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Tag Archives: Texas Legislature

Two bills compete to reform firefighters retirement fund

Two competing bills in the Texas Legislature aim to tackle the issue of reforming the funding structure of the Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund. In a message on the City Council Message Board (posted by the mayor’s chief of staff, Colleen…

Fire • By Hunter Simmons • Apr 7, 2025

Council members celebrate unanimous defeat of bill that proposed putting Austin under state control

Austin City Council members celebrated the resounding defeat of House Bill 274 on Wednesday, a bill that would have created the “District of Austin” as the state’s official seat of government. “Our message is loud and clear: local leaders are…

Austin • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Mar 28, 2025

Austin public education advocates blast Trump’s order aiming to close Education Department

President Trump signed an executive order Thursday to phase out the U.S. Department of Education – an agency that provides loans and grants to college students, distributes federal funding to schools and is tasked with protecting students’ civil rights. The move…

Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Mar 25, 2025

Eviction crisis spreads as affordability pressures worsen

A record-breaking 13,210 evictions were filed in Travis County in 2024, according to a memo released last week from BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action), a project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. The memo, a snapshot with key evictions-related findings…

Housing • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Mar 24, 2025

Texas won’t offer a program to help feed kids over the summer. Advocates push for change next year.

About three dozen states plan to participate in a federal program that helps families pay for groceries over the summer. For the second year in a row, Texas – which has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the U.S.…

Texas State Legislature • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Mar 12, 2025

Council will likely delay implementing new STR rules pending legislative action

Austin City Council today will consider an overhaul of the city’s short-term rental regulations but is expected to delay implementing most changes until the summer. At Tuesday’s work session, Mayor Kirk Watson suggested pausing the new rules pending the outcome…

City Council • By Amy Smith • Feb 27, 2025

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Austin opened up police misconduct files. Now, state lawmakers want to lock them back up.

A bill that’s making its way through the Texas Legislature could target Austin’s management of its police department. Now, Senate Bill 781, authored by Republican state Sen. Phil King, could undo years of litigation, a citywide referendum and countless hours of public…

Police • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Feb 27, 2025

New Texas teacher pay bill proposes increasing certain salaries by as much as $10,000

The chair of the Texas Senate Education Committee has outlined his vision for boosting teacher salaries, with a focus on retaining experienced educators. Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) filed Senate Bill 26 on Tuesday, a couple of weeks after Gov. Greg…

Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Feb 20, 2025

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Bills covering DEI, handguns draw concern from Music Commission

A proposed state bill that would allow licensed handguns into events held on government property was met with concern by members of the Music Commission on Monday. House Bill 1715, which has been proposed for this year’s legislative session, was…

Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 5, 2025

$17.8 million in food funding for Austin-area kids is on the line when the Legislature convenes

A federal food assistance program could provide families in Hays, Williamson and Travis counties with more than $17.8 million to feed their kids over the summer if Texas decides to participate. But that’s a big if. The Texas Health and…

Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jan 15, 2025

At citizens’ request, City Council reannexes land

Some property owners object to the rules and fees governing use of their land in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and seek to escape from those rules. But their neighbors may not agree. City Council took action during their final meeting…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 10, 2025

Most Austin-area drivers will still need a vehicle inspection. Here's where the rules have changed.

Mandatory vehicle safety inspections have been eliminated for many Texas drivers. But in 17 counties – including Travis and Williamson – an emissions test is still required to renew your vehicle registration every year. The changes, which took effect Jan. 1,…

Transportation • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Jan 9, 2025

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