Group Calls for Legislative Action to Address Texas’ High Maternal Mortality Rate for Black Women

Black Mamas Community Collective says, “We must do better.”

"...Control. But black women, in particular, face the highest maternal mortality rate, as they are four times more likely..."

Feb. 26, 2019 News Post by Alex Puente

Texas Maternal Mortality Rate Soars

Local health department examining deaths: Is the Lege to blame?

"...Two recently released back-to-back studies showing unusual jumps in maternal deaths in Texas are drawing concern over women's health,..."

Sept. 9, 2016 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Lege Lines: A Second Shot at Tackling Maternal Mortality

After years spent gutting women’s health care, are lawmakers doing enough?

"...statistics show are dying at an alarming pace. The maternal mortality rate in Texas nearly doubled from 2010 to..."

Aug. 11, 2017 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Legislation Sent to Senate Could Help More Moms Survive Postpartum Life

The lower chamber acts on maternal mortality

"...first major step toward implementing recommendations from the state's Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force. The group spent two..."

May 17, 2019 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Senate Speeds Through Anti-Choice Bills

Senate prioritizes anti-abortion bills during special session

"...there were only 25 reported complications (or a 0.05% rate), according to the Department of State Health Services data...."

July 25, 2017 News Post by Mary Tuma

Fallout From the Lege's War on Reproductive Rights

Texas waits on the full impact of legislative cuts

"...toward women's health than its disregard for Texas' alarming maternal mortality rate, the highest in the developed world (see..."

June 23, 2017 News Feature by Mary Tuma

The Premature Death of the WHAC

How Gov. Greg Abbott killed vital oversight for women’s health

"...net, ideologically motivated reproductive health policies, and the highest rate of uninsured individuals didn't need any more signs of..."

Jan. 19, 2018 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Looking at the Lege After a Flaccid Special Session

Alpha males Abbott and Patrick can't get their red meat passed

"...regular session, it was because Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick deliberately sabotaged the process, thus triggering the need for a..."

Aug. 18, 2017 News Feature by the News Staff

Women's Health Advocates Brace for "Perfect Storm" at Texas Legislature

Republican lawmakers racing to further restrict abortion access

"...lobby group Texas Right to Life calls the "Abolition Strategy." In addition to a "heartbeat" bill, these include eliminating..."

Jan. 15, 2021 News Feature by Mary Tuma

What Happens When Texas Blocks Planned Parenthood? Abortions Rise.

Study: Lege's family planning cuts led to an increase in abortion

"...having the opposite effect. A new study shows abortion rates have jumped since Planned Parenthood was blocked...."

July 12, 2017 News Post by Mary Tuma

Lawmaker Files Bill Penalizing Male Masturbation

HB 4620 highlights absurdity of intrusive anti-choice bills

"...directing legislative efforts to fix the alarmingly high state maternal mortality rate...."

March 13, 2017 News Post by Mary Tuma

Lege Lines: The Voters Speak, the Governor Listens

Abbott leaves the red-state red-meat back at the mansion

"...mentioned at all. "Black women are dying at alarming rates," said Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, alluding to the state's..."

Feb. 8, 2019 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Top 10 Reproductive Rights Stories

In 2016, the fight for reproductive rights went all the way to the Supreme Court

"...4) Maternal Deaths Skyrocket Two separate studies showed an alarming spike..."

Dec. 30, 2016 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Lege Lines: Texas Temper Tantrum

Freedom Caucus wigs out, "chubs," stalls, kills every bill in sight

"...marijuana if their doctors approve. And, facing an alarming maternal mortality rate, HB 2403 would have required that the..."

May 19, 2017 News Feature by Mary Tuma

A Thousand Splendid Words

Khaled Hosseini on Afghanistan, poetry, and writing

"...different village and speak to someone who is probably illiterate, living in poverty, and I bet they would be..."

June 9, 2013 Books Post by Jessi Cape

Obamacare Lives!

Navigating ACA open enrollment after the Trump-ocalypse

"...contributing to dismal statewide health outcomes including the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world. But many low-income..."

Nov. 17, 2017 News Feature by Michael Agresta

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

"...Texas were a country, it would have the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world...."

June 23, 2017 Column by Mr. Smarty Pants

Texas House Advances Anti-Choice Package Bill

SB 8 bans safest type of second trimester abortion

"...cautioned, also risks raising the already alarmingly high Texas maternal mortality rate – an issue so-called “pro-life” legislators have..."

May 19, 2017 News Post by Mary Tuma

High Tech vs. High Touch

The midwifery debate is not new in Austin -- a Chronicle reprint from June 18, 1993

"...system struggling to keep up with the demand for maternal care, the clinic at 2nd and Comal, run by..."

Nov. 14, 2003 News Feature by Robert Bryce

Lawmakers Do Little to Support Women's Health

When it comes to controlling women's autonomy, facts never matter at the Capitol

"...reported in 2016 that Texas suffers from the highest rate of maternal deaths in the country, both sides of..."

May 31, 2019 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Point Austin: What’s That Smell?

Our Austin-bashing governor knows how to spread manure

"...a bill to let California-based Uber impose its own corporate priorities on local residents. We could call this hypocrisy,..."

June 9, 2017 News Column by Michael King

Bill of the Week: Combating Postpartum Depression

Between 2011 and 2012, nearly 200 Texas mothers died within a year of giving birth

"...Despite Texas' alarming rise in maternal mortality rates, state leadership has failed to prioritize the..."

April 21, 2017 News Feature by Mary Tuma

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Upcoming Legislative Session

Lawmakers set to tackle immigration, education, legalization, transportation, and more

"...to all solutions, but need to build coalitions with moderate Repub­lic­ans to make progress this session. – Austin Sanders Taking..."

Dec. 14, 2018 News Feature by the News Staff

Headlines

"...Board of Trustees on Monday approved a total tax rate of 1.1091 cents per $100 of property valuation for..."

Aug. 31, 2018 News Feature

Lege Lines: Bills on the Move

Tracking the fallout from the special session

"...SB 17 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, extends the Maternal Mortal­ity and Morbidity Task Force, a group studying the..."

July 28, 2017 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Central Texas Lawmakers Speak Out About the 86th Legislative Session

Interviews with the team representing 2.1 million Austin metro residents

"...looking at something like the compression of the tax rate [that the governor's office is advocating], and you also..."

Jan. 4, 2019 News Feature by the News Staff

Headlines

"...Energy have reportedly reached agreement on a new AE rate structure, including cuts totaling $218 million and including all..."

Aug. 19, 2016 News Feature

Rep. Vikki Goodwin on the 86th Texas Legislature

“I worry when people talk about property tax caps [and not] where the revenue is going to come from instead”

"...something like an endowment fund that would, over time, [generate] interest and proceeds to use for public education...."

Jan. 4, 2019 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Midwives: From L.A. to Santa Fe

The legal state of midwifery (Chronicle reprint from 1993)

"...of the Association for Childbirth at Home International, Brooks operates her birthing center in a legal gray area. California..."

Nov. 14, 2003 News Feature by Robert Bryce

Council Recap: Social Services Win

Council approves multimillion plan to fund social services contracts

"...social service and health advocates, City Council passed two separate items during its Thursday, March 31 meeting that direct..."

April 1, 2016 News Post by Mary Tuma