Health care

The sick-leave ordinance was approved by a 10-4 vote despite efforts in the Texas Legislature and the courts to ban such rules.

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Hemp is a cousin of the marijuana plant, but it contains low levels of the psychoactive element in marijuana known as THC. The House's bill will now go to the Senate.

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Most states check once a year whether children on Medicaid still qualify for the program. Texas checks more often, using an automated system that critics say leads to kids losing coverage even though they're still eligible.

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Surprise medical bills happen when out-of-network health care providers and insurance companies can’t agree on the price of a medical treatment, leaving the patient to pick up the amount insurance won’t pay.

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The House tentatively signed off on a bill Tuesday that would grant legal protections to babies born after failed abortion attempts, though such instances are extremely rare.

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It's not unusual for teachers to spend over $1,000 a month on health insurance.

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State Rep. Jeff Leach said a bill that criminalizes abortion will not advance beyond the committee he chairs.

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Senate Bill 21 passed Tuesday, raising the legal purchasing age for tobacco products from 18 to 21. But its author amended the legislation to exclude active military from the age raise.

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The schools still need approval from the Texas Senate.

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Some business groups who thought they had a slam dunk bill on employment benefits are now worried that LGBTQ opposition they tried to prevent could kill one of their priorities.

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Supporters say Senate Bill 22 would terminate "sweetheart rent deals," but abortion rights advocates say the legislation is the latest attempt in the legislature's years-long battle to reduce funding for abortion providers.

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Anti-abortion bills have gathered steam in the upper chamber — including a proposal to limit local funding for abortion providers and another to protect infants born alive after an abortion.

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The House also signed off on a $9 billion supplemental budget that would withdraw $4.3 billion from the state savings account.

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Disability advocates want the Texas Legislature to invest in pay raises for home care workers. Even in a year of surplus, it's a difficult battle.

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Lawmakers were alerted that a page on the House floor had the infection, triggering discussions about vaccine policies in the state.

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The newfound push this session around school safety and preventing mass shootings is reinvigorating ideas about mental health care for Texas children. But advocates often cringe when legislators make the argument that mental health care is the key to preventing mass shootings.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's wariness of proposals to expand the state's narrow medical cannabis program may block any such bills from reaching the governor's desk this session.

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O'Rourke has long said he wants health care to be affordable, high quality and universal — a goal that brought questions from voters during his first few days as a presidential candidate.

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A federal program known as the 1115 waiver helps pay for the costs of providing health care to the uninsured. Advocates want the Texas Legislature to order a renegotiation of the waiver, which partially expires in 2021.

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Hospital leaders say restrictions on their property tax revenue growth could force them to scale back services.

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