Many thought this was the year. But Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, acknowledged on Saturday that a measure establishing a statewide smoking ban in Texas is dead.
Emily Ramshaw
Emily Ramshaw was the editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune from 2016 to 2020. During her tenure, the Tribune — billed “one of the nonprofit news sector’s runaway success stories” — won a Peabody Award, several national Murrow Awards and top honors from the Online News Association.
Before joining the Tribune in 2010 as one of its founding reporters, Ramshaw spent six years at The Dallas Morning News, where she broke national stories about sexual abuse inside Texas’ youth lock-ups, reported from inside a West Texas polygamist compound and uncovered “fight clubs” inside state institutions for the disabled. The Texas APME named Ramshaw its 2008 star reporter of the year. In 2016, she was named to the board of the Pulitzer Prizes.
A native of Washington, D.C., and the product of two journalist parents, Ramshaw graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with dual degrees in journalism and American history.
Posted in
State Government
Is There a Boys Club Under the Pink Dome?
The flap in the House and Senate this week over a political flyer showing an infant nursing at a bare breast has rekindled an age-old discussion: Is there sexism in the Texas Capitol?
Posted in
State Government
House Women Outraged by “Despicable” Flyers
The lower chamber erupted into a gender war of sorts Thursday afternoon, with Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, accusing a special interest group of sexism, and Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, suggesting some lawmakers have pornography on the House floor.
Posted in
Health care
Women’s Health Program Still Stands, but Questions Linger
The Women’s Health Program — long believed to require legislative renewal — lives on, at least for now, in the form of a budget rider.
Posted in
Health care
For Some Republicans, Federal Action is Payback
State Sen. Dan Patrick says he knows why the federal government has intervened on two key bills facing Texas lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session: “retribution.” But is it that simple?
Posted in
Health care
Kolkhorst Throws Herself a Life Raft on Heath Care Compact Bill
Rep. Lois Kolkhorst threw herself a life raft tonight, attaching her Health Care Compact bill — a measure that would seek to give Texas control of the purse strings for Medicare and Medicaid — onto a Senate health care bill that the House passed on third reading.
Posted in
Health care
Kolkhorst Holding Nelson’s Health Bill Hostage
Rep. Lois Kolkhorst is holding Sen. Jane Nelson’s health reform bill hostage.
Posted in
Health care
For Clients of Perry’s Advisers, a Troubling State Budget
Gov. Rick Perry has delivered his fiscal message loud and clear: Balance the cash-strapped state budget with cuts, not with the Rainy Day Fund or new taxes. Yet some of his most loyal advisers, past and future, are representing clients beating a very different drum.
Posted in
Health care
State Efforts to Take Control of Medicaid Struggling
Texas’ efforts to take control over Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for poor children and the disabled, could be in trouble.
Posted inState Government
House Votes Not to Change Primary Date
After a testy exchange, House lawmakers gave an initial OK to a voting bill that would push up the election filing period in order to give military voters more time to get absentee ballots.
