Good morning, and happy Friday! Austinites are in for a cold and gusty day, with a high of 64 degrees and winds at 20 miles per hour according to the National Weather Service.
Lead Story: Texas is now the last big state to hold out against a push to expand Medicaid, after Florida Governor Rick Scott announced he would push for expansion.
Some Texas lawmakers, including Governor Rick Perry, are still firmly against expanding Medicaid. But others might be changing their minds. For example, State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, says she is all about flexibility.
“I’m opposed to any expansion of Medicaid that doesn’t give Texas the flexibility that we want,” said Nelson, chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Women's Health Care Might Expand $100 million: A group of senators recommended a boost of $100 million funding to women's health care in Texas.
Senator Jane Nelson said the increase would help more women get services they might otherwise not get, such as family planning services and cancer screening.
“Preventive care, family planning, making sure that women in Texas who can’t afford their important health care, get the help they need,” Sen. Nelson said.
UT Plans Big Day of Service: The University of Texas at Austin is hosting "Project 2013" tomorrow. The university says the event is the largest community service event for students.
Approximately 2,000 students and alumni will volunteer in the Dove Springs Community. The largest project is to make repairs, paint, clean up trash, plant trees and make improvements to landscape of the Dove Springs Recreation Center.
