Tag Archives: Texas Legislature
Austin attorney watching Legislature for city
Cary Grace, an assistant city attorney who is serving as Austin’s deputy intergovernmental relations officer, is counting the days until the end of this Legislative session. On Thursday, she noted that there were 53 days remaining. Those are 53 days…
Texas State Legislature • By Jo Clifton • Apr 10, 2015
Mobility Committee maneuvers on taxicab contracts
While the city has begun a process to rewrite regulations for both taxicabs and transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft, a looming expiration of the city’s taxicab franchise agreements and a bill in the Texas Legislature appear to…
City Council • By Tyler Whitson • Apr 9, 2015
Council discusses legislation that targets Austin
With the Texas Legislature’s March 13 filing deadline behind them, city staff are busy tracking the 6,400 or so bills that state legislators have filed this session. They joined City Council at a work session Tuesday for an update on…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 25, 2015
Austin Water reports on water-related legislation
As Central Texas continues to face its worst drought on record, state legislators are considering several bills this session that could affect water supplies in Austin and throughout the state. Austin Water Utility Legislative Coordinator Heather Cooke briefed the Water…
Texas State Legislature • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 17, 2015
CAMPO says buses should skip highway traffic
Most highway drivers resist the urge to cruise alongside a traffic jam on the route’s shoulder — it is illegal, not to mention rude. Some buses in Texas, however, may soon get a pass to jump the line. The Capital…
Hays County • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 16, 2015
House bill could restrict local voter initiatives
A voter-led initiative that banned hydraulic fracturing — also known as “fracking” — in Denton last fall appears to have inspired a Texas House bill that could quash similar measures in the future. House State Affairs Committee members heard arguments…
Texas State Legislature • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 12, 2015
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Aquifer board backs annexation of unregulated area
At its Thursday meeting, the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District board of directors voted unanimously to support proposed legislation that would expand the district’s territory and give the board authority over part of an unregulated area where water supply company…
Environment • By Kara Nuzback • Mar 9, 2015
Commissioners back new vehicle registration fee
The Travis County Commissioners Court has endorsed a proposal to raise vehicle registration fees to bolster funding for transportation projects. At their regular voting session Tuesday, the commissioners unanimously backed two bills at the Texas Legislature that would charge county…
Budget • By Caleb Pritchard • Mar 9, 2015
Travis Commissioners hear TCAD, legislative issues
Property tax relief is high on the agenda for the Texas Legislature this session, and Travis County is getting its ducks in a row to follow the issue over the next few months. Along that line, it heard updates from…
Development • By Mark Richardson • Jan 29, 2015
City orders study on bag ban that state may toss
Amid concerns that state leadership will take steps to limit city ordinances such as Austin’s plastic bag ban, the Zero Waste Advisory Commission has instructed city staff to study the ban in time to send the results to the state…
City Hall • By Tyler Whitson • Jan 16, 2015
Local state reps talk turkey at RECA luncheon
On Wednesday, Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) gave members of the Real Estate Council of Austin a preview of the upcoming legislative session. Despite the partisan gap, the two representatives found some common ground during the…
Austin • By Elizabeth Pagano • Jan 15, 2015
Austin, Travis get ready for 84th Texas Legislature
With the specter of dealing with a Texas Legislature that has become even more conservative — if that is possible — with the Nov. 4 election, the City of Austin and Travis County reviewed and approved their respective legislative agendas…
