Health care

Waskom declared itself a "sanctuary city for the unborn." City leaders acknowledged that the decision will likely lead to a lawsuit.

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Texas has resisted recent attempts to change its vaccine laws, allowing parents to get their children exemptions for "reasons of conscience." Use our lookup tool to see how exemption rates have changed in school districts and private schools across the state.

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Previous state law explicitly permitted breastfeeding in public, but the bill adds a protection for women who choose to pump breast milk in public.

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Problems with the state’s data led to initial reports that Texas' maternal mortality rate was far higher than it is.

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One bill awaiting action by the governor will require freestanding emergency rooms to clearly disclose the in-network health plans they accept and the fees patients may be charged.

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The region has some of the highest suicide rates in the state. But the safety net for people who need help is being stretched thin, and some Texans are falling through.

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Texas joins 18 other states that have passed similar laws restricting access to over-the-counter cough medicines like Nyquil and Robitussin that include the ingredient dextromethorphan.

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The bill would prohibit such partnerships, even for services not related to abortions. Abortion rights advocates worry that the bill's broad language could even halt privately funded programs held on government property.

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Angry that the Legislature failed to overrule local ordinances requiring private employers to offer paid sick leave, many business groups are hoping the courts will finish the job for them.

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If the House approves changes made by the upper chamber, the bill will head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

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Senate Bill 10, focused on connecting children to mental health services, was knocked out of contention with a parliamentary maneuver Tuesday night but was revived as an amendment to another bill hours later. It's one of several measures the state's GOP leaders championed in the wake of the deadly shooting last year at Santa Fe High School.

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Senate Bill 22 bars Texas governments from contracting with abortion providers or their affiliates — even for services like sexual health education and pregnancy prevention initiatives.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has expressed wariness to expanding the Compassionate Use Program, but the bill's Senate sponsor said Patrick helped craft the version that cleared a key hurdle Friday.

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Republicans in the Texas Senate passed the bill Thursday with the support of two Democrats. If the Texas House concurs with minor changes the Senate made to the measure, it will go to the governor.

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The legislation comes after Dallas resident Eve Wiley discovered that her mother's fertility doctor used his own sperm during an insemination procedure instead of the donor her mother selected.

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The bill already passed the Senate but will require another vote in the upper chamber due to minor changes made in the House.

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It was the second time in as many days that the lower chamber moved to increase which medical conditions allow Texans to use CBD oil for treatment. But both bills face an uphill battle in the Senate.

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Supporters say the measure would prevent women from regretting an abortion after they have the procedure. But abortion rights advocates fear the bill lacks key protections, like a requirement for the counselor to be a licensed medical professional.

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State Rep. Dade Phelan added the provision to a Senate bill that would bar cities from enacting rules on how businesses schedule their employees’ shifts. LGBTQ groups worried that without the language, businesses could pick which employees get certain benefits.

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Texas tries to track the number of students with vaccine exemptions every year, but the data is incomplete and doesn't include the opt-out rates for individual public schools. Amid a recent rise in measles cases across the country, some in the Legislature are calling for more detailed reporting.

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