Both Republican and Democratic members of a key legislative oversight committee unloaded on Gov. Greg Abbott’s top health appointee Thursday, putting him and others on the hot seat for hours about alleged contracting abuses.
Health And Human Services Commission
Posted in
State Government
Lawmaker blasts Abbott appointee, health agency over contracting; agency fires back
State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione is demanding to know why dozens of large Texas Health and Human Services Commission contracts don’t appear in the state’s budget watchdog’s database. The agency says it isn’t responsible for the problem.
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Health care
Texas House panel leaves bill requiring burial of fetal remains pending in committee
The Texas House Committee on State Affairs weighed a bill on Wednesday that would require the burial or cremation of fetal remain.
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State Government
Analysis: Sex trafficking series shows Texas vexed by long-term challenges
State officials have done a lot of work to stop sex trafficking in Texas, but the results revealed by the Tribune’s Sold Out series are demoralizing. The state’s own safety net is part of the pipeline for victims of trafficking.
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Criminal Justice
Judge temporarily blocks Planned Parenthood’s ouster from Texas Medicaid
After three days of testimony from attorneys for the state and Planned Parenthood, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks is letting the reproductive health provider stay in Medicaid until Feb. 21.
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Criminal Justice
State focuses on anti-abortion group video in Planned Parenthood hearing
Showing multiple clips from a video released in 2015 by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress, state attorneys and witnesses said the footage was grounds for dismissing Planned Parenthood from Medicaid.
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Criminal Justice
In dueling budget proposals, Texas House and Senate billions apart
Texas House and Senate leaders are starting out the legislative session nearly $8 billion apart according in dueling budget proposals released Tuesday. Among the sticking points: spending on public education and border security.
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Health care
Texas reproductive rights groups brace for Legislature
Reproductive rights advocates have expressed concern that Texas lawmakers will take bolder steps in the upcoming session to defund abortion providers and dismantle access to abortion, birth control and other sexual health services.
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2016 Year in Review
Trump, women’s health, child welfare top Texas news in 2016
Here’s a look at the top health and human services storylines The Texas Tribune tracked this year.
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State Government
Backers hopeful Texas ready to screen welfare recipients for drug use
While Texas already has some of the strictest eligibility requirements in the country for welfare benefit applicants, some lawmakers plan to try again next year to add required drug screenings or testing to the process.
