Texas, unlike all but 11 other states, hasn’t expanded its Medicaid program. And it also hasn’t addressed the problem that’s supposed to help solve: The state’s worst-in-the-nation ranking for people without health insurance.
Demographics
Explore population trends, diversity, and data shaping Texas communities, politics, and policy.
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Foster Care in Texas
Texas’ child welfare agency ordered to investigate trans kids’ families has been in crisis for years
The Department of Family and Protective Services has been under federal court monitoring for over a decade for violating the civil rights of kids in foster care. Now, the short-staffed agency has to investigate parents who provide their children with gender-affirming care.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Republicans more than doubled turnout in the Rio Grande Valley compared with the last midterm primary
Democrats in the region still had higher turnout, but Republicans celebrated the narrowing of the gap. Despite the improvement, nearly 87% of registered voters in the Rio Grande Valley did not vote in the primary, similar to the rate in 2018.
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Transgender Texans
What is gender-affirming medical care for transgender children? Here’s what you need to know.
Gender-affirming care, which leading health care organizations in Texas say is the best way to provide care to transgender children, is emerging as a top target of state Republicans and lies at the heart of brewing political and legal battles.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Analysis: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the power of Us vs. Them
A week into early voting in the Texas party primaries, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick launched his latest culture-war volley, an attack on college professors whose teachings about race don’t match his notions about what they should be teaching.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Analysis: Hey, Texans, get out there and vote!
On this first day of early voting in the Democratic and Republican primaries, take a moment to think through the issues — whether the candidates are talking about them or not — before you cast your ballot.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Federal judges won’t halt Texas primary in state Senate district being challenged for alleged discrimination
The redrawn state Senate District 10 splits Black and Hispanic voters in Tarrant County. A full trial on whether GOP lawmakers intentionally discriminated against voters of color is expected later this year.
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Demographics
Texas now has more jobs than it did before the pandemic hit
Job growth in the state, driven by population gains, has outpaced the rest of the country in recent months, according to recent federal data.
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Demographics
Gov. Greg Abbott taps into parent anger to fuel reelection campaign
Abbott promises a “parental bill of rights” amendment to the Texas Constitution. Current education code already provides an array of parent protections when it comes to schools.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Analysis: Running a Texas election while voters are distracted — by politics
With less than five weeks left in the primary election season, there is no shortage of political issues to debate. But most of the political conversation isn’t about the election.