Consequences Of Not Expanding Medicaid
When Texas House lawmakers passed the state budget last week, Republicans led a successful effort to not expand billions of dollars in healthcare coverage for Texas’ working poor through Medicaid.The Dallas Morning News’ Austin Bureau Chief Bob Garrett talks to the Standard about what was on the table regarding this expansion, and why it did not gain traction.
Fate Of George Floyd Act In Texas Lege
Now that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murdering a George Floyd during an arrest – where does that leave police reform measures in the Texas legislature spurred by Floyd’s killing? A bill called the George Floyd Act filed in the Texas House seems to be languishing in a House committee with no certainty as to when lawmakers will take the measure back up. Jolie McCullough has been covering this for The Texas Tribune and talks to the Standard.
On the U.S. border with Mexico, federal officials have been overwhelmed with the daily arrival of kids and teenagers from Central America. Some 23,000 are now in federal custody. In the next several weeks, hundreds of them will likely end up in Houston where they’ll reunite with family. Houston Public Media’s Elizabeth Trovall has more on why so many migrant kids end up in the region.
SCOTUS Federal Trade Commission Ruling
For years, the Federal Trade Commission has sought to recover ill-gotten gains from companies who cheat consumers. No Longer. In a 9-0 ruling last week, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the FTC’s long-standing practice of recovering funds for consumers. The commission’s chief decried the ruling, saying the SCOTUS quote “ruled in favor of scam artists.” Brent Kendall, legal affairs reporter for the Wall Street Journal’s Washington bureau, talks to the Standard about what this means for customers.
Presidio County Vaccination Success
In Texas, almost half of all adults have gotten at least one shot, a number that’s about in line with the national trend. But the numbers are lower in many rural parts of the state. Still, in Far West Texas, there’s one typically underserved border county that’s somehow far outpacing most of the rest of the state, at least by one metric. Marfa Public Radio’s Travis Bubenik has this look at Presidio County’s vaccine success story.
As communities across the country react to the Derek Chauvin guilty verdict in the police killing of George Floyd, San Antonio is in the midst of a political fight over police accountability. On the May 1st municipal election ballot is Proposition B. It would repeal collective bargaining for the police union. Supporters say this would allow the public to have a say in future police contracts. Opponents claim this will make it harder for the department to recruit and maintain officers. TPR’s Joey Palacios reports.
Early voting is underway across the state for May 1 elections. In Arlington, voters are choosing several city council members and a new mayor. The city is known as a sports and tourist mecca. But those priorities might be changing, at least in what politicians are talking about. KERA’s Bret Jaspers met up with some Arlington luminaries to get a sense of the city as it picks new leadership.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Shelly Brisbin with the Talk of Texas.
