Local Government
Save Our Springs Alliance files another lawsuit against City Council over Open Meetings Act
Claiming that City Council has again violated the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Save Our Springs Alliance on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the city’s placement of 13 proposed charter amendments on the November ballot. It is the…
Courts • By Amy Smith • Aug 20, 2024
Commissioners advance program to provide legal counsel at bail hearings
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to move forward on implementing a program to provide legal representation to arrested individuals during magistration, when a judge determines probable cause for arrest and sets bail. Commissioners will first need to authorize…
Courts • By Amy Smith • Aug 14, 2024
Travis County wrestles with equity in last phase of its hybrid work pilot
At its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Travis County Commissioners Court heard an update on one of its most successful initiatives of the last few years: the countywide teleworking policy. After the pandemic forced workers home, Travis County won a…
Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Aug 12, 2024
New ruling clears the way for public comment at City Council work sessions
Thursday morning, Mayor Kirk Watson kicked off a planned budget work session in an unusual way. “Late yesterday, we received a copy of a court order related to one of the lawsuits and, as a result of that, we are…
Courts • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 9, 2024
Affordable child care investment for Travis County may be on November ballot
At its June 25 meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court took a step toward expanding access to early childhood care and after-school services for low-income residents, setting Aug. 13 for a public hearing on a proposed 2.5-cent property tax rate…
Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jun 27, 2024
Travis County grand jury decides against charging Christopher Taylor with murder again
Austin police officer Christopher Taylor will no longer face prosecution for the fatal shooting of Mike Ramos in 2020. The shooting was a month before the murder of George Floyd, and Ramos’ name was invoked in racial justice protests in…
Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jun 27, 2024
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Judge rejects appeal in Central Health lawsuit
Judge Amy Clark Meachum has rejected a request by plaintiffs suing Central Health to take an immediate appeal to the 3rd Court of Appeals over the agency’s transfer of $35 million per year to the University of Texas Dell Medical…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Jun 20, 2024
Attorney general files appeal before rail trial begins
The Texas attorney general’s office filed an appeal to the 3rd Court of Appeals on Monday morning after Judge Eric Shepperd told a packed Travis County courtroom that he would not rule on a challenge to the jurisdiction before hearing…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Jun 18, 2024
Travis County judge dismisses Paxton's lawsuit over Austin ordinance decriminalizing pot
A Travis County judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Austin over its 2022 voter-approved ordinance decriminalizing marijuana possession. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the suit in January, alleging Austin was violating state law and promoting “the use of…
Courts • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Jun 17, 2024
Travis County partners with Texas Water Development Board on flood planning
Excessive rain isn’t typically something Austinites are concerned about in this drought-stricken era, but our region is unfortunately prone to catastrophic floods, too. Luckily, the first-ever statewide flood plan is set to be taken up by the Legislature – and…
Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jun 7, 2024
TxDOT argues in court that I-35 never caused racial discrimination – contradicting TxDOT
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is arguing in federal court that Interstate 35 didn’t unfairly disadvantage Black or Latino Austinites, contradicting the state agency’s own historical assessments of the highway that opened in 1962. “Defendant specifically denies the allegations…
Courts • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Jun 4, 2024
SOS sues city to stop Statesman PUD
The Save Our Springs Alliance has sued the city in an attempt to stop construction of the Statesman Planned Unit Development that Council approved in December 2022. Specifically, the environmental organization seeks to stop any “permit approvals, city fee waivers,…
