The House on Wednesday tentatively approved a bill that would strengthen the state’s rules on disclosures for political advertisements on radio and television and add requirements for political ads on social media websites.
Becca Aaronson
Becca Aaronson was the first product manager at the Tribune, where she worked from 2010 to 2018. As product manager, Becca managed the Tribune's website redesign, coordinates cross-departmental projects and conducted user research to improve reader experience. She previously worked on the Tribune's data visuals team as a developer and project manager, contributing to several award-winning investigative projects. She covered health care from 2012 to 2014, making waves with her coverage of women's health and the Wendy Davis abortion filibuster.
She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural theory from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif.
Posted in
Bidness As Usual
House Disclosure Bill Won’t Get a Vote
UPDATED: Rep. Giovanni Capriglione’s bill to require legislators to disclose their business contracts with government entities won’t get a vote in the House — unless he can tack it onto an Ethics Commission reform bill.
Posted in
Health care
As Clock Ticks, Medicaid Expansion Dwindles
UPDATED: With the prospect of Medicaid expansion on life support, protesters gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday to urge state leadership to expand coverage to poor adults, and state Democrats announced that they’re still searching for a legislative vehicle to expand coverage.
Posted in
Health care
Hotze to File Suit Over Federal Health Reform
UPDATED: The Supreme Court’s ruling that penalties under the Affordable Care Act qualify as taxes has opened the door to another constitutional challenge, Houston physician and Republican donor Steve Hotze said Tuesday. And he’s filing suit.
Posted inHealth care, State Government
Interactive: Tracking Abortion Legislation
Abortion is usually a contentious issue in the Texas Legislature, but this session, lawmakers have had relatively few public debates on it. Use this Tribune interactive to track the progress of bills related to abortion.
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Health care
Lege Divided on Abortion Finds Rare Harmony in Women’s Health Care
The political fireworks that accompanied lawmakers’ 2011 fight over women’s health care and abortion has been replaced with some semblance of concession, as legislators work quietly to restore financing.
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Health care
HHSC Receives Approval to Raise Medicaid Premiums
UPDATED: The Health and Human Services Commission received approval on Wednesday to raise the Medicaid premiums that go to managed care companies.
Posted in
Health care
House Panel Reviews CPRIT Reform Legislation
State Rep. Jim Keffer, who is sponsoring legislation that would overhaul CPRIT, told a House committee Wednesday that “there was never anybody feathering their nest” with funds from the cancer research institute.
Posted in
Health care
Business Association Endorses Zerwas’ Medicaid Plan
The Texas Association of Businesses — a heavyweight in conservative lobbying circles — has endorsed state Rep. John Zerwas’ proposal to negotiate with the federal government to find a palatable way to expand health insurance coverage.
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Health care
Janek Awaits Direction From Lege on Medicaid Expansion
Texas’ executive health commissioner, Kyle Janek, said Thursday that negotiations between the federal government and the Health and Human Services Commission on whether to expand Medicaid are at a standstill because he’s waiting on the Legislature.
