In the News

Federal health officials offered a break Friday to uninsured Texans who could be facing fines for not obtaining health insurance by the Feb. 15 deadline established by the Affordable Care Act. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created a special enrollment period for uninsured people who face fines when they file their income taxes this year so that they do not face higher fines next year. This special enrollment will be only for people in states with federally run marketplaces, like Texas.

Even as Gov. Greg Abbott took public pride Tuesday that his legal handiwork had succeeded in blocking the imminent implementation of President Barack Obama’s executive action to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation, the Obama administration said that Abbott’s victory would be short-lived. “We plan to appeal; we expect to prevail,” Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, told reporters on a conference call Tuesday afternoon. “At the end of the day, we expect this to be a successful process.”

AUSTIN — State leaders on Thursday were threatening to sue the federal government over a restriction Congress is placing on $830 million in education funds for Texas. The issue pits all of the state’s major education groups against state legislative leaders and involves Texas’ share of funding for emergency education jobs in a bill expected to get final congressional approval Tuesday. Some Texas educators and education groups do not trust state and legislative leaders because of how they treated the federal stimulus money last year. Because Texas faces a severe budget shortfall next year, some educators are worried federal funds intended for education will again get diverted to fill budget gaps. “We urge you to prevent history from repeating itself and ensure that any funds Texas receives go to help Texas schools, teachers and students,” Texas educators said in a letter to congressional leaders. About 40 Texas school superintendents and seven education groups, including the Texas Association of School Boards and the Texas Association of School Administrators, signed the letter.

Perry demands right to gut Texas education funding

Congressman Lloyd Doggett visited with children at the Boys & Girls Club in South Austin on Tuesday to view CAFB’s Summer Food Service Program in action, and learn about the program’s impact in the community. The Summer Food Service Program is one of several child nutrition programs up for renewal this year as part of…