Legislative Reference Library

Current Articles list for July 17, 2014

The Legislative Reference Library produces a weekly list of current journal articles for members of the legislative community. New lists are available most Thursdays at 3pm. The most recent list is below.

"Congress should end – not extend – the ban on state and local taxation of Internet access subscriptions." By Michael Mazerov. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, July 10, 2014, pp. 1-24
Argues state and local governments could lose $7 billion under a Congressional proposal to ban permanently all state and local taxation of Internet access. Notes that grandfathered states with existing Internet access taxes would immediately lose revenue, including a projected sales tax revenue loss of $271 million for Texas.
See:http://www.cbpp.org/files ...


"Doing the math on Texas' corporate incentives; Texas spends almost $62M to woo companies and has $68M left." By Bill Hethcock and Paul O'Donnell. Dallas Business Journal, July 11, 2014, p. 3, 10
Reports the Texas Enterprise Fund has awarded close to $62 million in economic development incentives to eight companies through July 8, 2013. Estimates that the state is giving away $10,000 for every job these companies pledged to create. Includes comment by House Speaker Joe Straus, who created a special committee to assess state incentive programs.

"Nice try, Dallas, but we got stomped." By Candace Carlisle and Bill Hethcock. Dallas Business Journal, July 11, 2014, pp. 4-5
Explains why Dallas lost its bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention.

"Crime in Latin America: a broken system." Economist, July 12th-18th, 2014, pp. 31-33
Discusses factors that account for high crime rates in Latin America, including the "pervasive weaknesses in the basic institutions of the rule of law — the police, prosecutors, the courts, and the prisons." Notes that a boy born in Honduras, the region's most violent country, has a one-in-nine chance of being murdered. Highlights criminal justice reforms that are working to reduce crime rates and recidivism: community policing, crime mapping, and correctional centers that focus on education and rehabilitation.

"Cyber-security: defending the digital frontier." Economist, July 12th-18th, 2014, pp. 1, 3-5, 8-10, 12, 14-16
Presents a special report focusing on cybercrime and online industrial espionage, discussing things that can be done to keep people and data safer than they are now.

"Marijuana: the great pot experiment." Economist, July 12th-18th, 2014, pp. 25-26
Reports on the growing support for legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Discusses challenges involved in building a recreational industry "from scratch." Notes that other states can look to attempts by Colorado and Washington State to regulate marijuana use and learn from their mistakes.

"Schools brace for influx of immigrants." By Lesli A. Maxwell. Education Week, July 9, 2014, pp. 1, 19
Addresses recent surge of unaccompanied immigrant minors entering the United States and the effect on public schools. Profiles the challenges facing schools in Miami, Prince George County, Maryland, and San Francisco. Includes discussion of barriers faced by immigrant students.

"Grabbing for green." By Christopher Helman. Forbes, July 21, 2014, pp. 32-34
Discusses NRG Energy's shift from fossil-fuel power plants to alternative energy power systems, including distributed generation like solar panels and basement generators. Relates NRG Energy CEO's belief that the United States power grid will succumb to a slow death caused by anticarbon regulation and cheaper alternatives.

"McHealthcare." By Brian Solomon. Forbes, July 21, 2014, pp. 91-92, 94, 96, 97
Explains how franchisees and private firms are using the retail lessons of McDonald's to reinvent health care through the use of urgent care clinics, which present an appealing medical model that cuts through health care's biggest hurdles: affordability and accessibility. Details the growth of urgent care clinics, which are projected to grow to more than 12,000 by 2019. Notes some clinics are designed to provide follow-up and continuity of care to people who cannot wait to see their doctors or who do not have a doctor.

"Drought fallout." By Emily Schmall. Fort Worth Business Press, July 14-20, 2014, pp. 14-15
Discusses the recent implementation by Wichita Falls of a six month Direct Potable Reuse plan — using treated wastewater to increase drinking supplies. Reports the city can no longer conserve enough during the current drought and will save approximately 5 million gallons of water per day from the local reservoirs with the toilet-to-tap reuse program.

"Feeling the quakes." By Emily Schmall and Kristi Eaton. Fort Worth Business Press - Energy Report, Summer 2014, pp. 18-19
Details how Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas are responding to the recent increase of earthquakes in their states. Reports that, although a definitive link between earthquakes and hydraulic fracturing has yet to be officially recognized, recent actions by state regulators and lawmakers suggests there is a connection.

"Dramatic demographic shifts in higher education." By Gustavo A. Mellander. Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, June 30, 2014, pp. 22-24
Explains that changes in student populations — the increase of Hispanic and Asian-American high school graduates and declining numbers of Anglo- and African-American high school graduates — will compel higher education institutions to redefine their goals and to invest in the programs and services needed to help a more diverse group of students stay enrolled and graduate.

"Beyond red vs. blue." Internet Resource, June 26, 2014, pp. 1-11
Presents results of a political survey of attitudes and values rather than party affiliations. Finds polarized wings with a diverse middle. Considers electoral implications.
See:http://www.people-press.o ...
Report at: http://www.people-press.o ...


"Children in danger: a guide to the humanitarian challenge at the border." Internet Resource, July 2014, pp. 1-17
Provides policymakers, the media, and the public with basic information surrounding the challenge the nation faces as thousands of young migrants show up at our southern border. Answers questions, such as: Who are the unaccompanied children? Where are they coming from? Why are they coming? What happens once they are in custody? And what basic protections are they entitled to by law?
See:http://www.immigrationpol ...


"Sex education in the 21st century." By Victor C. Strasburger and Sarah S. Brown. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), July 9, 2014, pp. 125-126
Examines sex education programs in public schools. Explores questions raised by online sex education.

"The Hispanic-Evangelical vote." By Henry Olsen. National Review, July 7, 2014, pp. 19-20
Explains how Republicans can garner the support of Latino Evangelicals, who currently make up about 16 percent of all Hispanics and whose numbers are rapidly increasing.

"Paying their way: sponsors of immigrants should fund their welfare benefits." By Reihan Salam. National Review, July 7, 2014, pp. 22-23
Promotes the idea that immigrants who choose to settle in the United States should make their own way without public assistance. Suggests that enforcement of the sponsor-recovery provisions of the 1996 welfare reform law has the potential of reducing immigrant dependence on welfare benefits.
Report at: http://www.gao.gov/assets ...


"Changing global oil and natural gas markets." Perryman Report and Texas Letter, Vol. 31, No. 4, 2014, pp. 1-3, 6
Reports on the resurgence of the domestic energy sector. Notes the economic benefits and downside of the amazing growth in Texas oil and gas production.

"Do coastal building codes make stronger houses?" By Carolyn A. Dehring and Martin Halek. Regulation (CATO Institute), Summer 2014, pp. 40-45
Examines whether state and federal mandated changes in coastal building standards mitigate hurricane damage to residential properties in high-hazard coastal areas. Suggests that building code changes produce unintended effects in terms of structural damages caused by hurricanes.
See:http://object.cato.org/si ...


"Tesla and the car dealers' lobby." By Daniel A. Crane. Regulation (CATO Institute), Summer 2014, pp. 10-14
Considers whether Tesla Motors' direct-to-consumer distribution business model will bring about a change in the automobile industry's traditional franchised dealer network. Explains the origins of automotive distribution restrictions and dealer arguments favoring those restrictions. Notes the growing support for direct distribution of automobiles.
See:http://object.cato.org/si ...


"Injection wells blamed in Oklahoma earthquakes." By Eric Hand. Science, July 4, 2014, pp. 13-14
Explains how a study has shown that high-volume wastewater injection wells that are part of hydraulic fracturing operations could be the cause of earthquakes in Oklahoma.

"Will fracking put too much fizz in your water?" By Erik Stokstad. Science, June 27, 2014, pp. 1468-1471
Explores the effects of shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing on the quality of drinking water resources.

"A 'friend' at court?" By John G. Browning. Texas Bar Journal, July 2014, pp. 602-605
Examines whether judges can use social media sites, such as Facebook, without compromising judicial ethics. Notes the position of several states on the issue, including Texas. Provides examples of ethical missteps judges have made online.
See:http://www.texasbar.com/A ...


"Digital doctor." By Amy Lynn Sorrel. Texas Medicine, July 2014, pp. 18-24
Explores the advantages of telemedicine. Examines policy implications of telemedicine and acknowledges growing demand for remote access to health care.

"Will Obamacare succeed?" By Drew Altman. Vital Speeches of the Day, July 2014, pp. 227-232
Provides text of a speech by the President and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation. Attempts to inform the debate over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by describing, among other things, how insurance risks are pooled and how premiums are set. Explains why the ACA will play out differently in every state.

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