It’s funny that you can win four statewide elections and still have people think you’re a goofball, in over your head. But maybe Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s fumbles leading to the Texas Senate’s budget vote give the lie to that. Maybe he’s goofy like a fox.
Medicaid
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Health care
Playing by the Rules
The real rule of the Texas Legislature is that there are no rules when the rules get in the way. If the Senate needs to pass a budget and can’t get a two-thirds vote to do so, and if there’s a way to squint at the rules and do it with a simple majority, then that’s what they’ll do.
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Health care
Kathleen Sebelius: The TT Interview
In an exclusive on-camera interview with The Texas Tribune on Friday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discussed the federal government’s efforts to cooperate with a state like Texas, where GOP leaders have been hostile to the Affordable Care Act.
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Health care
Planned Parenthood Again in Lawmakers’ Crosshairs
GOP lawmakers’ battle against Planned Parenthood resumed today, as members of a Senate subcommittee passed out a bill that would renew the Texas Women’s Health Program but prohibit the country’s most prominent family planning organization from participating.
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Health care
Children’s Hospitals Face Brunt of Medicaid Cuts
Despite some efforts to lessen the blow to pediatric health care providers, Texas’ proposed budget cuts will likely have a disproportionate effect on children’s hospitals, which treat the state’s youngest and poorest patients.
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Health care
Senate Approves Medicaid Savings Bill
The Senate unanimously approved Sen. Jane Nelson’s bill to find extensive cost savings in Texas’ Medicaid program, the primary health care provider for children, the disabled and the very poor.
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Health care
David Dewhurst: The TT Interview
With less than five weeks left to go in the session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sat down with the Tribune to talk about his future political plans, the status of the budget in the Senate and in the biennial parley between the Senate and the House, redistricting and the tug-of-war over the Rainy Day Fund.
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Economy
Senate Budget Debate Stalls Over Vote Count
Waiting for the Senate budget debate? Get comfortable. Plans to bring the Senate’s substitute for the House’s budget, HB 1, up for a vote on the floor on Thursday have for now been pushed back to Friday or later, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said.
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Economy
Dewhurst Makes Budget Pitch to Senators
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, trying to build enough support to bring the budget up for consideration this week, appealed in writing to state senators, supporting the plan and a provision that would allow the state to spend $3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
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Health care
Cuts, Part Two
A $176.5 billion budget — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget — won approval from the Senate Finance Committee right and will come to a full Senate vote after the Easter break.
