Save Austin Now, the political action committee behind Proposition A, which would require the city of Austin to hire two police officers for every 1,000 Austin residents, claimed victory Wednesday when the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the city must change its ballot language. But the city may have won the most important element of […]
Courts
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Democrats sue Texas in attempt to get federal courts to redraw legislative districts before 2022
Texas Democrats say the state’s legislative districts can’t be redrawn in 2021 and they’re asking a federal court to redraw them before the 2022 election. The state has already begun work on redrawing its maps, but a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday argues the state can’t legally do so until after the 2022 election. The suit […]
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Save Austin Now sues city, saying it isn’t fully enforcing ban on camping in public
The political action committee Save Austin Now and four business owners have filed a lawsuit against the city of Austin alleging it hasn’t been fully enforcing the ban on camping in public. Voters passed Proposition B in May. The petition-led initiative, organized by Save Austin Now, reinstated old rules surrounding homelessness, including a ban on camping in […]
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Williamson County to sue Austin over hotel for people transitioning out of homelessness
The Williamson County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to request a lawsuit be filed against the city of Austin for purchasing a Candlewood Suites hotel to house people transitioning out of homelessness. Austin’s plans for the Candlewood Suites, which is located on Pecan Park Boulevard in Williamson County, have been the target of county commissioners and […]
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Goodwin wins suit against Bee Cave Council
Bee Cave’s mayor and City Council members acted illegally last year when they voted to remove one of their members – Bill Goodwin – from the Council, according to a ruling from Travis County District Judge Lora Livingston. Livingston ruled in a final judgment against Mayor Kara King, Council members Andrea Willott, Jon Cobb, Andrew […]
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Adler, Brown say they won’t back down as Paxton threatens suit
Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter to Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown Wednesday threatening a lawsuit if Austin and Travis County do not rescind rules devised by Austin’s health authority to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Those rules include the requirement that adults wear face masks when entering […]
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Court rejects bid to overturn ballot language
Today’s City Council agenda contains resolutions and emergency ordinances waiving fees and regulations to help Austinites deal with the aftermath of prolonged freezing temperatures and the loss of power and water. The final item on the agenda is entirely different. Item 7 would allow Council to rewrite ballot language on the May 1 ballot for […]
Posted inCourts
Save Austin Now sues city over ballot language
Three Austin voters who signed a petition to put a public camping ban on the May 1 ballot have filed suit against the city to force a change in the ballot language. Linda Durnin, Eric Krohn and Michael Lovins allege in their suit that the language adopted by City Council is “unfair, prejudicial and distorts […]
Posted inCourts
Another protester files suit over APD’s use of ‘less-lethal’ rounds. That’s the second this week.
The Austin Police Department is facing yet another lawsuit over its use of less-lethal rounds during protests this summer. A complaint filed on behalf of Steven Arawn accuses an unidentified officer of excessive force for using a so-called beanbag round against him, striking him in the hand and seriously injuring him on May 30. Arawn, […]
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City faces another lawsuit over police using ‘less lethal’ round during protests
A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday argues an Austin police officer used excessive force when he shot a protester with a “less lethal” round in May, irreparably damaging the man’s eyesight. The suit is the latest against the city over the police department’s use of these rounds during largely peaceful demonstrations against police violence earlier this […]
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City wants Supreme Court to hear digital billboards case
The city of Austin plans to appeal a ruling overturning its ban on digital billboards and signs that aren’t on the site of a business. In August, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found the city’s distinction between on-premise and off-premise signs violated the First Amendment. “The city cannot ‘plac(e) strict limits on’ off-premises signs, […]
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Utility puts off settling lawsuit amid uproar
After hearing complaints from environmentalists and residents of Hamilton Pool Road at their meeting Thursday, the board of directors of the West Travis County Public Utility Agency decided to postpone a formal settlement of a lawsuit filed against the board of the utility by the developer Provence and two property owners. News of the proposed […]