariffs and trade agreements, and the long-term international outlook.
20.08.05 / "Mental health and substance use state fact sheets." Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, July 10, 2020, pp. 1-18.
Summarizes national data on mental health from a number of sources before and during the coronavirus pandemic. Provides links to state-level fact sheets with statistics on the prevalence of mental illness and substance use, related deaths, access to treatment, affordability, and costs of care. Includes a link to the fact sheet for Texas.
20.08.06 / "Cost-of-living adjustments." National Association of State Retirement Administrators, June 2020, pp. 1-16.
Discusses periodic cost-of-living adjustments [COLAs] in state and local government pensions, common COLA types and features, COLA costs, and recent changes. Features an appendix of COLA provisions by state, including the Texas County and District Retirement System, Employees Retirement System of Texas, Texas Municipal Retirement System, and Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
20.08.07 / "COVID-19 pulls back the mask on America's prison system." By C.J. Ciaramella. Reason, August/September 2020, p. 10.
Explains the failed attempts to control the spread of COVID-19 in prisons through policies aimed at reducing incarcerated populations. Summarizes inmate lawsuits related to this issue, including the Texas case, Valentine v. Collier, in which the United States Supreme Court ruled against inmates.
20.08.08 / "What a new Supreme Court decision means for Native American sovereignty." By Nora McGreevy. Smithsonian Magazine, July 10, 2020, pp. 1-3.
Discusses the impact of McGirt v. Oklahoma, a recent United States Supreme Court decision that found, regarding jurisdiction, "much of the eastern half of Oklahoma falls within Native American territory."
20.08.09 / "Legislator profile: Texas Representative Tom Oliverson." By Suzanne Weiss. State Legislatures, July 23, 2020, pp. 1-2.
Profiles Representative Tom Oliverson's service as a member of the Texas Legislature, commending his ability to work across party lines and learn about the nuts and bolts of policy.
20.08.10 / "State court chief justices pledge reform to boost racial equality and justice in the courts." By Angela Morris. Texas Lawyer, July 30, 2020, pp. 1-2.
Reports on a resolution by the Conference of Chief Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators which pledges action to eradicate systemic racism and make court systems fairer to people of color. Includes comments by Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.
20.08.11 / "Unforseen circumstances: Contractual obligations during a pandemic." By Rusty Adams. Tierra Grande, July 2020, pp. 26-27.
Discusses Texas contract law and whether the “acts of God” or force majeure principles affect contractual obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
20.08.12 / "Child care and feeding young children during the pandemic." By Catherine Kuhns and Gina Adams. Urban Institute Brief, July 2020, pp. 1-19.
Points out significant gaps in the extent to which children in child care programs who were receiving meals through the Child and Adult Care Food Program [CACFP] were able to continue accessing food during the pandemic when child care programs closed. Offers recommendations to ensure that young children’s nutritional needs are met in the current crisis and to build a more resilient system moving forward.
This entry was posted on August 6, 2020 at 3:15 PM and has received 159 views. Print this entry.
In January, we compiled a list of members not returning to the 87th Texas Legislature. An updated list that includes the results of the recent primary election is provided below. 17 members of the Texas House and 2 members of the Texas Senate will not return in 2021. To see a full list of members of the 86th Texas Legislature (2019), please go here. Note that regardless of election outcomes, all of these legislators will keep their respective seats until January 2021, unless they resign earlier.
Information about primary elections requiring runoffs is available on the Secretary of State's current elections page.
Lorraine Birabil Defeated in Democratic primary election, 7/14/2020
Rep. César Blanco Running for Texas Senate District 29
Anna Eastman Defeated in Democratic primary election, 7/14/2020
Rep. Dan Flynn Defeated in Republican primary election, 7/14/2020
Roland Gutierrez Running for Texas Senate District 19
J.D. Sheffield Defeated in Republican primary election, 7/14/2020
Rep. John Zerwas Resigned 9/30/19 to take new position as Executive Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs, The University of Texas System
Kirk Watson Resigned 4/30/2020 to take new position as Founding Dean of the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs
This entry was posted on August 4, 2020 at 10:00 AM and has received 348 views. Print this entry.
posted by TexasLRL in Sunset review
During each two-year legislative cycle, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission evaluates about 20 to 30 of the approximately 130 entities subject to Sunset review. The Texas Sunset Act provides specific criteria for reviews of occupational licensing agencies.
Sunset Advisory Commission, August 4
Topics: Approval of rules; Approval of revised schedule, including postponement of certain reviews
Draft Sunset Review Schedule, 2019-2020, Sunset Advisory Commission
How Sunset Works, Sunset Advisory Commission
Sunset in Texas: 2020-2021, 87th Legislature, Sunset Advisory Commission, September 2019
"Sunset Review Process" graph courtesy of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission
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