There were big wins for rural Texas this legislative session as lawmakers dedicated more funding to health care, struggling farmers and emergency management.

More than 3 million Texans live in rural pockets strewn across the state, from the Piney Woods in East Texas to far-flung corners in the Panhandle. However, people in rural communities are more likely to lack access to basic necessities, have a dearth of hospitals and struggle to find money for infrastructure needs.

Lawmakers took strides to close those gaps this year. Some proposals did not go through, including a bill that would have prioritized applications for broadband projects that expand to underserved and unserved communities. However, there are other changes that stand to improve conditions for rural communities.

Education

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