The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
Senate Bill 31 supporters say it would clarify when doctors should intervene to save a pregnant woman’s life, but critics say its vagueness and a measure to resurrect pre-Roe laws hamper it. Full Story
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Only Gov. Greg Abbott can call for a special session. But in his role presiding over the Texas Senate, Patrick can block any bill from passing, giving him leverage to compel overtime sessions by killing must-pass legislation. Full Story
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Students from Texas and across the country are getting help to generate new ideas for campus support systems — and to turn those ideas into reality. Full Story
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Federal grants paid for workers to help with measles testing and vaccination in Lubbock and were going to help equip a Dallas lab to test for pathogens, including measles. Full Story
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A flurry of bills aims to restrict the flow of abortion pills into the state and abortion seekers traveling out of the state. Full Story
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Public health experts say Texas needs better messaging on vaccinations and quarantining and more people conducting contact tracing to contain the spread. Full Story
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The measles vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective against the disease, which is highly contagious and can be life threatening. Full Story
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Adding more funding to scholarships is just one way experts say state lawmakers could address Texas’ child care crisis. Full Story
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On the fifth anniversary of the start of the COVID pandemic, we discuss the measles outbreak and the state’s ability to respond to health crises. Full Story
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Five years after Texas’ first COVID death, the state spends less on public health, vaccination rates have dropped and a distrust of authority has taken hold. Full Story
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These represent the first criminal charges under Texas’ near-total abortion ban. Full Story
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A Senate bill filed Friday does not expand abortion access, but aims to give doctors clarity while operating under laws that come with up to life in prison. Full Story
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Per the attorney general’s nonbinding opinion, state agencies should change gender markers on government documents back to a person’s sex assigned at birth. Full Story
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Public health advocates said the state needs to analyze what happened during the pandemic to better tackle inevitable emergencies. Full Story
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The Legislature is considering bills that would lift long-standing restrictions on how Texas’ panel can investigate maternal deaths and near-misses. Full Story
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The measles outbreak in rural Texas has exposed how hospital buildings are ill-equipped. Meanwhile, long distances between providers makes testing people and transporting samples difficult. Full Story
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A new law was meant to uphold standards at homes where substance abusers are trying to rebuild their lives. But compliance is proving difficult. Full Story
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The legislation would require voters to approve the $3 billion start-up cost, and then the fund would be maintained at no more than $300 million annually. Full Story
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As the Edinburg facility and others seek to assist people experiencing food insecurity, state lawmakers have more than a dozen bills that could tackle Texas’ food deserts. Full Story
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The directive comes as some state agencies have downsized their office spaces after the pandemic forced many employees to work remotely. Full Story
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