Texas’ explosive growth during the past decade was fueled by a boom in its minority population, which accounted for 89 percent of the total increase in population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Health care
In-depth reporting on public health, healthcare policy, hospitals, and wellness issues shaping communities across Texas, from The Texas Tribune.
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Health care
Texas Seeks Medicaid Waiver, but Prognosis Is Poor
Only months ago, Texas lawmakers threatened to drop out of Medicaid. Now, Texas and other financially strapped states are asking Washington for permission to operate the program as they see fit.
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Health care
Video: Texas Senate Passes Abortion Sonogram
Abortion sonogram legislation passed the Senate 21 to 10, and is moving to the House, where the overwhelming Republican majority is expected to pass it. Here’s a look at the floor debate.
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Health care
Senate Floor Debate on Sonogram Bill
Abortion sonogram legislation passed the Senate 21 to 10, and is moving to the House, where the overwhelming Republican majority is expected to pass it. Here’s a look at the floor debate.
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Health care
Abbott Ruling Will Exclude Planned Parenthood
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott just released two opinions expected to force Planned Parenthood out of the state’s Women’s Health Program, which provides family planning, but not abortions, to Medicaid patients.
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Demographics
2010 Census Data for Texas Released
New U.S. census data shows the Hispanic population in Texas increased by 42 percent since 2000 and makes up 38 percent of the population. The state’s total population increased by 4,293,741 since 2000.
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Health care
Abortion Sonogram Passes in Senate
The controversial abortion sonogram bill has passed the Senate by a vote of 21-10. Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, got the two-thirds vote needed to bring it to the floor, effectively ensuring it would pass.
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Health care
Rainy Day Fund: Is it Drizzling Out — or Pouring?
Texas, like many other states, is proposing billions of dollars in cuts to help close a budget gap. But as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, one thing Texas has that nobody else does is $9 billion in a piggy bank called the Rainy Day Fund — and lawmakers are divided over whether to crack it open.
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Health care
Facing Budget Crisis, Should Texas Be in the Cancer Business?
To solve the state’s budget crisis, lawmakers are considering sweeping cuts to almost everything, from school funding to child welfare services. But a $300-million-a-year cancer institute championed by Gov. Rick Perry and Lance Armstrong has so far escaped the budget knife.
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Demographics
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 67
This week’s episode of the TribCast features Evan, Ross, Ben and Matt on the supermajority in the Texas House, possible federal court challenges, the coming Census numbers, the Howard/Neil election challenge and the public school budget battle.