Bill that would make vaccine exemptions easier advances in the Texas House
As the state faces a multimillion dollar measles outbreak in West Texas, the House Public Health Committee passes HB 1586 along party lines. Full Story
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Terri Langford
Health and Human Services Reporter
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Terri Langford is the Tribune's health and human services reporter based in Austin. Langford is a veteran journalist, having worked at the Florida Times Union, The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, WNYC, Honolulu Civil Beat and Texas Standard/KUT. Langford has a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered various city and state agencies, criminal justice and health and human services for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Associated Press, WNYC and Texas Standard at KUT.
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![A nurse administers a dose of the Pfizer COVID 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 -
Weary from COVID deaths, Hispanic Texans embraced vaccines. It saved their lives.
In the deadly summer of 2020, Hispanics in Texas were half of all COVID-19 deaths, spurring many to vaccinate. Today, in a startling flip, Hispanics make up less than a quarter of deaths from the disease. Full Story
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![Delia Ramos, center, holds a photo of her and her husband Ricardo with her daughter, right, and son tk. Ricardo died in July 2020. Brownsville on March 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar for The Texas Tribune -
Fired state employees breached the personal data of 33,529 more Texans
So far, nine Texas Health and Human Services Commission employees have been fired for improperly accessing Texans’ data. Full Story
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![A Texas Health and Human Services client application on April 24, 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
In visit to Texas, RFK Jr. said autism, diabetes deserve more attention than measles
During a visit to College Station, the U.S. health secretary said Europe has a worse track record with the virus, which gets too much media attention. Full Story
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![U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins looks on as Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a press conference during a visit to the Texas A&M AgriLife Phenotyping Greenhouse in College Station on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.]()
Credit: Ishika Samant for The Texas Tribune -
Bill to create dementia research institute approved in House, but could face $3 billion funding hurdle
Some Republicans have bristled at the hefty cost of the bill, and Democrats could reject the funding for it over the school voucher dispute. Full Story
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![The facilities of El Faro Health and Therapeutics clinical research facility count with an infusion room to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Rio Grande City on November 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune. -
Texas measles cases grow to 683. Track the spread here.
Three more counties – Upshur, Eastland and Hardeman – report their first cases of measles in the ongoing historic outbreak. Full Story
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![An editorial art for the West Texas measles outbreak tracker.]()
Credit: Yuriko Schumacher/The Texas Tribune -
Early Texas hospital data shows millions spent in care for non-U.S. citizens
A state employee testified Monday that tens of thousands of people in the U.S. unlawfully were treated, but it was unclear how long the data had been collected. Full Story
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![An Austin-Travis County EMS vehicle parked outside of an emergency room in Austin on July 7, 2020.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
Anti-vaccine advocates battle over narrative in West Texas, downplaying role of measles in deaths
After Daisy Hildebrand died of measles, her death was made public first by Dr. Robert Malone, a vaccine skeptic who blamed the hospital for fumbling her care. Daisy’s father told The Texas Tribune he never to spoke to Malone. Full Story
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![Dr. Robert Malone speaks with Epoch Times editor Jan Jekielek at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held at at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland on Feb. 22, 2025.]()
Credit: Zach D Roberts/NurPhoto via REUTERS -
Federal public health cuts could cost Texas $700 million
State and local health agencies are having to cut programs and staff to make up the loss and more cuts could be coming. Full Story
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![A funding meeting at the Texas Department of State Health Services building in Austin on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Among the topics discussed were concerns regarding federal funding and a current measles outbreak in parts of Texas.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
State offers specific measles guidance for 10 West Texas “outbreak” counties
State health officials added four more counties to what they consider “outbreak areas” and advise those visiting or living in those counties to consult measles vaccination guidance for those areas. Full Story
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![Signs inform people of measles prevention and testing at the Gaines County Court House in Seminole on Sunday on April 6, 2025.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune