This might help 2306 students hone in on a topic for the 1000 word essay.
The Texas Tribune's page on the 84th Legislature lists what it considers to be the dominant issues in the current legislative session. These are topics they highlight. Each links back to the Tribune. If you are in 2306 you could do worse than draw from these for your paper proposal.
Ethics
- The fight over dark money.
- Former legislators as lobbyists.
Environment
- Reforming how groundwater is managed.
- Chipping away at environmental regulations.
- Addressing the effects of oil and gas drilling.
Transportation
- Ensuring all gas tax revenue goes to the highway fund.
- Dedicating car sales taxes to the highway fund.
- Banning texting while driving.
- Reviewing state policies on toll roads.
Health and Human Services
- Reforming end-of-life care
- Medicaid expansion or its alternatives
- Consolidating Texas’ health agencies
Higher Education
- Tuition revenue bonds for campus construction
- In-state tuition for undocumented students
- Reining in rising tuition
Law and Order
- Efforts to change voter ID
- Reducing penalties for marijuana possession
- Enhancing gun rights
- Changing the age of adulthood for criminal charges
Energy
- Acting on the EPA's "Clean Power Plan"
- Combating local drilling ordinances
- Responding to volatile oil prices
Public Education
- Improving educator quality
- Reforming Pre-K
- School choice and vouchers
Social Issues
- Efforts to defund Planned Parenthood providers
- Gay rights legislation
- Expanding gambling in Texas
- Further restrictions on abortion
Immigration and Border Security
- Banning “sanctuary cities”
- Border security spending and operations
- Mandating the use of E-verify
Budget and Taxes
- Reforming contracting and procurement
- Reducing property taxes
- Cutting margins taxes
- Budget fallout from school finance lawsuit
