Current Articles for September 28, 2023

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.

Advancing preparedness for life support users during power outages. By Eric Cote, et al. Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, August 2023, pp. 1-25.
Argues that the increased number of power outages caused by natural disasters requires new solutions to minimize risk to individuals on life support and other types of durable medical equipment (DME) and to reduce the use of emergency medical services. Provides recommendations on improving support for DME users, including intensive programs like Louisiana's Power Outage Partners.
See: https://www.astho.org/globalassets/report/advancing-preparedness-for-life-support.pdf
Goodbye California, driverless trucks head to Texas. By Thomas Black. Bloomberg Businessweek, September 18, 2023, pp. 8-10.
Discusses autonomous, or self-driving, trucks and the regulations governing how and when they are tested on public roads. Reviews states that allow public testing such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida, as well as those that oppose driverless trucks like California.
See: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-13/driverless-trucks-leave-california-for-texas-over ...
How extreme heat threatens Black renters, and what policymakers can do to fix it. By Hannah Stephens, Manann Donoghoe, and Andre M. Perry. Brookings Institution, September 6, 2023, pp. 1-7.
Analyzes energy insecurity among Black renters, Black homeowners, white renters, and white homeowners. Argues Black renters face a disproportionate burden of the impacts of extreme heat and proposes climate policies to address the root causes.
See: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-extreme-heat-threatens-black-renters-and-what-policymakers-ca ...
Jobs in this emerging field are now more in demand than nurses. By Andy Medici. Dallas Business Journal, September 15-21, 2023, p. 28.
Asserts that the number of “green” job openings has risen in recent years and will continue to rise, with approximately 1.4 million workers currently employed in green jobs in the U.S. Claims the most in-demand green skills include renewable energy knowledge, energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and renewable energy industry knowledge.
See: https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2023/08/28/green-jobs-demand-pay-salary-jolts.html
Blocking manoeuvres: States are trying to set their own rules for the Internet. Economist, September 23, 2023, p. 26.
Discusses attempts by various states, including Texas, to regulate internet content and policies. Notes that many pieces of legislation have been challenged on First Amendment grounds.
See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/21/americas-states-are-trying-to-set-rules-for-the-i ...
Pax Texana. Economist, September 23, 2023, pp. 24-25.
Summarizes the Senate impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, which ended in acquittal. Discusses the ramifications of the trial and ongoing investigations of the AG.
See: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/09/21/what-ken-paxtons-acquittal-means-for-texas-republ ...
Business Journal interview with Mike Miles. By Sofia Gonzalez. Houston Business Journal, September 15-21, 2023, pp. 24-28.
Interviews Mike Miles, superintendent of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Describes Miles' background as a soldier, diplomat, and educator and how his experience led him to his current role as superintendent under a state takeover of the district. Discusses his plans to improve HISD.
See: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/09/15/meet-mike-miles-hisd-superintendent.html
The four-day workweek gains another prominent champion. By Andy Medici. Houston Business Journal, September 15-21, 2023, p. 22.
Discusses the recent endorsement of the four-day workweek by the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) as an example of a growing trend among workers and unions. Discussed the demographics of the trend — for example, the four-day workweek is most popular with Generation Z — and notes some recently introduced state and federal legislation on the issue. Notes the results of several pilot programs.
See: https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2023/09/08/four-day-work-week-pay-compensation-union-uaw.htm ...
State policy for student parent success: A landscape scan of policy solutions enacted at the state level. By Nina Besser Doorley, Salma Elakbawy, and Afet Dundar. Institute for Women's Policy Research, August 2023, pp. 1-25.
Describes the issues faced by student parents and provides a range of state policy initiatives to support student parents in postsecondary education. Includes discussion of student debt, supporting basic needs, and child care.
See: https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Student-Parent-State-Policy-Brief-FINAL.pdf
Georgia Pathways — Partial Medicaid expansion with work requirements and premiums. By Sarah H. Gordon, Megan B. Cole, and Nicole Huberfeld. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), September 15, 2023, pp. 1-2.
Highlights Georgia Pathways to Coverage, a new state Medicaid program that partially expands coverage to low-income individuals. Discusses eligibility, minimum work requirements, and premiums, and compares the program to traditional Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2809763
Mental health outcomes among patients living in US counties lacking broadband access and psychiatrists. By Tarun Ramesh, Ryan K. McBain, and Jonathan H. Cantor. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), September 14, 2023, pp. 1-4.
Notes the psychiatric workforce shortage and the expansion of psychiatric healthcare via telemedicine into underserved areas. Studies the demographics and mental health outcomes of counties without psychiatrists and broadband coverage, identifying 19 percent of counties or 10.5 million residents without access.
See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2809394
Historic pay increases lead to happier teachers, fewer vacancies. By Mary Ellen Flannery. National Education Association, September 15, 2023, pp. 1-4.
Notes the connection between higher teacher salaries and fewer school vacancies. Discusses teacher salary increases passed in other state legislatures.
See: https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/historic-pay-increases-lead-happier-teachers-fewer-v ...
Lone Star crime: The criminal enforcement of environmental law in the state of Texas. By Joshua Ozymy and Melissa J. Ozymy. St. Mary's Law Journal, Fall 2023, pp. 1095-1124.
Analyzes federal environmental criminal prosecutions in Texas between 1983 and 2019. Explores prosecution patterns, examines charging and sentencing trends, and studies the broader themes of environmental crimes prosecuted in the state.
See: https://commons.stmarytx.edu/thestmaryslawjournal/vol54/iss4/6/
Property tax relief deal. By Dax González. Texas Lone Star (Texas Association of School Boards), September/October 2023, p. 24.
Reviews HB 2 and SB 2 from the 88th Legislature, 2nd C.S. Reports on the proposed third special session expected to be called.
See: https://issuu.com/tasb-org/docs/septoct_2023tls/24