Health care

Senate Bill 21, authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, a Republican from Houston, made Texas the 16th state to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.

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The state’s approach stands in stark contrast to that of Australia, where leaders have successfully pushed a nationwide program that has made a sizable dent in cervical cancer rates.

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The lawmaker, a doctor by training, will oversee a network of six health institutions with four medical schools, two dental schools and three nursing schools.

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The Texas Pregnancy Care Network, the largest recipient of funding under the state's controversial Alternatives to Abortion program, is poised to receive millions more under the proposal.

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In this edition of the TribCast, Patrick talks to Matthew, Emma and Cassi about the latest developments in the Texas-led challenge to the Affordable Care Act, the University of Texas System's efforts to make tuition more affordable and the U.S. Senate race.

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Jennifer Walker Elrod, a federal appeals court judge appointed by George W. Bush, asked the majority of the questions in a two-hour session Tuesday on Texas' lawsuit.

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During a legislative session focused on schools and taxes, Texas lawmakers did little to prepare for the possibility that Obamacare will be struck down in its entirety — even as the state leads the charge to have the law declared unconstitutional.

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Starting in September, government agencies will no longer be able to provide anything of value to abortion providers or their affiliates. Opponents of the law fear it could mean the end of some public health and education programs across the state.

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Immigration and border security are at or near the top of voters' concerns about the U.S. and Texas, and political corruption is also near the top of their U.S. list, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

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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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