Current Articles for September 11, 2025

The Legislative Reference Library produces a weekly list of current journal articles for members of the legislative community. Each week, librarians select and abstract articles of interest to the legislature from the latest issues of over 300 journals, newsletters, state documents, and trade publications. Electronic copies of the Current Articles list are distributed to legislative offices each Thursday.

The Legislative Reference Library is located on the second floor of the State Capitol building in Room 2N.3. For more information, please call the Library at 512-463-1252.

• Democrats: Landon calling. Economist, August 30th-September 5th, 2025, p. 21.
  Profiles Representative James Talarico.
  See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/08/26/the-democrat-who-calls-trump-a-child-of-god
  
• Weather: Cloudbusting. Economist, August 23rd-29th, 2025, p. 20.
  Explains what cloud-seeding is and how it may be used. Acknowledges the current skepticism, conspiracies, and hostility towards this technology.
  See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/08/20/marjorie-taylor-greene-wants-to-stop-them-from-ma ...
  
• Fewer than 1 in 3 adolescents with past-year opioid use disorder received substance use treatment, 2022-23. By Manuel Cano, et al. Health Affairs, September 2025, pp. 1060-1069.
  Examines data related to adolescent opioid use and substance use disorder treatment. Provides charts and maps of opioid use disorder treatment facilities and whether the facilities have adolescent-tailored programs.
  See: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.00240
  
• Health care workforce recovery after the end of the COVID-19 emergency. By Thuy Nguyen, et al. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), August 26, 2025, pp. 732-734.
  Exposits employment data related to the U.S. health care workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finds that health care employment declined during the pandemic, but fully recovered by 2024 even in light of health care workforce shortages throughout 2023.
• School choice is here to stay. By James Lynch. National Review, October 2025, pp. 49-51.
  Considers how school choice has evolved especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentions U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=ae48eebb-b693-3b30-95bf-4daab7ddb603
  
• Church and state: Keeping government out of religion. By Steve Byas. New American, September 2025, pp. 44-48.
  Explores the evolution of the relationship between the state and religion in the U.S. Argues that religion can still be a part of public life without the government interfering in religious activities.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=d9151df7-b8d3-342f-8453-faa787b70a2f
  
• Plastic was supposed to be sustainable. By Jen Schwartz. Scientific American, September 2025, pp. 45-46.
  Chronicles the development of plastics, which early on were advertised as being a way to preserve natural resources that were becoming scarce, such as ivory and tortoise shell. Explains how over time the widespread use of plastics has riddled the environment with problematic and sometimes toxic waste. Concludes that plastics have not met the early promise of conserving natural resources and instead have caused widespread damage.
  See: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=d9e7e9de-5bf8-3d86-9266-cc93960c245a
  
• Texas passed a Bible-themed curriculum. But many districts aren't using it. By Linda Jacobson. The 74, August 1, 2025, pp. 1-6.
  Discusses how some school districts are using the state-developed Bluebonnet Learning instructional materials. Considers various reasons why a district may or may not choose to use these materials.
  Related information at: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/instructional-materials/bluebonnet-learning
  See: https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-passed-a-bible-themed-curriculum-but-many-districts-arent ...
  
• Hemp-derived THC, taxpayer-funded lobbying, property tax reform remain unresolved at end of special session. By Cameron Abrams. Texan, September 5, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Summarizes the issues left pending in the 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, including hemp-derived THC products; flood and disaster planning; property taxes; taxpayer-funded lobbying; and shielding of unsubstantiated complaints against police officers. Comments on the potential for a 3rd Called Session.
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/89th-session/hemp-derived-thc-taxpayer-funded-lobbying-prope ...
  
• New Texas laws from 89th session face legal challenges. By Mary Elise Cosgray. Texan, September 2, 2025, pp. 1-2.
  Provides an overview of litigation filed relating to bills enacted by the 89th Legislature, R.S., including lawsuits relating to regulation of hemp-derived THC products; the influence of proxy advisory companies on matters of Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues (SB 2337); and the required display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms (SB 10).
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/89th-session/new-texas-laws-from-89th-session-face-legal-cha ...
  
• Texas Legislature moves on penalties to dissuade future quorum breaks. By Brad Johnson. Texan, September 4, 2025, pp. 1-3.
  Reviews the House floor debate on legislation and amendments to the House rules adding new punishments for future legislative quorum breaks and prohibiting political fundraising during quorum breaks (HB 18 and HR 128, 89th Legislature, 2nd C.S.).
  See: https://thetexan.news/state/legislature/texas-state-house-news/texas-legislature-moves-on-penalties- ...
  
• ICE 'Lone Star Lockup' mega detention facility opens. By Solcyré Burga. Time, September 8, 2025, p. 7.
  Describes the new immigrant detention center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, nicknamed the "Lone Star Lockup." Explains that it is poised to become the largest detention center of its kind in the U.S., with plans to nearly double its capacity by adding more than 41,000 beds. Notes Fort Bliss' checkered history as a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Acknowledges the opposition of human rights advocates, and even the El Paso County Commissioner, to the center.
  See: https://time.com/7310657/ice-immigration-detention-texas-lone-star-lockup/