Thursday - October 31, 2024
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Texas Newsletter for Sunday September 24, 2023 ( 43 items )  

ABA President Smith Issues Statement on Court Ruling on DACA
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The American Bar Association issued the following statement on Sept. 18, 2023, by President Mary Smith: * * * "In light of the decision last week from a federal court in Texas regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the American Bar Association urges Congress to pass legislation that provides a critically needed path to legal status and citizenship for DACA recipients and other deserving young immigrants. "The Texas decision serves as a tr  more

ACC Submits a Notice of Intent to File Suit for EPA to Complete Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluations
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 21 -- The American Chemistry Council issued the following news release on Sept. 20, 2023: Today, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and Texas Chemical Council submitted a 60-day notice of intent to file suit for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) failure to complete two manufacturer-requested risk evaluations (MRREs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has failed to complete MRREs for DINP and for DIDP by TSCA's mandatory deadline of th  more

ADL Report Finds High Levels of Extremist Activity in Texas
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 22 (TNSres) -- The Anti-Defamation League issued the following news release: A new report from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) reveals an alarming trend of growing hate and extremism in Texas. Titled "Hate in the Lone Star State", the report written by the ADL Center on Extremism identifies the unique forces driving alarming levels of extremist activity in the state. The report looks back at nearly three years of extremism in Texas beginning in January 2021 and ending in   more

AFL Statement on Acquittal of Texas AG Ken Paxton
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 -- The America First Legal, a civil rights organization, issued the following statement on Sept. 16, 2023: * * * Today, America First Legal President Stephen Miller released a statement following the acquittal of Attorney General Ken Paxton by the Texas State Senate: "America First Legal proudly congratulates and salutes Attorney General Ken Paxton on his exoneration and vindication today before the Texas State Senate. Ken is the nation's indispensable Attorney General an  more

American Academy of Physician Associates: Harris Poll Surveys Reveal Overwhelming Support for Updating PA Practice Laws
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 21 (TNSres) -- The American Academy of Physician Associates issued the following news release: Nine in 10 adults across 10 states support updating physician associate/assistant (PA) practice laws to allow healthcare systems to fully utilize their workforce, according to a collection of state surveys conducted by The Harris Poll. The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) released the reports, which explore patient experiences in California, Florida, Massach  more

American Economic Liberties Project: FTC Stands Up For Anesthesiology Patients in Texas
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (TNSres) -- The American Economic Liberties Project issued the following statement on Sept. 21, 2023: * * * Following news that the Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/09/ftc-challenges-private-equity-firms-scheme-suppress-competition-anesthesiology-practices-across) against U.S. Anesthesia Partners (USAP) and private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe alleging that the two monopolized the anesthes  more

American Heart Association: Job Strain Combined With High Efforts and Low Reward Doubled Men's Heart Disease Risk
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 20 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: * * * These psychosocial stressors are each associated with heart disease risk and the combination was especially dangerous to men, finds study in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes journal * * * Research Highlights: * Men exposed to stressful working conditions who also felt that they put forth high effort but received low reward had twice the risk of heart disease compared to men who  more

American Heart Association: Scholarships Awarded to High School Students Committed to Whole Body Wellness
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 22 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: Supporting the next generation of health advocates, the American Heart Association awards five high school seniors with $1,000 college scholarships to energize their commitment to community health through service-learning opportunities. The grants are a part of the American Heart Challenge(TM), a school-based program that helps middle and high school students feel good about their health, while doing go  more

American Immigration Council: New Report Shows Immigrants in the East Texas Region Paid Over $300 Million in Taxes and Exceeded $1 Billion in Spending Power in 2021
LONGVIEW, Texas, Sept. 21 (TNSres) -- The American Immigration Council issued the following news release on Sept. 20, 2023: New research, Immigrants in East Texas, released today by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role immigrants in East Texas play in the region's economy. The new report was prepared in partnership with Texans for Economic Growth, a statewide 145+ member business coalition powered by the American Immigration Council, and the Longview Chamber of Commerc  more

Animal Rights Advocates Sue After Facing Ongoing Censorship and Arrest for Peaceful Advocacy in Houston Public Park
HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 22 -- The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2023: * * * * One advocate was arrested and handcuffed for two hours after peacefully demonstrating in a public park. * The Law & Religion Clinic at the University of Texas and FIRE are suing to protect the constitutional right to speak freely in public parks. * * * The City of Houston can't pick and choose who can speak freely in its public parks. Today, the Law &  more

ASHRAE Wraps Up Successful 2023 Building Performance Analysis Conference
ATLANTA, Georgia, Sept. 23 (TNSres) -- The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers issued the following news release: Embodied Carbon and Operational Energy were the focus of the 2023 ASHRAE Building Performance Analysis Conference held recently in Austin, Texas. The theme of the conference "Holistic Building Analysis: Linking Operational Energy, Embodied Carbon and Comfort" centered on a comprehensive approach of evaluating and designing buildings. "This yea  more

Associated General Contractors: Construction Employment Rises In 45 States & D.C. From August 2022 To August 2023, While 32 States & D.C. Add Employees Between July & August
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 20 (TNSres) -- Associated General Contractors of America issued the following news release on Sept. 19, 2023: * * * Texas and Wyoming Top Lists of Year-over-Year Gains, While Missouri, North Dakota Record the Worst Losses; California and Wyoming Lead in Monthly Job Increases, While Tennessee Experiences Largest Declines * * * Construction employment increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia in August from a year earlier, while 32 states and D.C. added con  more

Association of American Publishers: US District Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Barring Implementation of Texas Censorship Law
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The Association of American Publishers issued the following news release on Sept. 18, 2023: Today, Judge Alan D. Albright of the US District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, issued a written order granting a Preliminary Injunction barring the implementation of a vast and burdensome book ratings regime known as the "Reader Act," ruling "that this law violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment." The law would have required independent   more

Casualty Actuarial Society Names David Cummings as President-Elect
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 21 -- The Casualty Actuarial Society issued the following news: The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) has announced the results of its elections, with David Cummings, FCAS, being named president-elect for 2023-2024. Cummings will begin his term at the close of the 2023 CAS Annual Meeting in November and will go on to serve as CAS president for 2024-2025. Cummings is currently chief actuary and head of analytics, senior vice president at the USAA Property & Casualty Gr  more

Christian Cochran Joins Right On Crime As New Florida Director
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Sept. 21 -- Right on Crime, a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation that supports conservative solutions for reducing crime, restoring victims, reforming offenders and lowering taxpayer costs, issued the following news release: Right On Crime, a national criminal justice campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, welcomes Christian Cochran, a seasoned law enforcement and veterans' affairs professional, as the organization's new Florida Director. Coc  more

Dr. Ashrifa Ali From University of Texas Awarded $90,000 Knights Templar Eye Foundation Grant for Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival Research
FLOWER MOUND, Texas, Sept. 21 -- Knights Templar Eye Foundation issued the following news: Dr. Ashrifa Ali from the University of Texas at Austin was awarded a $90,000 grant for Identifying novel neuroprotective factors that increase RGC survival using zebrafish and human retinal organoid-derived RGCs. Approximately 500,000 children become blind every year. A common denominator in both pediatric glaucoma and many types of pediatric ocular traumas is the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). R  more

Environment Texas: Dallas Creates $750,000 Rebate Program for Electric Lawn Equipment
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 21 -- Environment Texas issued the following statement on Sept. 20, 2023: * * * The Dallas city council will vote Wednesday on a final budget for FY 2023-2024, which includes a new line item establishing a $750,000 rebate program to help residents purchase electric lawn equipment. * * * In response, Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger released the following statement: "Gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment -- lawnmowers, leaf-blowers and the like -- i  more

First-Of-Their-Kind Brain Health Scholarships Announced in Honor of Dr. Ralph Sacco
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 22 -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: In an effort to increase understanding, prevention and treatment of brain disease, the American Heart Association (the Association) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) today launched a scholarship program supporting early career trainees focused on how to help people maintain a healthy brain over their lifetime. These scholarships are the first of their kind to be jointly funded by the AAN and t  more

George W. Bush Presidential Center: Boeing Commits $10 Million Toward Programs for Veterans, Military Families and Civics Education
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 21 -- The George W. Bush Presidential Center issued the following news release on Sept. 20, 2023: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced a $10 million investment in the George W. Bush Presidential Center to support its museum and Veterans and Military Families programs. "The courage, resilience and sacrifice of our veterans inspire us daily, and we are proud to stand by them during and after their military service," said Ziad Ojakli, executive vice president of Government Opera  more

HACU Attends Department of Commerce Event in Washington, D.C.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 22 -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of College and Universities' President and CEO Antonio R. Flores and HACU Government Relations staff attended an Economic Latino Roundtable, and a National Youth Summit held by the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18 and 21, 2023. HACU Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Relations Lena T. Rodriguez attended the Departme  more

HACU President Speaks at State of Latinos Discussion in Washington, D.C.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 21 -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities' President and CEO Antonio R. Flores spoke at the State of Latinos in Washington, D.C., joining other leaders from Hispanic organizations to offer perspectives on the current higher education environment affecting Latinos and Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The event was hosted by the office of Minority Leader of the U.S. H  more

HAR PARTNERS WITH FOREWARN TO PROMOTE PROACTIVE AGENT SAFETY
HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 19 -- The Houston Association of Realtors issued the following news release on Sept. 18, 2023: The Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) and FOREWARN, LLC, a red violet company (NASDAQ: RDVT) and the leading provider of real-time information solutions for real estate agents, announce that HAR will offer FOREWARN(R) services to its more than 48,000 MLS subscribers they serve throughout Houston and the surrounding area to promote proactive real estate agent safety. Availabl  more

Houston Gulf Coast Area State of the Birds StoryMap Now Live
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Sept. 22 -- Houston Advanced Research Center issued the following news release: HARC has partnered with Houston Audubon, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, American Bird Conservancy, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology to create the Houston Gulf Coast Area (HGCA) State of the Birds StoryMap. The upper Texas coast is vitally important for more than 500 diverse bird species. The HGCA State of the Birds StoryMap brings together data on land use, la  more

Immigrant Legal Resource Center: TPS Redesignation for Venezuelan Immigrants is a Positive Development
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 -- The Immigrant Legal Resource Center issued the following news release: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) redesignation for Venezuelan immigrants is a positive development but the Biden administration must not tie it to increased border enforcement and militarization that only emboldens hateful policies like Texas' Operation Lone Star, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) said. "The ILRC is pleased that roughly 472,000 Venezuelan immigrants will benefit from TPS red  more

Institute for Justice to Join Case Against Unconstitutional Eminent Domain by Port of Freeport, Texas, Targeting Historic Black Community
FREEPORT, Texas, Sept. 22 -- The Institute for Justice issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2023: Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) filed a motion with the Brazoria County Court to formally represent the Marshall family in their fight to keep their family properties. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for September 29 in Angleton, Texas, where IJ will join with the Marshalls' original attorney to urge the court to order the return of their properties and set a trial to award damages  more

Institute for Justice: Public Interest Law Firm Calls on Austin City Officials to Compensate Innocent Couple Whose Home Was Destroyed During Botched SWAT Raid
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 21 -- The Institute for Justice issued the following news release: Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter (https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Letter-to-Austin-City-Attorney-Anne-Morgan_September-20-2023.pdf) to city officials in Austin, Texas, calling on them to pay just compensation to an innocent couple whose home suffered $23,000 worth of damage during a botched SWAT raid in August. On August 6, Austin Police conducted a welfare check that went  more

Jack Cuzick, PhD Honored With 2023 William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 23 -- The American Association for Cancer Research issued the following news release on Sept. 21, 2023: Jack Cuzick, PhD, will receive the William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award at the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), December 5-9 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The William L. McGuire Memorial Lecture Award was established in 1992 to commemorate McGuire's significant contributions to breast oncology. McGuire, along  more

Kids in Need of Defense Condemns Recent Family Separation at U.S. Government Facility in Donna, Texas, and Recommends Measures to Ensure Children's Wellbeing
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- Kids in Need of Defense, a non-governmental organization that says it is devoted to protection of unaccompanied and separated children, issued the following statement on Sept. 19, 2023: * * * In response to news that U.S. Border Patrol agents separated migrant children from their parents for several days this summer at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility in Donna, Texas, to avoid overcrowding, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), a nonprofit dedicated to th  more

LULAC HONORS HOUSTON ASTROS SUPERSTAR 2ND BASEMAN JOSE ALTUVE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL FOR BEING AN OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE AND ROLE MODEL
HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 21 -- LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, issued the following news release: LULAC proudly recognized the remarkable career and character of Houston Astros' superstar, Jose Carlos Altuve, with the prestigious Presidential Medal for Outstanding Professional Athlete and Role Model. The presentation of this esteemed award took place at a special ceremony held at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Tuesday night. LULAC National President Domingo Garcia had the hono  more

NARUC: New Chairs Appointed to the Committee on Electricity and Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 -- The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners issued the following news release: The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Michael A. Caron has appointed new chairs for the Committee on Electricity and the Subcommittee on Pipeline Safety, tapping Commissioner Kim Duffley of North Carolina and Jim Wright of Texas, respectively. Duffley, who replaces Minnesota Commissioner Matt Schuerger in her new role, has served as a commissi  more

National Domestic Worker Alliance Statement: Federal Judge's Decision Threatens DACA's Future
NEW YORK, Sept. 20 -- The National Domestic Workers Alliance issued the following statement on Sept. 19, 2023: * * * "In light of the recent ruling by the Southern District of Texas, once again declaring DACA as illegal and blocking future applications, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to defending this vital program. This decision comes after reviewing changes implemented by the Biden administration, underscoring the urgent need for a lawful resolution in higher courts. DACA protects the  more

NFA Orders Houston-Based Introducing Broker Bosworth Brokers LLC and One of Its Principals to Each Pay a $100,000 Fine
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 19 -- The National Futures Association issued the following news release: NFA has ordered Bosworth Brokers LLC (BBL), an NFA Member introducing broker located in Houston, Texas, and Andrew Michael Gizienski, a principal and associated person of BBL, to each pay a $100,000 fine. The Decision, issued by an NFA Hearing Panel, is based on a Complaint authorized by NFA's Business Conduct Committee (BCC) and a settlement offer submitted by BBL, Gizienski and Dennis Michael B  more

NIBS Announces BEST6 Call for Abstracts
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- The National Institute of Building Sciences issued the following news: The National Institute of Building Sciences Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) has opened the call for abstracts for the Building Science and Technology (BEST6) conference March 18-20, 2024, in Austin, Texas. The BEST6 theme is "The Next Generation of Building Technology." NIBS seeks presentation abstracts (up to 300 words) in the following focus areas: the impact of clima  more

ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, The Marshall Project, Military Times, City Bureau, The Maine Monitor Honored With SPJ Sunshine Award
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Sept. 20 -- The Society of Professional Journalists issued the following news: The Society of Professional Journalists has named five journalists and reporting teams as winners of its annual Sunshine Award. This year's winners are: -Brett Murphy of ProPublica for his investigation into 911 call analysis -Lexi Churchill, Vianna Davila, Megan Rose and Ren Larson of ProPublica and The Texas Tribune for documenting military injustice -City Bureau for its website Documente  more

Religious Right's Efforts to Ban Books in Texas Schools Fails in Court, Texas Freedom Network Celebrates Judge's Order on HB 900
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 20 -- The Texas Freedom Network issued the following statement on Sept. 19, 2023: * * * U.S. District Judge Alan Albright yesterday issued a written order stopping the state from implementing HB 900, which sought to completely ban or restrict materials in public school libraries by creating a vague and undefined rating system with multiple levels of review by several state agencies. A coalition of book vendors and public bookstores sued the state in July over the legislat  more

Southwest Research Institute: New Findings Suggest Moon May Have Less Water Than Previously Thought
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 19 -- Southwest Research Institute issued the following news release: A team including Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Raluca Rufu recently calculated that most of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) are at most around 3.4 billion years old and can contain relatively young deposits of water ice. Water resources are considered key for sustainable exploration of the Moon and beyond, but these findings suggest that current estimates for cold-trapped ices are  more

Texas Biomed Launches New International Center for the Advancement of Research & Education
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Sept. 19 -- Texas Biomedical Research Institute issued the following news on Sept. 18, 2023: Capitalizing on the power of its longstanding international partnership portfolio, Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) has created a new global center to foster collaborations in infectious disease research. The International Center for the Advancement of Research & Education (I-CARE) leverages the power of global exchange to solve complex health issues in an increasi  more

Texas Corn Producers: Expanding Ag Education
LUBBOCK, Texas, Sept. 22 -- Texas Corn Producers issued the following news release: It is more important than ever to equip the young minds of today with a foundational knowledge of the role water and other natural resources play in our food system and the efforts being taken to conserve them. Texas Corn Producers (TCP) partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas (NRCS) to establish the NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture Certification that   more

Texas PIRG: Broad Coalition of Groups Urges Energy Department to Finalize Water Heater Efficiency Standards
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (TNSres) -- The Texas Public Interest Research Group issued the following news release: Consumer, climate, and health advocates called on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Thursday to promptly finalize the water heater efficiency standards it proposed this July. The groups submitted a letter signed by more than 140 organizations and more than 12,000 letters and petition signatures from members of the public from all 50 states supporting the proposal. Water heaters are th  more

TPPF Releases New DEI Research
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 18 (TNSres) -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release on Sept. 17, 2023: Today, in honor of Constitution Day, the Texas Public Policy released new research, focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The new paper, "DEI Versus the Declaration of Independence," tackles the collision course between DEI programs and the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. "America stands at a crossroads: I  more

TPPF Urges Texas Supreme Court to Take Up Case Defending the Texas Bill of Rights
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 21 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release on Sept. 20, 2023: Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation filed a brief with the Texas Supreme Court, requesting the Court to overturn a recent lower court decision which held that all violations of Article 1, Section 2 of the Texas Bill of Rights are unreviewable by Texas Courts. The lower court's unprecedented decision, which applied a federal multi-factored political question test to establish  more

TXBIZ Endorses Propositions That Fortify the Business Climate
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 19 -- The Texas Association of Business issued the following news release on Sept. 18, 2023: Today, TXBIZ PAC, the political action committee representing the Texas Association of Business (TAB), released its endorsements for the November 7th Constitutional Amendment Election: Prop 2 - Authorizes a county or local government to exempt all or part of the appraised value used to operate a child-care facility Prop 4 - Omnibus property tax cuts Prop 5 - Creating the Texas Un  more

United Methodist Church's General Board of Church & Society: Federal Texas Judge Decides DACA Unlawful in Recent Court Case Ruling
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 -- The United Methodist Church's General Board of Church and Society issued the following agency statement on Sept. 20, 2023: * * * Judge Andrew Hanen of the Federal District Court in Houston, Texas recently ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was unlawful and an overstep of Executive authority by then President Barack Obama in 2012. To strike-down DACA as unlawful, without any direction on how the government moves forward with an immigration solu  more