The state's family planning budget is getting increasingly thin. Budget conferees appear poised to go with the cheapest possible option for offering minimal family planning services, and a Medicaid program that provides screenings and contraception is circling the drain.

Legislation on football helmet safety is one step closer to crossing the goal line after passing the Senate today nearly unanimously. Helmets are “the first line of defense” for football players, said Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, the senate sponsor of HB 675. 

The Federal Trade Commission is warning that one of the key health care reform bills trumpeted by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, could substantially harm consumers. 

The House tentatively passed a health care bill that intends to increase efficiency and cost savings in Texas' expensive Medicaid and other health programs today — but not before adding a far-ranging variety of amendments. 

Amid the budget drama of the day, senators had a few moments of levity when they brought up the "noodling" bill, which would legalize the practice of hand-fishing for catfish.

After a chaotic day of stops and starts and private meetings, Texas lawmakers don't have a budget deal yet. Unless key pieces of legislation are passed soon, lawmakers are almost guaranteed to be back this summer for a special session.

The House was expected to take up two controversial fiscal matters bill today, but from the start representatives were not sure the lower chamber was prepared to pass them. The apparent holdup? Whether some of the revenue measures amount to the "accounting gimmicks" that the governor warned against Tuesday.

The Texas House gave a final OK today to the "pork chopper" bill and sent it off to the governor's office. The bill would allow licensed hunters to hire helicopters and contract with landowners to shoot feral hogs and coyotes on their property from the sky. 

Don't stub out the statewide smoking ban bill yet. The bill's House and Senate authors say they've got a vehicle for the measure to be passed, and they're still hopeful Texas will be the first southern state to outlaw the habit in restaurants, bars and most public places. 

Texas lawmakers have a message for Transportation Security Administration: hands off. The House passed a bill today that would prohibit invasive searches and pat-downs at airport security or other public buildings.

The Texas House passed a bill today on malt liquor drinks that contain caffeine, ginseng, taurine or guarana. The bill prohibits the sale, manufacture, import and possessing of alcoholic energy drinks, like the infamous Four Loko.

When state Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, introduced a bill last legislative session to allow licensed hunters to shoot feral hogs from helicopters, Texas lawmakers jokingly passed out “pork chopper” buttons. They're not laughing anymore.

Check out our analysis of Texas Parks and Wildlife data to track demand for helicopter hunting by landowners, how many hogs Texans have already killed from the sky, and landowners' reported reasons for needing to kill feral hogs. 

At a Capitol press conference this morning, Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and daughter of the late Texas Gov. Ann Richards, said her organization is under siege by GOP lawmakers.

Senators today amended an education finance reform bill to allow community college students to carry concealed handguns on campus, increase the cost of cigarettes and allow drastic changes to university administration.