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From the Capitol--THE LAST WEEK (Regular Session)

No Author — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:03:00 EST

Flier Prompts Women's Caucus;
New Benchmarks for Texas Grants;
Alamo Oversight;
Legal "Drug" Stays Legal;
Fiscally Speaking;
Ignore the Alternative Providers, Save the Nurses;
It is Finished, Well at Least "Over";
Memorial Day Memorial;
Windstorm Insurance Goes up in Hot Air;
KEY ISSUES FROM THIS LEGISLATURE.

From the Capitol--Week 19

No Author — Sat, 28 May 2011 14:36:00 EST

As this legislative session draws to a close here are highlights from the past week.

Heimlich Maneuver and the Texas Legislature

No Author — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:18:00 EST

The "Heimlich poster bill" in the Texas Legislature underscores a long-simmering if little-known controversy over the best way to treat choking victims.

The American Red Cross no longer recommends abdominal thrusts as the best way to treat choking victims. The agency's first-aid classes now recommend five thumps on the back, between the shoulder blades, before attempting the Heimlich maneuver. There is no evidence that the Heimlich maneuver helps better than giving a choking victim a severe slap on the back a couple of times.

Today, the Red Cross advocates an escalating approach known as "five and five" to dislodge foreign objects from the throat: 1) Leaning the person forward, deliver five firm blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. 2) If the obstruction persists, give five abdominal thrusts. While standing behind the person, wrap your arms around and position a fist under the rib cage but above the navel. Press into the abdomen with a quick upward thrust as if trying to lift the person. 3) Alternate between five blows and five abdominal thrusts until the blockage is removed.

"The Heimlich Institute ... called the new Red Cross protocol misguided."

From the Capitol--Week 18

No Author — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:00:00 EST

With less than a week to go in this legislative session, here are highlights from last week:

FTC criticizes Senate health bill;
Governor signs TYC merger bill;
Antifreeze safety bill heads to House vote;
House, Senate inch toward budget deal;

Rural Hospitals may Employ MDs

No Author — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:00:00 EST

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill that will allow critical-access hospitals, sole community hospitals and hospitals in counties of 50,000 or fewer people to employ physicians.

From the Capitol--Week 17

No Author — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:21:00 EST

There are fewer than three weeks left in this legislative session. Here is some of the news from this past week:

Parliamentary Procedures;
Prison Health;
Increasing fees;
Sonogram Bill Sent to Governor;
Youth Agencies to Merge;
"Rape Kit" Analysis Bill Approved;
Redistricting Map Sent to Governor;
Budget;
Tobacco Tax Turmoil;
Veterans Tax;
Dogs Who Kill;
Bullies;
House Bills Backlog;
Remember the Alamo;
Stress and Tension;
Looser Pays;
Dam it, or Not;
HB 400 Still No Go;
Democrat Announces for Hutchison Senate Seat;
Sanctuary Cities;
BILL WOULD LET MEDICAL DOCTORS DISPENSE DRUGS;
Bill Limits Power to Seize Private Land;
Bill OK's Slots, but not Casinos;
Patient Privacy Protections;
WHEN SHOULD THE STATE LET YOUR DOCTOR KILL YOU?
Medicaid Waiver Plan Advances;
House OK's New Well Fluid Rules;
INSURANCE--No major reforms this session;
Hello Helicopter Hog Hunting;
Senate Approves Campus Carry.

From the Capitol--Week 16

No Author — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:20:00 EST

With just about one month left in this legislative session here are some of the highlights from the capitol this past week:

Budget Facts;
$10,000 Degree Program;
Guns in Texas;
State Budget;
Taxes;
Border Security;
Railroad Commission's name safe;
Gambling;
School mandate vote delayed;
Anti-bullying bill passes Senate;
No sugary drinks during school?;
Bill altering forensic panel stalls;
Senate: We want Congress' help;
Free Credit Security Service;
Budget Battles;
Puppy Mill Bill;
Taxing Internet Sales;
Lyme Disease and the TMB.

From the Capitol--Week 15

No Author — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:11:00 EST

Week 15 in the Texas Legislature saw the following news:

Credit Monitoring After Comptroller's Office Leak;
It's RAINING!;
Prove It;
The Lean and Fat of it All;
75 mph;
State Workers are Revolting.

From the Capitol--Week 14

No Author — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:30:00 EST

This week at the capitol saw the passage of Senate Bill 1001 through the Senate. This bill will allow for FAIR WORK and FAIR COVERAGE for chiropractic.

Other news includes:

Dangerous Drugs;
"Sexting" Bill Gets Senate OK;
Limits to Teacher Cuts Recommended;
Redistricting news;
Taxing Amazon;
Presidential Visit to Austin;
Use it or Loose it for Race Track Licensing;
A License to Breed;
Prison Officials to Pay;
BE a "Good Neighbor";
Human Trafficking Bill;
Gunslinging Legislators?;
Texas Prison Health

From the Capitol--Week 13

No Author — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:36:00 EST

A brief summary of some of the goings on at the Capitol this past week include:

CHANGE AT THE PRISON HEALTH BOARD;
STATE WORKERS SURGE IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS;
HOUSE OKs SPENDING PLAN;
PRISON WORKERS TO PAY HOUSING FEES;
CANCER RESEARCH MONEY PROTECTED;
RAILROAD COMMISSION GETS NEW NAME;
SCHOOL TAX BREAKS AT RISK;
ARE DOCTORS HAMSTRUNG BY UNFOUNDED COMPLAINTS AND GUNS FOR GOVERNMENT:
FEWER GRADUATION TESTS;
TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR NOW DEAD;
DEMOGRAPHICS AND SOVEREIGNTY;
CAMPUS CARRY BILL WITHDRAWN;
85 MPH GOES TO THE SENATE;
TEXTING NO, READING YES;
PUBLIC EDUCATION

From the Capitol--Week 12

No Author — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:31:00 EST

Fewer than 60 days left in the Session.

Battle of the Budget;
Cuts in Texas Veterans Commission;
Speed limits could rise to 75 mph in areas;
More Money for Criminal Administration;
Gambling on Gambling?;
New Sex-Predator Agency;
State Employee Pay Cuts;
Are Criminal Executions Criminal?;
Privatizing Criminal Health Care

From the Capitol--Week 11

No Author — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:23:00 EST

This past week at the Capitol saw:

The conclusion of a contested House race;
Consideration of a name change for the RR Commission;
Consideration of legal firearms carry on university campus;
Passage of the House budget;
Discovery that educating inmates lost 9.5 Million when inmates didn't pay back as they promised'
Hispanic children now make up the majority of school children in Texas;
Insurance companies how seek to fight refund orders from the state may have to post bond for the ordered refunds;
Voter ID passes House;
Banning "texting while lawmaking."

From the Capitol--Weeks 9 & 10

No Author — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:51:00 EST

A PLETHORA of news comes out of the capitol this week, from representatives falling out from the effects of medicine, to the states assertion that "sovereignty be claimed under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, to school changes, tax impacts, firings, hiring, and more.

Check the goings on at the Capitol in Austin from the past weeks. There are fewer than 75 days remaining in this session.

From the Capitol--Weeks 7 & 8

No Author — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:47:00 EST

During the past two weeks much has been going on around the capitol. Some of the topics highlighted include:

gambling;
taxes;
minorities;
education;
immigration;
ethics;
law enforcement;
the judiciary;
the senate;
balanced budgets or constitutional convention;
the budget;
license plates;
nurses;
real estate;
prisons;

and the Rainy Day fund.

Texas Senate Health Reform

No Author — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:09:00 EST

There are similarities between the "Texas Senate's health care bills" and the recently passed Federal ACA health reform act.

From the Capitol--Week 6

No Author — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:50:00 EST

This past week:

Census Data;
Rainy Day Fund;
Amazon.com;
Insurance Gouging?
Washington/Austin Tug of War;
School Finance;
Budget Considerations;
Howard Wins (?)
$10,000 B.S.?(and other bachelors degrees too);
Watch for...

From the Capitol--Week 5

No Author — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:57:00 EST

Here are highlights of this past week at the Capitol:

Second UTMB Audit
House Committees appointed
State of the State Address
Sexting
Schools and Money
Abortion
Targeting Employers of Illegal Immigrants
Eminent Domain

From the Capitol--Week 4

No Author — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 17:45:00 EST

SENATE FILES 310 BILLS, 5000 BILLS EXPECTED
SENATE ASSIGNS COMMITTEES
POWER OUTAGES
MEDICAL MONEY MISSPENT
EMINENT DOMAIN
A 6 VOTE MARGIN
BILL SEEKS ELECTRICAL DISCOUNT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS
CUTTING SCHOOL WAGES
GUNS IN THE CAPITOL
NO SMOKING

From the Capitol--Week 3

No Author — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 11:09:00 EST

Week three of the legislature has been completed. Some of the highlights accomplished include:

sonograms for abortions fast-tracked
Senate budget also calls for cuts
Voter ID passes Senate
Taxing Traffic Fines program offers amnesty
Lawmakers consider increasing consumer tax generation

From the Capitol--Week 2

No Author — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:39:00 EST