Past Contributions

• Texas schools chief took over Houston district, but has let underperforming charter networks expand

  By Kiah Collier and Dan Keemahill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica Oct. 10, 2023

  Commissioner of Education Mike Morath has repeatedly waived expansion requirements for charter school networks, allowing them to serve thousands more students, even when they don’t meet academic performance standards. Full Story 

• Impeached Texas attorney general partnered with troubled businessman to push opioid program

  By Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica June 20, 2023

  While launching a statewide program to distribute packets to dissolve opioids, Attorney General Ken Paxton worked to connect Kenny Hansmire with the state’s comptroller, who oversees the distribution of millions of dollars in opioid settlement money. Full Story 

• Inside 30 years of former NFL player Kenny Hansmire’s troubled businesses

  By Kiah Collier and Lexi Churchill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica May 8, 2023

  Politicians across the country have allocated millions to the National Child Identification Program. The company stands out as a success amid a decadeslong string of businesses plagued by legal and financial problems. Full Story 

• A former NFL player persuaded politicians that his child ID kits help find missing kids. There’s no evidence they do.

  By Kiah Collier and Jeremy Schwartz, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica May 8, 2023

  Texas is among at least 11 states that have agreed to distribute fingerprinting kits sold by Kenny Hansmire’s Waco-based National Child Identification Program. Some are spending millions even though similar kits are available for free. Full Story 

• EPA proposes major air pollution reforms to lower residents’ cancer risk near industrial facilities

  By Lisa Song, ProPublica, Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Maya Miller, ProPublica April 13, 2023

  The EPA has proposed tougher air pollution rules for chemical plants and other industrial facilities after ProPublica found an estimated 74 million Americans near those sites faced an elevated risk of cancer. Full Story 

• Closing a critical loophole for gun background checks has gained bipartisan support in Texas

  By Jeremy Schwartz and Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica March 6, 2023

  After a ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigation found courts failed to report juvenile mental health hospitalizations to the federal firearm background check system, lawmakers from both parties are backing bills to ensure compliance with the law. Full Story 

• Laredo approves air pollution monitoring following ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation

  By Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Maya Miller, ProPublica Aug. 29, 2022

  Two air monitoring initiatives are moving forward in Laredo after an analysis by the news outlets showed that a plant emitting ethylene oxide elevated the estimated lifetime cancer risk for nearly 130,000 people, including over 37,000 children. Full Story 

• The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at risk

  By Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Maya Miller, ProPublica Updated: Aug. 6, 2022

  One of them is in Laredo, which has elevated rates of cancer, according to a recent state analysis. The findings come after reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. Full Story 

• Texas’ law on gun background checks plagued by critical omissions of minors’ mental health records

  By Jeremy Schwartz and Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica July 13, 2022

  Lawmakers tried in 2009 to require that the state report all court-ordered mental health hospitalizations to a federal gun background check system. Juveniles have been left out. Full Story 

• Why 18-year-olds can buy AR-15s in Texas but not handguns

  By Kiah Collier and Jeremy Schwartz, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica May 26, 2022

  This week’s massacre in Uvalde highlights disparities in how federal laws regulate rifles and handguns. The shooter bought two rifles days after his 18th birthday. Full Story