31 Days, 31 Ways (2015)

The state is refueling a grant program that helps the state's 15 military installations pay for facility upgrades. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Starting Sept. 1, a new Texas law will allow people with felony drug convictions to qualify for food assistance, ending the lifetime ban they currently face. Supporters hope the change will reduce recidivism as it helps felons get back on their feet. Full Story 

For years, the Legislature has been stockpiling hundreds of millions of dollars meant for Texas’ parks in order to artificially balance the budget. House Bill 158 scales that down. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A soon-to-be law takes aim at "rolling voting," the practice of moving voting machines around more than usual during certain elections. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

On Sept. 1, all potential hires for any state agency or public university must have their work eligibility information run through E-Verify. If that sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A politically connected group of businesses will soon be getting a tax break, but all the other employers in Texas will have to pay for it through slightly higher unemployment insurance tax rates. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Starting Sept. 1, a new law will ban 1,000 possible chemical compounds of synthetic marijuana and make it a lot harder for Texans to buy or sell the drug. This animation is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

State lawmakers inflicted deep cuts on the incentive program Texas uses to lure film, television and video game productions to the state. Now, industry advocates say Texas-based productions — like the critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights — will be scarcer. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A new law will allow physicians to get paid for seeing children over a sophisticated form of video chat, as long as the patient is at school and enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

As of Sept. 1, public employees — including state and county workers and public school teachers — will be guaranteed “reasonable accommodations” to pump breast milk in the workplace. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Texas has joined about two dozen states in passing a law taking aim at "revenge porn," which refers to sexually explicit images of individuals posted online without their consent. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Starting Sept. 1, children in Texas foster care will get an ombudsman to help them navigate the system, find their caseworkers and report complaints. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

The Texas Department of Public Safety will receive hundreds of millions of dollars to bolster its ranks along the Rio Grande, adding 250 new troopers and support staff. Local law enforcement agencies fear higher state salaries will lure away their employees. Full Story 

Under a new state law, law enforcement officials will be able to take children suspected to be sex trafficking victims immediately into protective custody instead of waiting for a court order. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Moved by the story of an Amarillo family, legislators passed a new law that will guarantee parents the right to the remains of their stillborn children. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Texas is streamlining the process by which the disabled and elderly receive annual mail-in ballots. This is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A new state law adds freestanding emergency centers to the list of places a person can legally abandon a newborn and avoid prosecution. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A new law that goes into effect Sept. 1 will allow Texans to receive a cash refund on gift cards or certificates that have a balance of less than $2.50. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

If school district leaders can’t fix failing schools, the state may strip their authority under a new law effective Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

It’s a service that makes a bride’s big day less stressful. But getting hair and makeup done by a stylist on location is actually illegal in Texas. On Sept. 1, that changes. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A new law will allow more consumers to challenge surprise medical bills they get from out-of-network doctors, but only if the charge is more than $500. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Poor, uninsured women in Texas will no longer be able to obtain government-subsidized breast and cervical cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood clinics starting Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Greg Abbott called on the 2015 Legislature to reform itself with new ethics laws, and reform it did: It created one set of procedures for politicians and another for everybody else. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

When the state's new truancy law takes effect Sept. 1, students will no longer potentially face criminal sanctions for skipping school. But there are new directives for public schools and the courts. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

After being accused of corruption, inefficiency and incompetence, the state health agency's Office of Inspector General is trying to get back on track, and hopes a new law will clarify and streamline its fraud investigations. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Texans who purchased insurance under Obamacare will soon have a special label on their insurance cards. Use our interactive map to see where Texans are purchasing these plans. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

A loophole in state law allowed some developers to block solar installations on homes in new neighborhoods. Now it's been plugged. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Texas is on the verge of overhauling the way it selects grand jurors, shifting away from an antiquated process that critics say creates the potential for conflicts of interest. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Fourteen years after lawmakers first tacked on a $200 annual licensing fee for some occupations, the so-called professionals tax will be repealed Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Lawmakers have pumped millions into financial aid for low-income residents and are phasing out programs with less strict income requirements. Is the middle class is being left out? This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story 

Due to a new law mandating training on canine encounters, all law enforcement officers will spend at least four hours in a classroom and interacting with dogs. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story