Daily Dispatch 2/11/25: Measles Outbreak Gains Steam, Concerning State Health Officials, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:The measles outbreak in Gaines County appears to be gaining momentum, spreading concern across the state at a time when vaccination rates are down:https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/measles-outbreak-texas-20159156.php...The problem isn't limited to rural Texas - Houston kindergarteners saw a massive drop in measles vaccinations over the pandemic period: https://www.khou.com/article/news/health/measles-outbreak-texas-vaccination-rate/285-ba5d50d9-417a-485b-b4a6-446db33d12ff...Check the vaccination rate at your Texas public school here: https://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunizations/data/school/coverageKen Paxton has expanded his investigations over trans kids playing sports to two more Texas school districts: Hutto ISD and Richardson ISD: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2025-02-10/texas-ag-paxton-investigating-two-more-school-districts-over-trans-athlete-policies...Paxton clearly views picking on trans Texans as a solid way to ramp up a potential midterm primary challenge against U.S. Senator John Cornyn: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/cornyn-paxton-possible-senate-primary/A newly-proposed law would hold Texas businesses who don't allow the carrying of guns on their property liable for damage or injury that results from a crime on that property: https://www.kltv.com/2025/02/10/state-senator-east-texas-business-owner-speak-sb-82s-concealed-carry-liability/A watchdog group is calling on the Attorney General to investigate misuse of private medical information of clients by so-called crisis pregnancy centers, which are mostly not subject to HIPAA regulations:https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2025/02/10/watchdog-calls-for-tx-others-to-do-their-jobs-as-pregnancy-centers-spark-privacy-fears/We celebrate Black History Month throughout February! See a great essay on this year's celebration, happening amidst so much turmoil, and a listing of related events happening across Texas:⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org/blog/black-history-month-2025-celebrating-texas-culture⁠⁠⁠...Check out a terrific essay for Black History Month by Progress Texas Institute Board Chair Louis Bedford: https://progresstexas.org/blog/trickle-down-diversity-doesn%E2%80%99t-workThe early giving period for this year's Amplify Austin Day has begun! Support Progress Texas at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/progress-texas-institute⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Progress Texas is now ranked in the top 3% of all podcasts worldwide for listenership - thank you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/progress-texas-podcasts-progress-texas-pHdPjbaN-7B/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Grab your goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.