Several members of the Legislature bucked their parties Saturday night in voting for or against the state budget. In their own words, here’s why.
Medicaid
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Health care
Guest Column: The Case for Family Planning Funding
This session we have seen an all out assault on women’s health driven by the erroneous assumption that family planning is synonymous with abortion.
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Health care
Liveblog: A Make-or-Break Day for the Budget
With less than two days left in the legislative session, lawmakers set out to pay for the budget by passing SB 1811. Without it, the budget doesn’t balance and lawmakers will be forced to come back in a special session. It passed in the House, but was undone by a Senate filibuster.
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Criminal Justice
20 Weeks in Which the Budget Held Sway
The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting.
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Economy
Liveblog: Lege Passes Budget Cuts of $15 Billion
Texas lawmakers passed a two-year state budget on Saturday that cuts $15.2 billion from current spending — most of that in health and human services — but avoids increased taxes and leaves $6.5 billion untouched in the state’s Rainy Day Fund.
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Health care
Crownover: Smoking Ban Dead, Again
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.
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Health care
Guest Column: The Case for Family Planning Funding
Eliminating funds for family planning services is not a responsible or compassionate choice. It will shift the burden of care to our already overloaded local hospitals and leave the women who depend on these services with few options.
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Economy
A Businesslike Budget, After a Fashion
When Texas lawmakers said they wanted to run government like a business, they left out the part about using Enron and Countrywide as their models.
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Health care
Smoking Ban Officially Snuffed?
Hope for a smoke-free Texas seems officially snuffed. State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, said today that a statewide smoking ban would not live on as an amendment to Senate Bill 1811.
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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.
