@texastribune covering law, courts and politics. previously: abortion and women’s health. all my exes not in Texas: @kentuckycir @pacrossroads @npr

Austin, TX
I am honestly speechless to be named reporter of the year by Texas Managing Editors. In a difficult year for media nationwide, it’s a privilege to be able to continue to do this work, one I don’t take lightly. texastribune.org/2024/04/20/…
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BREAKING: Judge has issued a statewide injunction blocking Gov. Greg Abbott's directive to have CPS investigate parents of trans children for providing gender-affirming care
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NEW: Texas’ child welfare agency has RULED OUT child abuse and closed the investigation in at least one case involving parents who provide gender-affirming care to their trans kids.
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It’s been five decades since an adult woman has had to ask a judge for permission to have an abortion. Now, two in a week.
NEW: A Kentucky woman who is 8 weeks pregnant has filed a class action lawsuit asking a judge for emergency relief to terminate her pregnancy. She is the 2nd woman this week (other is in Texas) nationwide to ask a judge to intervene on her behalf to get an abortion.
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NEW: A court has thrown out Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's appeal in the case involving a CPS investigation into parents of a trans kid. This means Friday's hearing for a statewide injunction can proceed. @TexasTribune
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BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify in an abortion access lawsuit. More details TK. Judge Robert Pitman had previously quashed the subpoena, which Paxton fled his home to avoid being served.
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NEW: Two Texas women have filed federal EMTALA complaints against Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital in Round Rock and Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for allegedly refusing to treat their ectopic pregnancies. More TK @TexasTribune
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BREAKING: Abortions up to six weeks of pregnancy can resume in Texas, per a temporary restraining order issued by a Harris County judge. A hearing has been set for July 12 to consider a more permanent injunction.
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Alluding to the challenges this case will face, District Judge Amy Clark Meachum said the injunction should remain in effect "while this court, and potentially the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Texas" hear this case. Case scheduled for July 11.
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NEW: The Texas Supreme Court has vacated the temporary restraining order that would have allowed Kate Cox to get an abortion in Texas. Cox has already traveled out of state to get an abortion while the TRO was on hold.
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NEW: The TX women facing a wrongful death suit for allegedly helping a friend obtain an abortion are countersuing. They claim the man suing them knew about the abortion and didn’t stop it, instead using it as a tool of abuse/control of his ex-wife. Stork TK @TexasTribune
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BREAKING: Wrongful death suit against two Texas women who allegedly helped a friend obtain abortion pills has been DROPPED. The women were sued by their friend’s ex-husband, who was represented by anti-abortion legal crusader Jonathan Mitchell More TK @TexasTribune
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It appears Rep. @NicoleCollier95, who has been on the Texas House floor since yesterday, has filed a habeas petition, challenging the House’s requirement that members who returned from their quorum break be released into DPS custody
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BREAKING: The District Attorney who charged #LizelleHerrera with murder for a "self-induced abortion" is dropping the charges. "The issues surrounding this matter are clearly contentious, however based on Texas law and the facts presented, it is not a criminal matter."
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BREAKING: The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Texas will ban abortion from the moment of conception, with narrow exceptions to save the life of the mother, goes into effect 30 days after the ruling.
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Three women challenging Texas’ abortion laws testified today in court. One could barely get words out through her tears. Another ran to the restroom as soon as she was done, wretched sobs wracking her tiny body. A third threw up on the witness stand. texastribune.org/2023/07/19/…
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SCOOP: Three women have been sued in state court for wrongful death for assisting with a self-managed abortion The lawsuit was filed by Jonathan Mitchell, former Texas solicitor general and the architect of SB8 texastribune.org/2023/03/10/…
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Neither of Miranda’s twins were expected to survive after birth. She couldn’t afford to leave the state, so she continued her pregnancy in accordance with Texas law. I followed Miranda through to the bitter, horrible end, with @shelbytauber on photos. texastribune.org/2023/10/11/…
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House committee votes out the “raise the age” bill that was proposed in response to the Uvalde shooting. Families and loved ones of those killed at Robb Elementary celebrate the 8-5 vote Two R’s joined Dems to vote for it. “God bless them,” says bill sponsor Rep King
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BREAKING: An Austin judge has issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the state, once again, from investigating parents who provide their kids w/ gender-affirming care The order applies to families who brought the suit, as well as TX members of @PFLAG
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“I had a baby. There was a physical child… It just negates the whole thing. I really thought this city was different.” An Austin Public Health employee speaks out on being denied parental leave after a stillbirth. texastribune.org/2023/06/15/…
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According to an affidavit, AG Paxton fled his home - in a truck driven by his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton - to avoid being served a subpoena to testify at Tuesday’s hearing. Tomorrow might be more interesting than expected... texastribune.org/2022/09/26/…
There’s a hearing tomorrow in federal court, challenging Texas’ abortion laws on constitutional grounds. Abortion funds are asking a judge to block AG Paxton from penalizing them if they help Texans travel out-of-state to get an abortion
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The Texas House just voted to repeal the “tampon tax,” removing sales tax on menstrual products, diapers, maternity clothes and baby bottles. Bill already cleared the Senate. Rep. @DonnaHowardTX, who pushed this bill for years, noted it’s Period Poverty Awareness Week.
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I’m in Amarillo this morning, where Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk is hearing arguments over the FDA’s long-standing approval of mifepristone, an abortion-inducing medication. No electronics in the courtroom, so full update to come later at @TexasTribune
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NEW: 250 conservative Texas gun enthusiasts are urging Congress to pass red flag laws, expanded background checks and raising the age to purchase a gun. They’re running a full-page ad in the Dallas Morning News tomorrow announcing their position.
Major Republican donors, including some that have contributed to Greg Abbott’s campaigns, joined other conservative Texans in signing an open letter supporting congressional action to increase gun restrictions in response to the mass shooting in Uvalde. bit.ly/3MnVLJM
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NEW: A Texas judge has halted a CPS investigation into the family of a trans teenager, citing the "irreparable harm" they would face if it proceeded. But the judge did not block ALL such investigations; will consider a statewide injunction on 3/11. @TexasTribune
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BREAKING: Texas Supreme Court has unanimously rejected Zurawski v Texas, a challenge to the state’s abortion laws 20+ women sued after being denied medically necessary abortions. SCOTX overturned the lower courts ruling, allowing the law to stand as is txcourts.gov/media/1458610/2…
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if you’re sad succession is over can I politely suggest tuning into the texas legislature
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On Día de los Muertos, a group of state lawmakers and maternal health advocates are calling on Texas to release the state’s annual maternal mortality report, which has been delayed beyond its statutorily required deadline.
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Eight more women are challenging Texas’ abortion laws, bringing the # of plaintiffs to 15 The Center for Reproductive Rights is asking for a temporary block on Texas’ abortion bans - as they apply to pregnancy complications - while the case proceeds. texastribune.org/2023/03/07/…
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"It is clear to me that the events leading up to this indictment have taken a toll on Ms. Herrera and her family." Public records indicate she spent two nights in jail on a $500,000 bond after a grand jury indicted her. Suffice to say, many questions remain.
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A grassroots protest has popped up at the state Capitol, opposing Gov. Abbott’s latest directive equating certain gender-affirming medical treatments with child abuse. ACLU filed a lawsuit earlier today.
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This projection from the University of Washington indicates KY is flattening the curve. covid19.healthdata.org/proje… Data shows Kentucky will peak on May 5th, have a total of 585 deaths. Indiana will peak a full month earlier, but will see 2,440 deaths by the end.
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NEW: A new lawsuit has been filed challenging Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to investigate parents who provide gender-affirming care to their transgender children. More TK @TexasTribune
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What a way for the world to learn about @TexasTribune’s custom CMS, which auto-populates financial disclosures based on keywords in the story.
Replying to @TexasTribune
Best newspaper conflict-disclosure ever...
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BREAKING: Texas abortion providers have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state’s pre-Roe statutes and be allowed to resume abortions until the trigger law goes into effect. Hearing Tuesday at 9:30am More TK @TexasTribune
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A state judge has ruled that aspects of Texas' SB8 are unconstitutional and should not be enforced in Texas. This is a separate case from the one before the U.S. Supreme Court. @TexasTribune is reviewing the ruling. Story coming shortly.
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Judge has granted the temporary restraining order saying Kate Cox can have an abortion. More TK
Today at 9am, a Travis County judge will consider whether to allow Kate Cox to terminate her pregnancy after a lethal fetal diagnosis. It’s the first case of its kind since before Roe v. Wade in 1973. Watch here: piped.video/@traviscounty459…
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Good morning, Texas! Today is my first day as the women's health reporter at the @TexasTribune. Hit me with your story ideas, tips, secrets, rants, vents and feelings at eleanor.klibanoff@texastribune.org.
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BREAKING: The Texas Supreme Court will allow the state’s pre-Roe abortion laws to be civilly enforced. The laws cannot be criminally enforced at this time, per SCOTX, but this still likely means clinics will cease abortions. More TK in the morning @TexasTribune
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5 years ago, Jen Sainato reported a rape to Louisville police. Officers called her hysterical. They didn’t gather evidence. They told the suspect he was “off the hook” and closed the case. Yesterday, a jury ordered the suspect to pay her $1.2m. lpm.org/investigate/2023-01-…
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“It is challenging to square the idea that Paxton has time to give interviews threatening prosecutions but would be unduly burdened by explaining what he means to the very parties affected by his statements,” Judge Robert Pitman wrote in Tuesday’s order.
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BREAKING: Texas has filed a lawsuit against a New York abortion provider for allegedly mailing pills into the state, setting up a clash between Texas’ near-total ban and NY’s shield laws. Story coming. texasattorneygeneral.gov/sit…
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Pitman explained in the order that he had quashed the subpoena “on the assumption that counsel for Paxton had made candid representations to the Court,” but reversed the order after learning that lawyers for the plaintiffs had tried repeatedly to serve Paxton.
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BREAKING: A state court has thrown out a lawsuit against abortion provider Alan Braid. Braid was sued under S.B. 8, the TX law allowing private citizens to sue providers for abortions post-six weeks. This ruling does not overturn the law. More TK @TexasTribune
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Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman hired the husband of a friend to run the Office of Unemployment Insurance. He had no experience with state government or unemployment systems. Then coronavirus hit, and he was quietly fired. Inside Kentucky’s unemployment crisis:
Well-Connected Unemployment Director Quietly Fired Amid Crisis kycir.org/2020/07/20/well-co…
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Replying to @eklib @TexasTribune
The filing claims that Silva threatened to use evidence of the abortion to have his ex sent to jail if she didn’t “give him my ‘mind body and soul’ until the end of the divorce,” per text messages. (TX abortion law exempts the pregnant patient.) More: texastribune.org/2023/05/02/…
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I’m at a wedding in Jackson, MS, staying at a hotel next door to this upscale furniture consignment store… Which, until about two years ago, was Jackson Women’s Health Organization, also known as the Pink House, Mississippi’s last abortion clinic
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NEW: After a yearslong fight, Texas moms will be able to stay on Medicaid for a full year after giving birth. The feds have approved Texas’ application to extend postpartum Medicaid to 12 months, according to emails obtained by @TexasTribune Follow @kbrooksharper for more
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"The world has become so selfish." The last time COVID hospitalizations were this high in Texas, there was the hope of vaccines on the horizon. Now, healthcare workers don't see much hope at all. My dispatch from inside a hospital on the brink: texastribune.org/2022/01/17/…
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The #TxLege has voted to give new moms a full year of Medicaid coverage, up from two months. In a state where 50% of births are paid for by Medicaid and maternal mortality is on the rise, this is a legislative victory years in the making. More TK @TexasTribune
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This photo has big “Dad trying to impress the contractors with his hardware store know-how” energy.
Gov. Andy Beshear looks up towards the statue of #JeffersonDavis as the #confederate monument is prepared to be removed from the state capitol rotunda Saturday morning.
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The @TexasTribune needs a health editor! Please. I don’t want to have to learn how commas work. I’ve been faking it. I just put them wherever and wait for my editor to fix it. They’re starting to catch on. The walls are closing in. Please. Apply today! texastribune.org/jobs/health…
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BREAKING: @ReproRights has filed a lawsuit seeking emergency intervention on behalf of a pregnant Texan who is seeking an abortion due to a lethal fetal diagnosis. Complaint: reproductiverights.org/wp-co…
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There’s a hearing tomorrow in federal court, challenging Texas’ abortion laws on constitutional grounds. Abortion funds are asking a judge to block AG Paxton from penalizing them if they help Texans travel out-of-state to get an abortion
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In a huge victory for the "Kentucky is a Midwestern state" crowd, @GovAndyBeshear has announced a regional coronavirus partnership with Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. The "Kentucky is actually the South" delegation could not be reached for comment.
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Protesters outside the Texas House of Representatives chanting “do your job, cowards” as legislators show up for work Monday. They’re asking the legislature to raise the age to buy assault rifles. There was another mass shooting in Allen, TX this weekend.
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Two of our most tenured reporters, covering demographics and criminal justice, in a rapidly changing, heavily incarcerated, death penalty state... incomprehensible. And Pasztor, who transformed my writing (and thus, my career.) Hard to put into words what this means for the Trib
Two of the greatest journalists I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. @alexazura @jsmccullou We were all laid off today as @TexasTribune attempts to reverse financial and leadership tailspin.
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Some personal news! After three fulfilling and... intense years on the women’s health beat, I’m transitioning to a new role: Law and Politics Reporter Still @TexasTribune, but now on the politics team, covering the AG, courts, politics and more.
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Kate Cox has left the state of Texas to terminate her pregnancy. Cox had secured a court order allowing her to have an abortion in Texas, but the Texas Supreme Court halted the order this weekend. More TK
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NEW: Seven more women have joined @ReproRights’ lawsuit challenging Texas’ abortion laws. A total to 20 women and 2 doctors say the laws violate their rights under the TX constitution. Case goes before TX Supreme Court Nov. 28 texastribune.org/2023/11/14/…
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“Only you have the power to clarify Texas’ abortion laws!” ICYMI: texastribune.org/2023/12/21/…
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The Texas Supreme Court has stepped in and temporarily stayed the order that would have allowed Kate Cox to have an abortion The court will review the merits of the case, but did not say when it expected to rule. Cox is 20 weeks pregnant.
The Texas Office of the Attorney General has filed a writ of mandamus, asking the Texas Supreme Court to stay this ruling. Yesterday, the state sent a letter to hospitals, threatening legal action w/r/t Kate Cox’s abortion
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Today, in a Travis County courtroom, women will testify against Texas’ abortion ban, claiming the new laws prevented them from getting medically necessary pregnancy care. The state has asked the judge to dismiss the case. I’m here watching for @TexasTribune
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An interesting distinction: In Texas, all the legal challenges we’ve seen so far focus on patients with complicated pregnancies. This Kentucky case is a much wider challenge, seeking to restore access to abortion regardless of reason.
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This story is developing. We’ll have more @TexasTribune soon.
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This is big news, for Louisiana but also for Texas... June Medical Services in Shreveport is a lot closer to Texas’ population centers than New Mexico.
Breaking: A Louisiana judge has blocked enforcement of the state’s trigger ban, which banned abortion as soon as Roe was overturned. Abortions are expected to resume soon.
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May 27, 1968, Louisville residents took to the streets to protest the reinstatement of a white police officer who beat a black man while arresting him. 52 years later, almost to the day:
Replying to @WFPLNews
More from @RyanVanVelzer. Protesters walking down Main Street shouting “Stop killing us!”
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It has been one year - whoops, sorry, one week - since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, thus allowing states to set their own laws around abortion access. Here’s how everything has unfolded in Texas since: (1/10)
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BREAKING: Mifepristone, a common abortion-inducing drug, will remain approved for the foreseeable future, after SCOTUS issues a Friday night stay of the lower court ruling
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speaking of no coincidences, the last time it rained in Austin was also during an impeachment trial, 106 years ago
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How did the Texas Office of the Attorney General go from a bureaucratic workhorse to waging a “battle for the soul, for the future of America”? Today, we launch a 3-part series on what this Texas-born legal revolution means for the future of the country texastribune.org/2023/07/31/…
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BREAKING: U.S. Supreme Court throws out challenge to mifepristone, unanimously ruling that the anti-abortion docs who sued lack standing. Note: This changes nothing about Texas’ abortion laws, but allows mifepristone to remain on the market supremecourt.gov/opinions/23…
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Two days after Texas’ “heartbeat” abortion ban went into effect, Josseli Barnica had a miscarriage. Three days later, she was dead from an infection, after her doctors delayed treating her until there was no fetal cardiac activity @propublica texastribune.org/2024/10/30/…
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Things are really confusing right now, re: abortion law in Texas. Here’s a brief thread to explain what we know and what we don’t, accurate as of Monday afternoon.
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I’ve seen confusion about the EMTALA ruling, so TX law says *a doctor CAN* perform lifesaving abortions Feds said *hospitals MUST* perform lifesaving abortions 5th Circuit said HHS couldn’t require this of hospitals. They didn’t touch the medical exceptions for doctors.
NEW: 5th Circuit sides with Texas, says Biden admin overstepped in telling hospitals they were obligated to perform life-saving abortions under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Background: texastribune.org/2023/11/07/… Ruling: storage.courtlistener.com/re…
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LMPD claims (in reports, depositions and its own policy manual) to have an officer early warning system. But they don’t. Now, per the settlement, they’ll have to create one. Why did it take Breonna Taylor’s death to get LMPD to do what they said they did, years ago?
Breonna Taylor Deal Promises Reform LMPD Said They Did Years Ago kycir.org/2020/09/22/breonna…
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Replying to @eklib @TexasTribune
Almost 2 years ago, a Galveston man sued his ex-wife’s friends for allegedly helping her obtain abortion pills. The first-of-its-kind lawsuit set off a panic about post-Roe abortion criminalization. Now, the claims have been dropped. texastribune.org/2024/10/11/…
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Looks like we may get a decision from the @kyoag on the #BreonnaTaylor case today. This stuff is really confusing on the best day, and I'm assuming many of you, like me, didn't go to law school. So here's a brief cheat sheet on what all of this means. (1/7)
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This is the second legal victory for abortion providers in 24 hours (Supreme Court says they can proceed with challenge, state court says SB 8 is unconstitutional.) But neither ruling blocks enforcement of the law, meaning abortions are unlikely to resume.
Breaking: The U.S. Supreme Court lets the enforcement of Texas abortion law continue but allows legal challenges from abortion providers to proceed. bit.ly/3oHyDgM
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Whole Woman’s Health, one of Texas’ largest and most prominent abortion providers, is planning to “pack up their 4 Texas clinics and relocate to New Mexico,” per a press release.
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NEW: A judge has expanded the injunction blocking Texas’ child welfare agency from investigating any parents who provide gender-affirming care to their trans children, as long as they are members of @PFLAG, an advocacy group for parents of LGBT youth.
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Here's something I sometimes lose sight of: @WFPLNews/ @KentuckyCIR has nine reporters, combined. One photographer. Several editors who do double-duty. Looking back just at the last 24 hours...WHEW. Public radio may be the biggest bang for your buck out there. (1/8)
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It’s been a rought first 24 days of 2024 for the media industry. One bright spot: We at @texastribguild are unionizing! We want to build a better, stronger, more equitable news organization. For the good of the Tribune, for the good of Texas.
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After @TexasTribune raised questions about this policy, Austin’s mayor and several city council members said they wanted to change it. And HR offered Elena an additional month of paid leave. It doesn’t fix what she went through, she said, but it’s a start.
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The Texas Office of the Attorney General has filed a writ of mandamus, asking the Texas Supreme Court to stay this ruling. Yesterday, the state sent a letter to hospitals, threatening legal action w/r/t Kate Cox’s abortion
Judge has granted the temporary restraining order saying Kate Cox can have an abortion. More TK
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SCOTUS has issued its judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson, meaning: Texas’ trigger law goes into effect in 30 days, after which abortion will be punishable by up to life in prison, $100k fine and admin penalties. Clinics have already stopped abortions due to pre-Roe laws.
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Maternal deaths have surged in Texas, according to the latest maternal mortality report, especially for Black and Hispanic women. This documents 2020, 2021 deaths — before the state began significantly restricting abortion. texastribune.org/2024/09/18/…
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Whole Woman’s Health said they will resume abortions at their four Texas clinics, in compliance with other Texas laws, as a result of this ruling. “Any day that we are able to provide the abortions Texans need and deserve is a good day,” said CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller.
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There was a LOT happening last week, in Texas and around the globe, so ICYMI, here's a Monday morning primer on what's going on with trans kids in Texas right now. TL;DR: "This is the worst thing I've ever seen happen to LGBTQ people in my 30 years in this area of law." 1/
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Dr. Ingrid Skop, a prominent anti-abortion OBGYN from San Antonio, was chosen to represent rural areas on Texas’ maternal mortality committee… …over a nurse from the Rio Grande Valley who scored higher on the application rubric. Inside the process: texastribune.org/2024/08/08/…
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