State Rep. Dawnna Dukes was sworn in to her 12th term of office to represent much of Eastern Travis County on Tuesday, despite an announcement from Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore that her office plans to present evidence to a grand jury that the veteran Democrat abused her office. Dukes has been dogged by […]
Texas Legislature
The state’s legislative governing body composed of the House and Senate.
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Regarding Twitter
Vela to Dukes: Time to go… Embattled state Rep. Dawnna Dukes (Austin) has reneged on her promise to step down from her seat, leaving in limbo those who were hoping to replace her and actively campaigning to do so. One of them, Chito Vela, released a statement Saturday that said Dukes’ indecision “hurts the people she […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Liquor tax cut a top priority for music venue lobbying group
Music venues in Austin are lining up to try to get their state liquor tax rates reduced in a bid that’s being presented as a needed step to preserve clubs and bars that heavily promote live music. The effort is still in its nascent stages and could be something of a reboot of a 2013 […]
Posted inTransportation
State lawmakers veer into robot car conversation
The transportation buzz around the state Capitol during the buildup to the 85th Texas Legislature has included word of statewide ride-hailing regulations, toll road reform and now – perhaps inevitably – autonomous vehicles. The House Transportation Committee on Wednesday hosted a panel of experts and stakeholders to discuss the development of self-driving car technologies and […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Legislature makes tax caps a priority, cities respond
Well-worn battle lines between the city and state were retraced Tuesday, as the Texas Legislature made it clear that it would be making property tax caps a priority this session. The response from area cities was just as clear. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) framed the unveiling of SB-2 (and the accompanying committee report) as a […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
County official: Political gridlock and local preemption loom at the Capitol
The Texas Legislature is returning to Austin in just 47 days, and Travis County is bracing for impact. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court’s field team at the Capitol gave a grim forecast of political headwinds to come once the 85th Legislature convenes its regular session on Jan. 10. “This session will definitely be defined by […]
Posted inAustin
Is Austin a sanctuary city? Good question.
Attempts to eliminate so-called sanctuary cities has begun anew with another Texas legislative session and new national leadership that has singled out these municipalities. And while Austin is often labeled a sanctuary city, it’s not clear that the city indeed is one. Elissa Steglich, law professor with the University of Texas Immigration Clinic, said there […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Council OKs legislative teams, agenda for 2017
City Council on Thursday approved the city’s legislative agenda, along with the hiring of 10 consultants in Austin and two in Washington, D.C. The Austin consultants altogether will receive $708,000, and the two Congressional consultants will receive $174,000. The vote to hire the lobbyists was nearly unanimous, with Council Member Don Zimmerman voting no and […]
Posted inLocal Politics
Cole, Deshotel likely candidates for Dukes’ seat
On Monday morning, as soon as Austin state Rep. Dawnna Dukes shared her plans to retire in January, the buzz began about who would run for her District 46 seat. The Quorum Report carried the news of Dukes’ plan to retire on Jan. 10, the beginning of the next legislative session. She told the Quorum […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Lawmakers consider changes to local petitions and bond elections
It was as if they’d been studying Austin’s recent petition haps and mishaps. State lawmakers on the House Elections Committee began hearing testimony Thursday on possible legislative changes to how local petition ballots and bond elections are run. Several of the issues they focused on related to Austin’s May vote on Proposition 1 – although […]
Posted inDevelopment
State report outlines potential new locations for Austin State Hospital
Austin is home to one of the first mental health care facilities in Texas, but state lawmakers are considering selling the property and relocating the facility. The Austin State Hospital admits about 4,000 patients a year, serving 39 counties. But its buildings, housed on a campus near Hyde Park, are aging. A 2015 state report […]
Posted inPlanning
Capitol view corridor dashes longshot hopes for county courthouse plan
The Texas Legislature has no interest in helping Travis County build a new civil courthouse across the street from its existing one if it means blocking protected views of the State Capitol, according to state Sen. Kirk Watson. “I don’t think there is any good chance that you would pass legislation that would do away […]