New Regulations for Abortion Clinics

We begin with another look at a proposed, and controversial, regulation for abortion clinics. A new rule requiring facilities to report more information to the state is one step closer to reality. The Department of State Health Services' council officially recommended its parent agency move forward with the change, Thursday.

The move stems from an amendment in the last legislative session that would have increased reporting requirements of abortion centers. When the measure failed, the agency looked at what elements it could implement. Most of the information, including proof a sonogram was performed, patient demographics and any complications during the abortion, is already collected, just not reported.

Opponents worry about patient privacy, but DSHS officials say the information won't be made public.

“Some people do raise concerns any time we collect information from people about any medical procedure, but the important thing to keep in mind is that the information is kept confidential and at the health department. We use it for trend analysis and just getting a better, complete picture what’s going on in facilities,” Carrie Williams, a Texas Department of State Health Services Spokeswoman said.

State Sen. Jose Rodriguez issued the council a letter asking it hold off on approving the amended rules to give more lawmakers a chance to weigh in. Rodriguez calls the move a way to circumvent the will of the legislature. It's far from final. Now it will be up to the Health and Human Services commissioner to get the rules published in the Texas Register. Once that happens, the public will have 30 days to comment.

HHS Commissioner Retiring

News broke Thursday afternoon that Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs is retiring at the end of August, just a few months after Education Commissioner Robert Scott announced he will step down. In the clip below, Capital Tonight's Political Analyst Harvey Kronberg weighs in on what he called a "brain drain" among state leadership.

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New TDP Chairman

Gilberto Hinojosa was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley and served as an attorney for the national organization, Migrant Legal Action Program. Years later, he would become a member of the Brownsville School Board, a Cameron County court at law judge, a district judge, a justice of the 13th Court of Appeals, and then Cameron County Judge. Now, Hinojosa leads Texas Democrats hungry to regain power. Paul Brown spoke with Judge Hinojosa about his vision for his "blue" party in a very "red" state.

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Capital Commentary

Our Capital Commentators Harold Cook and Ted Delisi break down the uphill battle Democrats face in the Lone Star State.

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HBO Says Sorry to President Bush

Former President George W. Bush made a cameo in a hit HBO show--or at least part of him did. A replica of the former president's head somehow ended up on a spike, with a wig and some mud for effect. The scene appeared in the first season of the popular show, Game of Thrones. The show's creators came under siege after they pointed out the resemblance in a commentary track. But they say it wasn't a political statement. Rather, they rented prosthetic parts in bulk to create the scene, and used whatever heads they had on hand. Still, HBO released a statement saying the stunt was in bad taste. The company says it will remove the shot from future DVD releases.

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Join us next week to see Attorney General Greg Abbott talk about the Supreme Court case over the president's health care law.