Becca Aaronson

Becca Aaronson was the first product manager at the Tribune, where she worked from 2010 to 2018. As product manager, Becca managed the Tribune's website redesign, coordinates cross-departmental projects and conducted user research to improve reader experience. She previously worked on the Tribune's data visuals team as a developer and project manager, contributing to several award-winning investigative projects. She covered health care from 2012 to 2014, making waves with her coverage of women's health and the Wendy Davis abortion filibuster. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural theory from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif.

Past Contributions

Word Cloud: House Budget Debate

By Becca Aaronson April 8, 2011

Data don’t lie: Amendments dominated the House floor last Friday as Representatives debated the budget bill. A visualization of the House transcript reveals “amendment” was the most used word. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Becca Aaronson, Wordle.net
Texting While Driving Ban Gets Early OK In House

By Becca Aaronson April 7, 2011

This is no LOL matter: Texting while driving could soon be prohibited statewide. But using other applications on a smart phone, like GPS or Facebook, would not be banned — as long as you're reading, not typing. Full Story

Credit: Jacob Villanueva
Senate Passes TEXAS Grants Priority Model

By Reeve Hamilton and Becca Aaronson April 6, 2011

A bill that would change the system for distributing TEXAS Grants — the state's primary need-based aid program — by creating a new priority system passed the Senate today by a vote of 24-7. Full Story
Senate Approves Easing Restrictions on DNA Testing

By Becca Aaronson April 6, 2011

The Senate today passed a bill that would reduce restrictions on post-conviction DNA testing by allowing biological evidence that was previously untested, or tested by older, potentially inaccurate techniques, to be tested and used as evidence in court. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
Senate OKs Bill to Promote Texas Data Transparency

By Matt Stiles and Becca Aaronson April 6, 2011

Data enthusiasts may be cringing at proposed federal cuts to data transparency websites, but the Texas Senate passed a bill today that would promote state transparency by requiring agencies to post high-value data sets online. Full Story

Credit: Jacqueline Mermea
Bill May Boost Bond Rating for Charter Schools

By Becca Aaronson April 5, 2011

The Senate approved a bill today that would help charter schools borrow money by allowing them to use the state’s Permanent School Fund as a bond guarantee Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
House Gives Helmet Safety Bill Early Approval

By Becca Aaronson April 5, 2011

With a football helmet in hand, Rep. Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito, won preliminary approval from the House today for a bill to ensure school districts keep close tabs on how often helmets are checked and repaired. Full Story

Credit: Tom Pennington
House Gives "Pork Chopper" Bill Early OK

By Becca Aaronson April 4, 2011

The aptly nicknamed "pork chopper" bill — which authorizes hunters to shoot feral hogs and coyotes from helicopters — passed a preliminary vote in the Texas House today, 137-9. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Seal
Interactive: What Texas Hospitals Charge

By Ryan Murphy and Becca Aaronson March 27, 2011

Use our interactive to compare how much Medicaid paid individual hospitals in fiscal year 2009 for 17 common medical conditions and procedures. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Gabriel Hernandez/Ryan Murphy/Todd Wiseman
Texplainer: What Is a "Point of Order"?

By Becca Aaronson March 25, 2011

Calling a point of order is a parliamentary delay tactic, but it can be a deadly one. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera