The Tribune counts down to the end of the special session with updates on where the major issues added to the agenda by Gov. Rick Perry stand.
Medicaid
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Health care
Updated: Senate Committee Votes Out Smoking Ban
Senate lawmakers pushed a ban on smoking in public places out of committee this afternoon, sending it to the full upper chamber for a vote.
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Health care
The Circus is Coming
Brace yourselves. There’s still a possibility it won’t happen, but brace yourselves nevertheless, because in some ways it’s happening already.
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Health care
House Gives Early Nod to Health Care Compact
House lawmakers gave early approval to a bill designed to let Texas take control of Medicaid and Medicare from the federal government after a high-decibel argument between the measure’s Republican author and Democratic lawmakers.
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Health care
House OKs Bill to Seek Federal Medicaid Waiver
The Texas House passed a bill today to take control of Texas health care reform, tentatively passing a bill that will allow the state to petition the Obama administration for a block grant to operate the Medicaid program.
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Health care
Guest Column: Why Perry Shouldn’t Run for President
Like the swaggering rooster who believes the sun came up because of all that crowing, he takes credit for the good things that happened on his watch when they would have happened anyway — but the real problem is what he hasn’t done.
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Health care
Second Life: Bill Becomes Festooned Health Care Christmas Tree
In hours of debate this afternoon, House lawmakers used an omnibus health care bill as their last-ditch effort to get other medical measures that failed during the regular session passed during the special session.
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Health care
Health Reform Bill Alters Family Planning Funding
The health reform bill House lawmakers considered today has drawn an unexpected band of supporters: abortion opponents. The measure contains a provision aimed at doing what GOP lawmakers have fought to do all year: restrict funding to Planned Parenthood.
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Health care
Feds May Block Effort to Force Out Planned Parenthood
GOP lawmakers have gone to great lengths to try to force Planned Parenthood out of Texas’ Medicaid Women’s Health Program. The Obama administration may have headed off their plans.
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Health care
World’s Shortest Effective Filibuster
The Legislature finished on Monday and came back on Tuesday to do in a few days what they could not accomplish in 140
