THC ban stalls out down the homestretch of Texas special legislative session
High priority bills that propose banning THC have not moved through the Texas House, as the current overtime session could conclude in the coming days. Full Story
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![THC edibles on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, outside of Midway, TX.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
A rigorous accreditation program inspired Texas’ camp reforms. Here’s what that process looks like.
More than 75 Texas camps have met dozens of safety standards to become accredited by the American Camp Association, which can be a lengthy and costly process. Full Story
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![Camp Mystic in Hunt on July 9, 2025.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
“Bathroom bill” aimed at trans people approved by Texas House after decade of failed attempts
Senate Bill 8 will restrict restrooms in government buildings, public schools and universities based on sex assigned at birth and apply $25,000 fines for violations. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, speaks on the floor of the Texas House on Aug. 18, 2025, two weeks after democrats walked out during the middle of the special session.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett for The Texas Tribune -
More than 800 new laws will go into effect in Texas on Sept. 1. Here are some of the significant ones.
New laws range from school vouchers and water infrastructure funding to a ban on city and county-funded abortion travel funds. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin June 30, 2025.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
RFK Jr. praises Texas for implementing his health vision
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. complimented Texas as Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a prohibition on using state tax dollars on specific products with additives, among other measures. Full Story
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![U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks about the state of American healthcare at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 during Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of the Make America Healthy Again bill.]()
Credit: Manoo Sirivelu/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature approves bill making ivermectin an over-the-counter drug
Some people use the drug to treat COVID, even though it’s not approved by the FDA for such use. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature. Full Story
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![A box of Ivermectine drug in a pharmacy in Paris, France on April 16, 2021.]()
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As measles exploded, West Texas officials looked to CDC scientists. No one answered.
Emails show how overwhelmed West Texas officials were as they asked CDC for guidance on how to respond to the explosive outbreak. Full Story
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![As a measles outbreak exploded in Texas in February, local health officials struggled to reach CDC scientists who were grappling with changes under the new Trump administration, according to interviews and emails obtained by KFF Health News. The first three clips above are excerpts of emails from Katherine Wells, the public health director in Lubbock, Texas. The bottom clip is from Scott Milton, at the Texas Department of State Health Services. (KFF Health News illustration; 500Px Plus; photo of Lubbock, Texas, from Getty Images)]()
Credit: KFF Health News illustration; 500Px Plus; photo of Lubbock; Texas; from Getty Images -
Texas House advances bill to levy stricter penalties on camps following the Hill Country flood
HB 256 would prevent camps from correcting violations on the spot to avoid state penalties and reduce the number of camps serving on a state panel to a maximum of two. Full Story
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![Campists' belongings lie on the ground following flooding on the Guadalupe River, at Camp Mystic, Hunt, on July 7, 2025.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Marco Bello -
Bill that would expand abortion pill restrictions gets OK in Texas House
With the lower chamber’s final approval, House Bill 7, which would allow people to sue manufacturers and distributors of the drug, heads to the Senate. Full Story
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![A bottle and pills of Misoprostol, made by Lupin Pharmaceuticals, sit in a counting tray at a pharmacy on June 19, 2019, in Provo, Utah.]()
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Health insurance carriers request raising ACA premiums by more than 20% on average in Texas
Health insurers are hiking policy premiums in response to proposed federal cuts and rising costs in various parts of the health care sector. Full Story
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![Dr. Spencer R. Berthelsen, M.D., Chairman, Board of Directors at Kelsey-Seybold, who still sees patients two days a week, visits with patient Francisco Garcia (also a doctor at Kelsey Seybold) before his annual physical at their clinic in Sugar Land. Sept. 22, 2011.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
“My daughter was stolen from me": Grieving parents point to Texas camp failures at Capitol hearing
Senate Bill 1, which would require more oversight of emergency plans and evacuation procedures at summer camps, was advanced after the emotional hearing Wednesday. Full Story
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![Cici Williams Steward, mother of Cile Steward, who died in the Camp Mystic flood, gets up after testifying during a panel of Camp Mystic parents testifying before the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding on August 20, 2025. Cile is the only child whose body has still not been recovered.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate fast tracks THC ban, flood prep and bathroom restrictions for transgender people
Senators moved fast on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the second special session. With House Democrats back in Texas, bills can now move through that chamber. Full Story
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![State Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, speaks on the Senate floor at the Capitol on July 21, 2025.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
State health officials declare West Texas measles outbreak over
With no new cases reported in 42 days, the nation’s largest measles outbreak in 30 years, is declared over. Full Story
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![Patient blood samples seen on May 1, 2025 that are ready for testing at the Texas Department of State Health Services Laboratory.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune -
Vaccine exemption requests in Texas spike in July, as some experts fear more families will opt out
Federal funding cuts to immunization efforts and a new law that allows exemption forms to be downloaded, instead of mailed, could drive up exemptions in the future. Full Story
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![A nurse administers a dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a clinic organized by the Travis County Mobile Vaccine Collaborative at Rodriguez Elementary School on July 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Kratom poisoning calls climb in Texas as the state fails to enforce ban on synthetic version
Texas law bans the sale of synthetic kratom, but it isn’t enforced. Earlier this year, legislation died in the Texas House to ban the natural plant, too. Full Story
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![A worker shifts a barrel of Kratom inside the 1836 Kratom warehouse and headquarters Friday, Aug. 8, 2025 in Pflugerville, TX. Kratom is shipped to the United States as a crushed powder and is distributed by 1836 Kratom into various consumption forms.]()
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If Texas were to ban or regulate THC, crime labs say they would need more resources
Crime lab officials told lawmakers Wednesday they are struggling to keep up with deadlier drugs like fentanyl and a THC ban or new regulations would add to the challenge. Full Story
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![Steve Dye, city of Allen chief of police, testifies in favor of Senate Bill 5 banning THC during a committee hearing at the state Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. Dye spoke on the worrying cost of testing THC products and enforcing regulation.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
Texas youth camps tell lawmakers they need better coordination, emergency plans during disasters
Two youth camp owners told lawmakers more layered disaster plans would create critical backstops and improve communication with first responders. Full Story
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![Committee Chair Will Metcalf R-Conroe speak with Stephen Baskin, onwer of Camp Champions and Meg Clark, owner of Camp Waldemar during a committee hearing Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 in Austin, Texas.]()
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Senate OKs latest bill restricting use of government and school bathrooms by transgender people
Senate Bill 7 would require people to use restrooms that match their birth gender and fine institutions up to $25,000 for repeated violations. Full Story
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![Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell R-Granbury speaks as Texas Sen. Bob Hall R-Edgewood and Texas. Sen. Mayes Middleton R-Galveston during a senate committee hearing at the Senate Chambers Monday, Aug. 4, 2025 in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
Companies are removing artificial dyes from products. What about San Antonio favorite Big Red?
The ingredient that gives the popular soft drink its bright color, red dye No. 40, is supposed to be removed from food and beverages by the end of 2026. Full Story
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![Red dye No. 40 is supposed to be removed from food and beverages on U.S. shelves by the end of 2026.]()
Credit: Diego Medel/San Antonio Report -
Some rural Texans see THC as a lifeline for their health and economy
As lawmakers continue to debate banning hemp-derived THC, some rural Texans say it helps ease addiction, health concerns and economic woes that hit their communities the hardest. Full Story
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![Romana Harding greets goats and miniature horses on her farm outside of Midway, TX, on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Romana plans use the 10 acres she owns to make a farm for other veterans to visit and experience healing.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune