Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has announced a slate of bills he says will provide lasting tax relief to businesses and homeowners in Texas — to the tune of $4.6 billion. But there are signs he could face some opposition within his own party.
Charles Schwertner
Posted in
Energy
The Brief: Feb. 19, 2015
Senate budget writers on Wednesday lit into Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek, a former senator himself, in a hearing that concluded with another call for him to resign.
Posted in
State Government
Roundup: Guns, Tolls and Emergency Preparedness
In the Roundup: Lawmakers listen to hours of testimony on two pieces of gun legislation, toll bill snafus affect thousands of Texans, and a Senate bill would better prepare the state to handle infectious disease emergencies.
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Health care
The Brief: Feb. 12, 2015
The debate over the expansion of rights to carry guns onto university campuses and openly with a permit moves from rallies outside the Capitol to legislative hearings inside the building today.
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Health care
Senator Talks of “Lost Confidence” in Health Agency Watchdog
At the Senate Health and Human Services Committee’s first meeting of the legislative session, Chairman Charles Schwertner shared some tough criticism of the Health and Human Services Commission’s Office of Inspector General.
Posted in
Health care
Looking to Be Better Prepared for the Next Public Health Emergency
Lawmakers will consider ways to improve the state’s preparedness for public health emergencies. Dallas County officials identified shortfalls in the system last fall when the country’s Ebola case was diagnosed.
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Health care
Arkansas Medicaid Plan Offers Mixed Lessons
Early on, supporters of Medicaid expansion pointed to Arkansas as an example of how Texas might go about helping insure its poor. But lately, the neighbor’s grass doesn’t look quite as green.
Posted in
Energy
The Brief: Dec. 16, 2014
The Tribune’s Jim Malewitz tries to get at, in a piece also published in Politico Magazine, the root causes that spurred the town of Denton to approve a ban on fracking last month.
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Health care
Video: A Bid to Attract More Mental Health Workers
A bill filed Monday could create a financial incentive for students to become mental health care providers. Senate Bill 239 would create a loan reimbursement program for certain licensed mental health workers who assist the underserved.
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Health care
Sunset Commission Backs Bid to Consolidate State Health Agencies
With the endorsement Wednesday of the Sunset Advisory Commission, legislators are set to move forward with a consolidation of the state’s five health agencies into a single health commission with seven divisions.
