Elizabeth Byrne
Texas Tribune
Contact Elizabeth
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Elizabeth:
Texas vaccine exemption rates: Look up your district or private school
In Texas, parents can get their children exemptions from the vaccines required to attend public and private schools for "reasons of conscience." Use our lookup tool to see how exemption rates have changed in school districts and private schools across the state. → Read More
Gov. Abbott vetoes bill requiring children under 2 to ride in rear-facing car seats
Abbott said the measure "is an unnecessary invasion of parental rights and an unfortunate example of over-criminalization." → Read More
Texas vaccine exemption rates have reached an all-time high. Did Texas make it too easy for parents to opt out?
Texas has resisted recent attempts to change its vaccine laws, allowing parents to get their children exemptions for "reasons of conscience." Use our lookup tool to see how exemption rates have changed in school districts and private schools across the state. → Read More
Texas has more than 200 freestanding ERs. Lawmakers just passed bills to combat patient confusion and price gouging.
One bill awaiting action by the governor will require freestanding emergency rooms to clearly disclose the in-network health plans they accept and the fees patients may be charged. → Read More
"Safety is at risk": Future of Texas plumbers' licensing and regulation uncertain after legislative impasse
Some plumbers are calling for a special session after the Texas House ended the state plumbing code and a plumbing regulation agency that has dozens of employees. → Read More
Some lawmakers want Texas to release vaccine opt-out rates for each school, not just for districts
Texas tries to track the number of students with vaccine exemptions every year, but the data is incomplete and doesn't include the opt-out rates for individual public schools. Amid a recent rise in measles cases across the country, some in the Legislature are calling for more detailed reporting. → Read More
Texas bill would allow state to sue social media companies like Facebook and Twitter over free speech
The proposal aims to protect users on social media platforms from censorship if the platform advertises as impartial. Critics say the bill is too restrictive. → Read More
Texas removes thousands of children from Medicaid each month due to red tape, records show
Most states check whether children on Medicaid still qualify for the program once a year. Texas checks more often, using an automated system that critics say lead to kids losing coverage even though they're still eligible. → Read More
This Republican Texas lawmaker halted a bill to outlaw abortion. He now faces security concerns, sheriff says.
State Rep. Jeff Leach said a bill that criminalizes abortion will not advance beyond the committee he chairs. → Read More
Texas bans chaplains from its execution chamber
The U.S. Supreme Court last week halted the execution of Patrick Murphy because he wasn't given access to a Buddhist chaplain. Now, no chaplains will be allowed in the death chamber. → Read More