A Tale of Two Sessions
The last time the Legislature convened under a budget shortfall, drastic cuts made to children’s health care programs and payments to physicians who care for them kicked 200,000 kids off the rolls and forced physicians to choose between their commitment to their patients and financial solvency. With these losses still not fully regained, Texas cannot afford to let history repeat itself.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 61 No. 2 | Spring 2010
House, Senate committees set course with interim studiesMembers of the Texas Legislature enjoyed just a short break between when the busy 81st Legislative Session wrapped up in June and when House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst released the list of interim committee charges for the House in November and for the Senate in January.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 61 No. 1 | Winter 2010
81st Texas Legislature: The PostmortumAfter five months, many long hours, some crafty maneuvering and an end-of-session meltdown, family medicine has emerged from the 81st Legislature with high marks.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 60 No. 3 | Summer 2009
Under the domeA mid-session progress report on the 81st Legislature.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 60 No. 1 | Spring 2009
Favorable political climate during the interim good indication for next sessionThe interim between session provides time to strategize.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 59 No. 4 | Fall 2008
Texas Sunset Advisory Commission hears testimony on inadequacy of state oversight of health insuranceTexans need a healthy insurance marketplace that balances the needs of consumers and industry.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 59 No. 3 | Summer 2008
TAFP takes advocacy to a new level with webcastsBuilding on the innovation and popularity of the Capitol Report news webcast, which brought news from the 80th Legislative Session straight to TAFP members and other audiences, TAFP unveiled two new webvideo projects—a new advocacy series in November, Academy in Action, and a set of candidate endorsement videos in January.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 59 No. 1 | Winter 2008
Medicaid reformThe Texas Medicaid system has long been characterized as arduous for both patients and health care providers, but after the settlement of the 14-year-old Frew v. Hawkins lawsuit and a healthy allocation of state and federal funds, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has $1.8 billion to make changes to the system and increase access to care for Texas’ most needy children.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 58 No. 4 | Fall 2007
Cutting the safety netWhen TAFP Past President and AAFP Board member Roland Goertz, M.D., tried to find a family doctor for his 89-year-old mother-in-law, he got a glimpse of what the near future could be like for senior citizens seeking care.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 58 No. 3 | Summer 2007
Family Medicine Under the DomeEvery legislative session has a character of its own, a personality of sorts. As the opening of the 80th Legislature approached, the fact that this would be a particularly strange session became ever more apparent.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 58 No. 2 | Spring 2007
Honey, I shrunk the budget surplusShortly before the 80th Texas Legislature convened in January, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs announced that legislators would face the largest budget surplus in Texas history—$14.3 billion in new revenue and $82.5 billion in overall available general revenue—to spend over the next two years.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 58 No. 1 | Winter 2007
Taxes, budget cuts and Texas' biennial mud-slinging contest
After five special sessions in two years, the Texas Legislature finally approved Gov. Rick Perry’s plan to revamp Texas’ antiquated school finance system by reducing local school property taxes and replacing them with a new business tax and a $1 increase in the cigarette tax.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 57 No. 3 | Summer 2006
The Taxman ComethNot only is April the month when federal income taxes come due, but April 17 marked the date the Legislature re-convened for yet another special session on public school finance.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 57 No. 2 | Spring 2006
It's Back to School for the LegeNow that the Texas Supreme Court set a deadline for the creation of a new funding scheme for the state’s public schools, it’s just a matter of time before the Texas Legislature will be back in Special Session and physicians will find themselves arguing against a slew of tax proposals.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 57 No. 1 | Winter 2006
The Good, the Bad and the UglyThis time around, legislators chose to first, do no harm — or much of anything else for that matter.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 56 No. 3 | Summer 2005
Race to the FinishMost seasoned political observers describe Texas’ 140-day biennial legislative session as a marathon — starting with a slow, steady, measured pace and building to a frantic sprint in May as lawmakers try to push their legislation across the finish line to become law. This, however, is not a typical legislative session.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 56 No. 2 | Spring 2005
A Taxing ProblemIt’s back to school for the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers have until October to come up with a new method for financing elementary and secondary education, and proposals for new taxes on business are being collected at the front of the classroom. And that’s just one challenge in store for family medicine this session.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 56 No. 1 | Winter 2005
Looking AheadAcademy sets priorities for next Texas Legislature
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 55 No. 4 | Fall 2004
If at First you Don't Suceed, Try, Try AgainOn April 20, Gov. Rick Perry summoned the Texas Legislature to Austin to try and fix the state’s troubled school funding system, but despite their best efforts, the legislators were unable to come up with a
viable plan.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 55 No. 3 | Summer 2004
March Madness in AustinSo what does college basketball have to do with Texas politics?
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 55 No. 2 | Spring 2004
In the Interim...So that’s what they do when they’re not in session
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 55 No. 1 | Winter 2004
The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of KnowingWhat's Left to Do
Heavily outspent by the trial lawyers, Prop 12 was pounded on the airwaves across Texas with an aggressive misinformation campaign designed to confuse voters on the amendment’s purpose.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 54 No. 4 | Fall 2003
The Budget BluesClear skies over Austin? For health care issues at the Capitol, the forecast is stormy.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 54 No. 2 | Spring 2003
Gearing up for number 78Tort reform is top concern as TAFP prepares for legislative session
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 53 No. 4 | Fall 2002
Stormy WeatherMedicine could be in for a rough ride when the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 53 No. 3 | Summer 2002
Prescription for ChangeNew prescribing rules, liability insurance plus other interim issues
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 53 No. 2 | Spring 2002
The Year that was and the Year to ComeThe passing of the holidays always gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past year and focus on the challenges facing us in the next.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 53 No. 1 | Winter 2002
The Making of a Perfect StormLegislative turnover and a host of interim studies means trouble could be brewing at the Capitol
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 52 No. 4 | Fall 2001
77th Texas Legislature Comes to a CloseSeveral TAFP-backed health initiatives pass with bipartisan support
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 52 No. 3 | Summer 2001
Anatomy of a Train WreckMusical Chairs, Medicaid Mishaps, Redistricting Keep Legislature Busy
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 52 No. 2 | Spring 2001
Session BeginsWith redistricting on the agenda and razor-thin margins in both the House and the Senate, this session promises to be one of the most partisan in recent memory.
posted in Texas Family Physician Online Vol. 52 No. 1 | Winter 2001
TAFP and its partners in the Primary Care Coalition released a report that contains recommendations for an efficient, high-quality health care system.