The health and human services commissioner has cut his estimate of what the federal health care law would cost Texas by 42 percent.
Tom Suehs estimated on Thursday that if Texas fully implemented the law, it would cost Texas $15 billion to $16 billion over 10 years. That is down from his original estimate of $26 billion to $27 billion to expand Medicaid.
But Gov. Rick Perry has said he will reject any attempt to expand Medicaid in Texas to provide nearly 2 million people with health insurance.
Suehs, who was updating lawmakers on the Affordable Care Act, says the revised estimate is the result of new information and spending estimates. He says a U.S. Supreme Court ruling makes it difficult to know exactly how much the law would cost.
AP
Highland Park Death Ruled A Suicide
Highland Park Police are still trying to figure out why John Steele apparently stabbed his wife before taking his own life.
The autopsy on Mr. Steele was performed this morning by the Medical Examiner. The Preliminary Ruling is as follows: Cause of death-stab wound to the chest, manner is suicide. This is the preliminary ruling and the final ruling will not be available until after the toxicology reports are completed.
Highland Park DPS investigators are still gathering information related to this incident at this time.
Police say Dina Steele was wounded early Wednesday trying to protect herself. She called 911 to report she awoke to find her husband stabbing her and himself.
Police say the couple's 16-year-old son tried to help his mother. The teen and his 12-year-old sister weren't injured. Both also called 911 to summon help.
Dina Steele was taken to Baylor University Medical Center with wounds not believed to be life-threatening. A hospital spokeswoman said Thursday there was no listing for a patient by that name.
Police say her husband was declared dead at the hospital Wednesday.
Bill Zeeble, KERA News
Texas retail gasoline prices up 7 cents
For the first time in months, gasoline prices have risen and are up 7 cents across the state.
AAA Texas on Thursday reports the average price of regular unleaded gasoline at the pump jumped to $3.23 per gallon.
The association notes that amount is still 30 cents less than motorists were paying at the same time last year.
Their survey found that the national average cost for gasoline also increased, up 4 cents in the past week to $3.38 per gallon.
Amarillo has the most expensive gasoline statewide at $3.33 per gallon. AAA Texas found that Corpus Christi had the cheapest gasoline at $3.15 per gallon.
The association says increased demand for gasoline during the July Fourth and Memorial Day holidays helped boost prices at the pump.
AP
Fort Bliss Soldiers among casualties in Afghanistan bombing
The bodies of six Fort Bliss soldiers are set to arrive at Dover Air Force Base today after they were killed last weekend during a bombing in Afghanistan. The six were all military police officers who were died Sunday when their armored vehicle hit a bomb just south of Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
AP
Some suffer minor injuries in Dallas condos fire
Officials say about a dozen Dallas condominiums have been damaged or destroyed in a fire that left several people with minor injuries.
Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans says the blaze was reported early Thursday. Arson investigators say the fire was caused by an electrical short in the fixed wiring of an upstairs unit.
Evans says residents of the two-story complex were evacuated by ground and with an aerial ladder.
Evans says some residents sustained minor injuries while evacuating and were treated at the scene. No one had to be taken to the hospital.
The fire was extinguished just before dawn Thursday.
AP