Each new Texas legislative session may introduce a new set of battles, but there are always some wins that keep us showing up to fight at the capitol every three years. This year, employers and working families alike saw the legislature make child care access easier in a state where around 95,000 people are on […]
Texas State Legislature
Posted inPublic Health
Austin plans to move forward with abortion travel fund, officials say
The city of Austin will be allowed to move forward with plans to implement its Reproductive Justice Fund, despite a lawsuit challenging its legality, city officials said. The Reproductive Justice Fund is a provision in the city’s 2024-25 budget that is meant to provide money to people seeking out-of-state abortions due to the medical procedure being […]
Posted inTransportation
Records show first responders in Austin struggling to respond to Cruise’s self-driving cars
Austin’s first responders grappled with how to manage Cruise’s robot cars and their “alarming” behavior, records obtained by KUT show. An internal reporting system used by Austin firefighters and police describes Cruise cars coming within inches of parked fire trucks, ignoring police directing traffic and – in one instance – almost cutting off an ambulance […]
Posted inTransportation
Mobility Committee laments state law curtailing city’s power over driverless car companies
City Council members heard last week about the ongoing public safety concerns that the emerging autonomous vehicle industry has created in Austin. Last week’s Mobility Committee meeting saw a presentation from staff from the Transportation and Public Works Department as well as public safety departments that updated committee members on their attempts to improve safety […]
Posted inEnvironment
Who should regulate Texas Gas Service conservation programs?
Longtime utility critic Paul Robbins has discovered that House Bill 2263, legislation approved by the Texas Legislature this spring, may hamper city efforts to regulate rebates offered by Texas Gas Service. The same would be true of other cities throughout the state that have regulated natural gas utilities. HB 2263 gives the Texas Railroad Commission […]
Posted inCourts
Hays County district clerk sues district attorney for ‘neglect of his duties’
The Hays County district clerk is suing District Attorney Kelly Higgins and asking that he be removed from office. Avrey Anderson claims Higgins demonstrated “intentional, corrupt failure and neglect of his duties” by refusing to prosecute cases of simple drug possession and low-level marijuana offenses, and where doctors have illegally treated transgender patients or performed abortions. “Allowing him […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Travis County judge rules Texas ‘Death Star’ law is unconstitutional
A Texas law that would have undone local laws was ruled unconstitutional by a Travis County judge Wednesday, days ahead of when it was slated to take effect. The law, referred to as the “Death Star” bill, would limit cities’ abilities to write laws that don’t conform with state laws that regulate transportation, agriculture, labor […]
Posted inAISD
Austin ISD considers adding 70 police officers to comply with new Texas school safety law
Lee esta historia en español The Austin Independent School District is considering nearly doubling the size of its police department to comply with a new state law that takes effect Sept. 1. House Bill 3 is a piece of sweeping school safety legislation that Texas lawmakers passed this year in response to the Uvalde school shooting. HB […]
Posted inTransit
Austin’s light-rail plans set to advance after narrowly dodging Texas-sized wrecking ball
Austin’s light-rail ambitions are barreling ahead after narrowly escaping the clutches of Texas lawmakers determined to rein in the multibillion-dollar transit expansion. But the voter-approved plan, known as Project Connect, must still navigate a tricky track laden with potential legal and political hazards. “For now, we are going to take a deep breath,” Mayor Kirk […]
Posted inEnvironment
Travis Audubon gives update on sanctuary and potential environmental peril
Reports of celebration and concern were highlighted at the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan (BCCP) Coordinating Committee meeting last Friday. Nicole Netherton, executive director at Travis Audubon, began by giving a general overview of some of the county’s conservation advocacy efforts worth recognizing. “There is certainly a lot to celebrate about the beauty and uniqueness of […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Austin warns utility legislation would cause taxes to go up
A bill introduced by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would likely result in increased property taxes in Austin, San Antonio and other cities that own electric utilities, according to Austin Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo. Simply put, Senate Bill 1110 would prevent cities from transferring money from their utilities to their general funds, “if […]
Posted inEducation
What’s at stake in the Texas school voucher debate
Three terms are coming up over and over again this legislative session: school choice, school vouchers and education savings accounts. They’re all related to the goal of giving families state money to send their kids to nonpublic schools. One of the first steps to understanding the debate over this issue is getting a handle on […]