It’s something of an old saw in the political world that progressive cities in otherwise red states are like “a blueberry in a bowl of tomato soup.” Austin Mayor Steve Adler and his mayoral colleagues on Friday’s “America’s Mayors: Holding The Line” panel at South by Southwest didn’t invoke that line themselves but let panel […]
Texas Legislature
The state’s legislative governing body composed of the House and Senate.
Posted inWater
Howard files bill to protect Barton Springs
State Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) has filed legislation to prevent the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from issuing new permits to authorize discharge of sewage effluent into any creek or other body of water in the contributing or recharge zone of the Barton Springs or San Antonio segments of the Edwards Aquifer. Dripping Springs has […]
Posted inWater
Bill would stop Austin from protesting pollution
State Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) has filed a bill that appears to threaten to punish the city of Austin for opposing Dripping Springs’ controversial wastewater discharge permit before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The city of Austin has been working with Dripping Springs to reach a settlement on issues related to Dripping Springs’ […]
Posted inAustin
Democrats urged to join fight against SB 4
Matt Simpson, policy strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, told members of the Central Texas Democratic Forum on Monday that Senate Bill 4, the so-called sanctuary cities bill, throws out policies created by sheriffs and police departments across the state about how and when to ask about immigration status. “This is kind […]
Posted inTravis County
Immigration discussion stokes heat at Commissioners Court
The issue of immigration enforcement caused sparks to fly at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, a rare moment of tension on a dais largely distinguished for its pragmatic cooperation on mundane issues of county administration. The weekly voting session got off to a hot start when the court took up a briefing by Intergovernmental […]
Posted inTransportation
Capital Metro could get permission to bypass voter approval of MetroRail extension
State Rep. Celia Israel and state Sen. Kirk Watson have filed legislation at the Capitol that would make it much easier for the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to expand its commuter rail service. On Friday, Israel filed House Bill 1726, which would allow the agency to build the proposed Green Line addition to MetroRail without […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Reporter’s Notebook: ICE, ghosts and trees
ICE in Austin… Over the weekend, protests dominated the local news as Austinites grappled with how to react to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that began on Thursday. Meanwhile, public officials and agencies worked to come up with their own responses. District 4 City Council Member Greg Casar was one of the first to […]
Posted inTravis County
County kicks off damage control after Abbott yanks funding
The Travis County Commissioners Court has given county programs whose funding was recently axed by Gov. Greg Abbott a new lease on life, albeit a temporary one. On Tuesday, the court voted to keep all nine programs running through May 15 at an estimated cost of $100,000 per month. “We don’t go looking for programs […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County explores ways to overcome funding cuts
Travis County raised nearly $90,000 as of Monday afternoon through an online initiative set up after Gov. Greg Abbott cut $1.5 million in grant funding over Sheriff Sally Hernandez’s new immigration policy. State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) launched the fundraising site Friday in partnership with the Austin Community Foundation. “It was really quite spontaneous, and […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Updated: ‘Sanctuary City’ bill clears senate committee after 16 hours of public testimony
Texas lawmakers heard hours of public testimony Thursday and into early Friday morning over a bill banning so-called “sanctuary cities” in Texas, ultimately voting early this morning 7-2 -along party lines to send the bill to the full Senate Texas lawmakers heard hours of public testimony Thursday over a bill banning so-called “sanctuary cities” in […]
Posted inAustin
Speakers at Muslim Capitol Day call for dialogue and civic engagement
Demonstrators linked arms to form a human wall around Muslims and protect them from potential protesters at the state Capitol on Tuesday for Muslim Capitol Day. Calling themselves “peace observers,” the demonstrators joined in support of Muslim participants from across the state who were taking part in the biennial tradition, which is billed as an […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: Harvey Kronberg of the ‘Quorum Report’
The Quorum Report‘s Harvey Kronberg joins Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to chat about the upcoming Texas legislative session. Post is embedded below: [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/303971565″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]