Despite state lawmakers filing several bills exempting tampons and other menstrual products from sales taxes, the measures didn’t draw serious attention from the legislature this session.
Topics
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: Killing Texas ethics legislation without leaving fingerprints
It’s hard to get tougher ethics laws for politicians and officeholders through the Texas Legislature. It can be even harder to figure out exactly who killed them.
Posted in
State Government
Conference committee approves convention of states-related measure
A Texas legislative committee reinstalled a Senate provision in a bill that would only allow state lawmakers to serve as delegates in a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution.
Posted in
Health care
Bill on certification pits doctors against hospitals
A bill slated to hit the Texas House floor on Tuesday would bar hospitals and health plans from differentiating between physicians who have undergone a widely-used recertification process and those who haven’t.
Posted in
Health care
Texas legislators pass bills aimed at maternal mortality, postpartum depression
Both chambers passed bills on Tuesday aimed at curbing postpartum depression and the alarming rise in Texas mothers dying less than a year after giving birth.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
House votes to end jail time for being too poor to pay fines
Senate Bill 1913, by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would allow courts to ask defendants if they are too poor to pay for traffic tickets, fines for other low-level and fine-only offenses or court costs.
Posted in
Politics
Texas House backs voter ID overhaul, with changes
The 95-54 vote followed a six-hour debate that saw fierce pushback from Democrats, who argued the legislation wouldn’t go far enough to expand ballot access and might discourage some Texans from going to the polls.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Grieving mom “humbled” and “relieved” after Senate passes autopsy bill
Lara McDaniel was devastated when her 7-year-old son died in an accident. An investigator didn’t allow her to see her child’s body until three days after his death — after an autopsy had been conducted.
Posted inState Government
Tune in for a private, post-session livestream
Thank you for your interest in the Tribune’s private, post-session livestream, featuring Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey and Border Bureau Chief Julián Aguilar. When: Thursday, June 1, at 12 p.m. How to watch: Simply return to this page. In the video window above, enter the password that was provided via email.Have questions? Please email membership@texastribune.org.
Posted in
State Government
Dozens of Abbott appointees surpass donor threshold targeted by stalled “pay for play” bill
At least 71 of Gov. Greg Abbott’s nearly 800 current state board and commission appointees appeared to have donated more than $2,500 to the governor’s campaign account since 2013.
