Current Articles

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 Friday.

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.

May 16, 2013 list Print (PDF)

"A woman's edge." By Molly Ball. Atlantic Monthly, May 2013, pp. 15-17
Explores the interest from both political parties in having more women run for office. Explains voters perceive women as more trustworthy, less corruptible, and more in touch with day to day concerns. Considers why women are reluctant to run for public office. Presents studies that show voters do not have a bias against women candidates.

"Bending the Medicaid cost curve." By Debra Miller. Capitol Ideas, May/June 2013, pp. 12-15
Examines four Medicaid cost containment strategies — tying health care costs to the state inflation rate, moving from volume-based to value-based payment, establishing coordination at all levels of health care, and Medicaid managed care.
See: http://www.csg.org/pubs/capitolideas/2013_may_june ...

"The path to success: states make tough choices on expanding Medicaid, operating exchanges." By Mary Branham. Capitol Ideas, May/June 2013, pp. 28-29
Examines recent considerations of Medicaid expansion and implementation of state-based insurance exchanges in Arizona, South Carolina, and Minnesota.
See: http://www.csg.org/pubs/capitolideas/2013_may_june ...

"Big philanthropy: superrich donors are making Dallas a twenty-first-century city." By Guy Sorman. City Journal (Manhattan Institute), Spring 2013, pp. 1-4
Reports Dallas’ superrich donors are transforming the urban landscape and, combined with a low-tax business climate, are making the city more attractive to outside investment.
See: http://www.city-journal.org/2013/23_2_dallas-phila ...

"The poor roads of the oil boom." By Maria Sprow. County, March/April 2013, pp. 42-44, 46, 48
Details how county roads and traffic safety are being compromised by the recent oil and gas drilling boom in Texas. Reports that, while the state is benefiting economically from the drilling, counties are struggling to fund road repairs caused by increased overweight truck traffic. Discusses potential methods for funding road repairs.
Report at: http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/energy/f ...

"What's in a name?" By Nathan Hurst and Lauren Gardner. CQ Weekly, May 6, 2013, pp. 802-803
Describes the current status of United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] regulations and federal legislative approaches to oversight of the coal byproduct, coal ash. Notes that the EPA is considering the possibility of regulating coal ash as solid waste rather than hazardous waste. Lists the most common uses of coal ash, also known as fly ash.

"DFW trucking companies save big bucks with CNG." By Nicholas Sakelaris. Dallas Business Journal, May 10-16, 2013, pp. 6-7
Reports several trucking companies in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex are taking advantage of lower natural gas prices and dual-fuel technology to convert their diesel fuel fleets to compressed natural gas [CNG]. Notes that CNG fueling stations are limited for nationwide trucking companies but more stations are being built in the area.

"Uplift's bright future." By Bill Hethcock. Dallas Business Journal, May 10-16, 2013, pp. 17-18
Profiles the Uplift Education system, the largest public charter school system operating in North Texas, with 7,500 enrolled students, projected enrollment of 10,000 in the 2013-2014 school year, and 8,000 students on a waiting list. Mentions SB2, 83rd Legislature, relating to certain charter schools.
Related information at: http://www.uplifteducation.org/site/default.aspx?P ...

"Economic growth: the health paradox." Economist, May 11th-17th, 2013, pp. 27-28
Discusses the paradox between rising health care costs that threaten America's economic future and the growth of health care service jobs that boost many local economies.

"Measuring inflation: counting the cost of living." Economist, May 11th-17th, 2013, pp. 30, 32
Considers which of many competing indices provides the best picture of prices and spending habits in America.

"Pulling the parent trigger." By Ben Austin and Michael Petrilli. Education Next, Summer 2013, pp. 1-7
Presents comments by Ben Austin, executive director of Parent Revolution and former deputy mayor of Los Angeles, and Michael Petrilli, vice president for policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and an executive editor of Education Next, on whether parent trigger laws are an effective method to reform low performing schools.
See: http://educationnext.org/pulling-the-parent-trigge ...

"Battle of the Goliaths." By William Fulton. Governing, May 2013, pp. 26-27
Compares the economic performance of Texas and California.
See: http://www.governing.com/columns/eco-engines/col-t ...

"The X factor." By Rob Gurwitt. Governing, May 2013, pp. 30-35
Argues that Generation X, born between 1967 and 1978 and sandwiched between the baby boomers and millennials, is actually shaping the way government and citizens interact. Includes a timeline of Generation X.
See: http://www.governing.com/topics/mgmt/gov-how-gener ...

"Compulsory process in cyberspace: rethinking privacy in the social networking age." By Robert D. Richards. Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Spring 2013, pp. 519-548 (Note Length)
Explores current privacy laws that have not been completely adapted to online social networks.

"Hispanic high school graduates pass whites in rate of college enrollment." By Richard Fry and Paul Taylor. Internet Resource, May 9, 2013, pp. 1-13
Reports seven in ten Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college last fall. Notes that Hispanic college students are less likely to complete a bachelor's degree.
See: http://www.pewhispanic.org/files/2013/05/PHC_colle ...

"Education, equity, and the big picture." By Natalie Nielsen. Issues in Science and Technology, Spring 2013, pp. 76-82
Explores ways to improve educational outcomes for students from disadvantaged groups. Examines recent reports related to approaches governments can take to prevent school failure and reduce dropouts.
Report at: http://www.foreachandeverychild.org/60565_EEC_(508 ...
Report at: http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/50293148.pdf

"Connecting to health insurance coverage." By Howard K. Koh and Marilyn Tavenner. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), May 8, 2013, pp. 1893-1894
Discusses how, beginning October 2013, the Health Insurance Marketplace will be open for business, allowing millions to shop for, compare, and sign up for private health insurance coverage.

"Financial crisis not wasted: shift in state power and voucher expansion." By Lenford C. Sutton and Richard A. King. Journal of Education Finance, Spring 2013, pp. 283-303
Examines how the financial crisis that began in 2007 led to newly elected state legislatures expanding school vouchers in 2011. Argues the political shift led to the abandonment of social justice as justification for school vouchers, since programs now benefit both the economically well-off students and low-income students. Details voucher expansion in Florida, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. Includes discussion of judicial decisions and legal strategies relating to school vouchers.

"State tax treatment of LLCs and LLPs: update for 2013." By Bruce P. Ely, Christopher R. Grissom, and William T. Thistle. Journal of Multi-State Taxation and Incentives, May 2013, pp. 6-19
Presents annual state-by-state tax charts about limited liability companies [LLCs] and limited liability partnerships [LLPs] as of March 1, 2013. Includes entity-level taxes and withholding requirements, state conformity with federal rules, and series LLCs statutes and guidance.

"Credits & incentives update." By Daniel Breen. Journal of State Taxation, May-June 2013, pp. 5-8
Examines the purpose, development, uses, and limitations of fiscal impact analysis for state and local economic development incentives negotiations.

"Energy efficiency's false hope." By Andrew Rudin. Public Utilities Fortnightly, May 2013, pp. 8-13
Argues that, instead of advocating for more energy efficient technologies to lower energy consumption, a change in consumers' behavior should be promoted. Explains that efficiency programs have not reduced overall, per person energy use. Points to a survey from the federal Energy Information Administration which finds the average American uses the same amount of energy as in 1969, that gasoline consumption has increased, and that overall home energy use is about the same as in 1978. Offers options, such as taxing energy like cigarettes and tobacco are taxed or an emissions cap and trade program.
Report at: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/perspec ...

"Craft beer industry optimistic that change is brewing in Texas." By W. Scott Bailey. San Antonio Business Journal, May 3-9, 2013, p. 3
Discusses legislation that, if passed, would be beneficial for the craft brewing industry in Texas. Mentions SB515 and SB518, 83rd Legislature.

"Texas likely to continue to lead nation's recovery." By Keith R. Phillips. Southwest Economy (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), First Quarter 2013, pp. 3-7
Shows Texas had the third-fastest job growth in the nation in 2012. Predicts Texas will see faster economic growth in 2013 than most states, though with manufacturing and energy extraction slowing.
See: https://www.dallasfed.org/assets/documents/researc ...

"On the road to nowhere." By Scott Hendrick and Claire Lewis. State Legislatures, May 2013, pp. 12-15
Considers the challenges states must address regarding the permanent storage of nuclear waste. Reviews past efforts to address storage, including Yucca Mountain. Reports future plans for site location for nuclear waste storage facilities will incorporate recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future.
Report at: http://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/brc/201206202 ...

"Buried in paperwork." By Amy Lynn Sorrel. Texas Medicine, May 2013, pp. 14-20
Examines how regulations governing how physicians, advance practice nurses, and physician assistants practice medicine under a team-based care model need updating. Discusses legislation that would improve regulations related to physician delegation and supervising prescribing authority (SB406, 83rd Legislature).