Does it actually have a straw, or just a valve so you still have to tip the bottle?

It has a straw. In fact, it won't work if you tip it as the water will move out of the range of the straw, unless it is near full.

The Better Bottle actually has a removable straw. BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a chemical compound commonly found in plastic drink and food containers. Small amounts of BPA could possibly leach out from containers and be ingested. There is much scientific debate regarding what levels are harmful to humans, though it is generally considered safe, and would thus not be considered as needing a recall. Here's more information: http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa and http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/pdf/factsheet_bisphenol.pdf.