Legal challenges have failed, elections haven’t moved the needle and the fight for a narrow clarification shows how immovable these laws are.

Two years after Stephanie Muth became Department of Family and Protective Services commissioner, staff turnover is down and the number of children without a placement has dropped.

The program would give low income families an extra $120 per child for summer lunches, but federal debate about food benefits could endanger the program.

Texas passed sweeping changes to cannabis policy, including expanding the medical marijuana program and banning hemp products, while also boosting psychedelics research.

Lawmakers sought to close gaps in education and support funding for agriculture, disaster preparedness and health care this year.

Buoyed by the Trump administration's willingness to place restrictions on food assistance programs, Texas moves to limit junk food.

The Legislature wrapped up without the same drama that defined the end of the last two sessions, with state GOP leaders checking off nearly everything on their to-do lists.

Texas is poised to lead the country in an initiative to inform denizens of what’s in their food. Food industry experts say it’s going too far.

A boost in public school spending, school vouchers, and money for water systems are other highlights of the state budget, which was bolstered by a $24 billion surplus.

House Bill 3006 would have required the installation of climate control in state prison by 2032.

Critics say House Bill 229, which has gone to the governor, discriminates against trans people, but the full effect remains to be seen.

House Bill 186, approved by the lower chamber in May, never received a vote in the Senate.

Many trans Texans have changed the sex listed on their birth certificate, driver’s licenses and other documents. They say their identities will be invalidated under bill headed to governor's desk.

House Bill 46, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval, would include more patients with chronic pain and allow for prescribed vaporized and aerosol products, such as vapes.

The House made changes to the proposal that leave open ways for victims to be compensated beyond medical bills.

While state leaders say growers can still produce industrial hemp, farmers say they will quit growing the plant altogether under a total THC ban.

The governor has not addressed whether he supports the ban, as hemp industry leaders have urged him to veto Senate Bill 3.

Instead of waiting for the state to send them one, parents would be able to print out vaccine exemption forms at home if they want to skip school-required shots. Critics believe the bill would increase infections.

Many low-income families would see cuts in health care and food benefits. The state hopes for a big reimbursement for border security spending.

A bill that would make it illegal to sell THC products could soon head over to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. For a cannabis store employee, lawmakers don't know enough about the industry they're trying to shut down.

The ban aims to remove products — made legal through a 2019 loophole — that provide a similar high to marijuana and are easily accessible to the general public.

The bill, which is poised to become law, creates up to a $250,000 fine for medical professionals who change a patients’ listed sex outside of certain exemptions.

Some hemp retailers are looking at other states, while others say they are ready to take Texas to court over a THC ban.

Many of the patients are being treated in Lubbock, a medical hub for the South Plains where the outbreak originated.

The bill does not expand abortion access, but further explains when a doctor can intervene to save a pregnant patient’s life.

Adults who are unsure whether they’re vaccinated can get additional shots, health experts say.

The Texas Legislature has already passed a bill requiring age verification to download apps and is seriously considering another to ban children from social media.

Lawyers representing foster children asked the high court to reinstate a contempt order against the state, and the judge who issued it.

Some measures that made it through before midnight dealt with jail bonds, an unconstitutional ban on gay sex, and the liability of vaccine manufacturers.

Texas’ governor joins other Republican governors making similar requests to ban purchases of candy and soda through the SNAP program.

In an appeal filed this week, Maria Rojas’ attorneys accused Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office of a careless investigation.

It is unclear whether the House bill could come back as an amendment to another measure before the legislative session ends June 2.

House Bill 46 would increase the number of health conditions eligible and would offer smokeable products under the state’s medical marijuana program.

The bill contains many provisions legal experts say are likely unconstitutional, including one that says it can’t be challenged in state court.

If it becomes law, the bill would define sex based on reproductive organs and require state documents and policies to comply with that framework.

Opponents fear that fentanyl test strips will increase the usage of the deadly drug.

The bill would allow a vaccine exemption form to be downloadable. Currently, a form must be requested from the state and mailed to the recipient.

In the deadly summer of 2020, Hispanics in Texas were half of all COVID-19 deaths, spurring many to vaccinate. Today, in a startling flip, Hispanics make up less than a quarter of deaths from the disease.

So far, nine Texas Health and Human Services Commission employees have been fired for improperly accessing Texans’ data.

The Texas House passed onto the Senate a proposed ban Tuesday, alongside another bill that would require a social media warning label for minors.

During a visit to College Station, the U.S. health secretary said Europe has a worse track record with the virus, which gets too much media attention.

Students are concerned the legislation could silence supportive teachers, dismantle safe spaces, lead to overenforcement and prevent honest conversations about identity.

State lawmakers have been pushing the dementia fund for years, modeling it after a state fund for cancer research.

Policy experts say undocumented immigrants' cost to hospitals is a small fraction of the total cost from uninsured Texans.

Acres Homes, a neighborhood deeply rooted in Houston’s history and culture, is getting a major boost in health care access.

Some Republicans have bristled at the hefty cost of the bill, and Democrats could reject the funding for it over the school voucher dispute.

Residents in Trinity County will now have to travel 30 miles to access the closest hospital.

The revised bill, which seeks to clarify when a doctor can perform medically necessary abortions, aims to address concerns from abortion advocates and conservative groups.

Four more cases were reported in the last week from the ongoing measles outbreak connected to West Texas.

A state employee testified Monday that tens of thousands of people in the U.S. unlawfully were treated, but it was unclear how long the data had been collected.

The Senate voted Wednesday to give initial approval to a bill that would require buildings, including public schools and universities, among others to segregate private facilities, like bathrooms, by sex.

Four people tied to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office committed suicide recently, calling attention to ongoing mental health struggles among law enforcement.

For the first time since Texas outlawed nearly all abortions, lawmakers are clarifying the “life of mother” exception. But they don’t plan to address cases where the fetus won’t survive.

State and local health agencies are having to cut programs and staff to make up the loss and more cuts could be coming.

State health officials added four more counties to what they consider “outbreak areas” and advise those visiting or living in those counties to consult measles vaccination guidance for those areas.

Much of the outbreak is concentrated in the districts of Texas House leaders, including Speaker Dustin Burrows. The crisis appears to have done little to change support for “vaccine choice.”

A survey is shedding some uncomfortable light on Texas' quality of Children's health care. “The quality of children’s health care should be one of the most important considerations for parents when deciding where to live,” Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst said in a statement.

While Democrats and abortion access advocates pushed to ensure pregnant women aren’t criminalized, some conservatives questioned whether this bill is needed.

About 500 Texans, mostly young unvaccinated children, have contracted the disease. The U.S. health secretary was in West Texas to visit the family.

Attorney General Ken Paxton previously sued the City of Austin for helping residents travel out-of-state for abortions.

Katherine Wells was celebrated early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then public health became a political litmus test.

Animal health care experts raised concern that telehealth would lead to misdiagnosis and erode what little care already exists in rural Texas.

Paxton’s office launched an investigation into the district’s policy after an administrator was caught on tape discussing a possible loophole in the state’s ban.

Maria Rojas’ attorneys got their first chance to address the claims against her Thursday. She was released on bond but a judge ordered the clinics to remain closed.

Some health care providers in support of Senate Bill 2880 said people who are mailed abortion pills aren’t given instructions and do not receive follow-up care.

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.

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.

As the U.S. Senate is set to vote for a new leader of Medicare, Dr. Bruce Scott, President of the American Medical Association, spoke of serious concerns he and other medical officials have over Medicare’s current state.

The measles vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective against the disease, which is highly contagious and can be life threatening.

Adding more funding to scholarships is just one way experts say state lawmakers could address Texas’ child care crisis.

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.

In Texas, where midwifery regulations vary, it’s essential to ensure that the midwife you select aligns with your medical needs and birth preferences.

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.

These represent the first criminal charges under Texas’ near-total abortion ban.

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.

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.

The Legislature is considering bills that would lift long-standing restrictions on how Texas’ panel can investigate maternal deaths and near-misses.

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.

A new law was meant to uphold standards at homes where substance abusers are trying to rebuild their lives. But compliance is proving difficult.

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.

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.

In the days leading to the censure, Green has doubled down on his actions saying on X, "Democrats will never abandon the fight to make sure every American has a safe, healthy, and financially secure life."

The directive comes as some state agencies have downsized their office spaces after the pandemic forced many employees to work remotely.

As the number of measles cases in Texas climbs, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo joined Mayor Whitmire and health officials to discuss the disease’s impact on the Greater Houston area and efforts to curb its spread.

In rural West Texas, measles has sickened nearly 150 people, most of them unvaccinated. A school-age child has died. The virus is spreading among Gaines County’s Mennonite community, where government mandates are not trusted.

Declining vaccination rates, decreasing trust in government and a political unwillingness to endorse vaccines is shaping Texas’ measles response.

Issues with Medicaid coverage, including long wait times, abrupt loss of coverage and lack of political will to expand it, have contributed to Texas’ high uninsured rate for children.

Patients are encouraged to share their stories and medical bills with lawmakers to illustrate the impact of facility fees on families, so it can help lawmakers understand how these fees affect everyday people.

State researchers found above normal levels of four types of cancer in communities near a toxic waste site.

Officials say the motive for the change to the rule requiring mental health providers to receive cultural diversity or competency training for license renewals has been misunderstood.

Two more counties, Potter and Parmer, have reported a measles case. The outbreak has cost state taxpayers $4.5 million to pay for immunization, testing and a public awareness campaign.

South Texas College in McAllen launched one of the first registered nursing apprenticeships in the country as area hospitals expect the need for nurses to increase.

Reported domestic violence incidents have risen 26% since 2019.

The death of an 11-year-old at a Greenville residential treatment center is among 16 deaths reported in the Texas foster care system in the last 15 months.

A federal judge blocked a new National Institutes of Health policy from going into effect in 22 states that sued the agency, but Texas wasn’t part of the suit.

Most of the infections have shown up in Gaines County. Texas health officials have consistently said that vaccination is the best way for people to avoid the highly contagious airborne disease.

The Greenville-based treatment center has closed after the death of an 11-year-old boy the day before Thanksgiving.

Despite a long waitlist, the number of children served in the YES Waiver program has declined because of provider shortages.

A San Antonio panel discussed the results of a new survey on the well-being of Texas children Thursday and proposed solutions to the state’s ongoing challenges.

So far, nine HHSC employees have been fired for accessing without a “business” purpose the private information of Texans seeking public assistance that includes Medicaid and food stamps.