The Texas Secretary of State’s Office sent local election officials an advisory Thursday that was meant to give them guidance on how to handle elections during the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, they tried to tackle an issue voting rights groups have flagged since the start of the outbreak: Who qualifies to vote by mail during […]
Ashley Lopez, KUT
Posted inPublic Health
Austinites are not at higher risk of getting coronavirus after first confirmed case in Texas
Austin health officials say the threat of coronavirus has not gotten any worse now that the first case has been confirmed in Texas. Dr. Mark Escott, the interim medical director of Austin Public Health, said there is “virtually a zero-percent chance” of contracting the virus, now known as COVID-19, in Austin. “That’s because the individual […]
Posted inUncategorized
Political groups in Texas prepare to reach out to Latinos ahead of the 2020 census
If counted accurately, the 2020 U.S. census is expected to show a boom in Texas’ Latino population. That’s why groups in the state say they plan to focus their efforts on making sure Latinos here fill out the form and get counted. Jolt, a group working to increase the number of young people of color […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin could fund ‘logistical support’ for low-income women seeking abortions
Four Austin City Council members want the city to help low-income women obtain abortions – without the city actually paying for the procedure. At the urging of local reproductive rights groups, Austin city leaders are working to set aside up to $150,000 for groups that provide transportation, lodging, child care and counseling to women seeking […]
Posted inAustin
Texas’ strong economy is making it harder for officials to hire part-time census workers
The U.S. Census Bureau is having a tough time hiring workers in Texas for the 2020 census because the unemployment rate is so low – which means nonprofits and local governments may have to step in to make sure there’s an accurate count. It takes a lot of work and a lot of people to […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
State lawmakers approve legislation shielding most Texans from surprise medical bills
Surprise medical bills may be a thing of the past for many Texans. In a unanimous vote, the Texas House approved a Senate bill banning health care providers from sending steep medical bills to insured Texans in emergencies. Senate Bill 1264 passed the Texas House on a 146-0 vote. If signed into law, it would […]
Posted inLocal Politics
House Speaker Pelosi says attempted voter purge in Texas shows need for stronger federal protections
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a visit to East Austin on Tuesday to promote sweeping voting reform legislation currently before Congress. Among other things, House Bill 1 would ensure online voter registration or automatic registration for citizens across the country. The bill would require paper trails for electronic voting machines and prohibit states from removing […]
Posted inCourts
Civil rights group sues Texas over its call to remove alleged noncitizens from voter rolls
A Latino civil rights organization filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday against Texas’ effort to identify noncitizens who are registered to vote. The lawsuit brought by the the League of United Latin American Citizens argues that state officials violated the Voting Rights Act when they advised local registrars to remove alleged noncitizens from their […]
Posted inElections
Sheryl Cole and ‘Chito’ Vela head to runoff in Texas House race, pushing Dawnna Dukes out
Democrats Sheryl Cole and Jose “Chito” Vela will move on to a runoff election for Texas House District 46 after pushing out embattled incumbent Dawnna Dukes in the primary on Tuesday. The district includes parts of East Austin, Manor and Pflugerville. Cole, a former City Council member, and Vela, an immigration attorney, both garnered 39 […]
Posted inAustin
Is it really legal to walk down the street with a beer in Austin neighborhoods?
Colter Sonneville had a hunch that it might be legal to walk down the street with an open beer in most of Austin’s residential neighborhoods. It started when he noticed some big signs around Chicon and East Cesar Chavez streets. “The sign says, ‘No alcohol consumption on public streets/sidewalks and pedestrian way designated area,’” he […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Democrats call on Dukes to step down for failing to show up
Democratic House Rep. Dawnna Dukes of Austin was already in hot water at the start of the legislative session. She had walked back a promise to resign and, soon after, was indicted. But Travis County Democrats say she then failed to do a major part of her job: show up. According to Community Impact, she’s […]
Posted inTransportation
The decades-old theory behind speed limits might make it harder to change them
High speeds are one of the biggest killers on our roadways. As city officials tackle an uptick in traffic fatalities here in Austin, speed limits come up a lot. But it’s unlikely that city and state officials will be able to make significant changes to speed limits once everything is said and done. And there’s […]