Local Government

Judge upholds Austin vote on plan to redevelop old Statesman site

A judge has ruled against an environmental group that sued the city of Austin, alleging elected officials violated state law with their vote allowing redevelopment along the shores of Lady Bird Lake. Travis County judge Jan Soifer did not include a reason for her…

Courts • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jun 13, 2025

This session saw legislative wins for child care providers and working parents

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…

Texas State Legislature • By Lina Fisher • Jun 9, 2025

SOS suing state agency over failure to provide information on MoPac expansion

The Save our Springs Alliance has filed suit against the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority because of the agency’s failure to release information about the proposed 8-mile expansion of MoPac Expressway South. SOS says that expansion is “one of the…

Courts • By Jo Clifton • Apr 3, 2025

New public defenders get pay bump but county struggles to retain experienced attorneys

At the beginning of the year, Travis County finally began offering a guaranteed lawyer to individuals who are arrested and can’t afford legal representation – a constitutional right known as counsel at first appearance, or CAFA. It took an ACLU…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Mar 31, 2025

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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

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

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Save Austin Now to get rehearing on enforcement of Prop B

Save Austin Now, the group that pushed for and won an election to make the city enforce a ban on camping among homeless residents, has won a victory at the 3rd Court of Appeals. Save Austin Now filed suit in…

Courts • By Jo Clifton • Feb 4, 2025

Lost Creek neighborhood sues city over tax efforts

The Lost Creek Neighborhood Association and two property owners in the area that disannexed from the city of Austin last September have sued the city after residents discovered that the city is still expecting them to pay property taxes. According…

Courts • By Jo Clifton • Jan 8, 2025

Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea urges local climate resilience initiatives to combat coming federal turn

Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea has been a mainstay of the Austin environmental movement for decades. Though she’s seen many gains in that area since her political career began, the relentless changing climate of our region has kept up the…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jan 7, 2025

In 2025, Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard eyes building more supportive housing and strengthening climate resilience

Coming from her background in affordable housing at the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard has always prioritized the same throughout her tenure at the county. 2024 saw two big wins on that front, she says: “There’s…

Travis County • By Lina Fisher • Jan 7, 2025

Commissioner Travillion finds integration of public services as key to success

In 2024, Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion approached his work with a clear conviction: The challenges facing East Austinites are deeply interconnected. To truly serve his constituents, he recognized that solving these issues required a multidimensional approach – what he…

Travis County • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Jan 7, 2025

Travis County Judge Andy Brown pledges continued focus on health care, passenger rail in 2025

For the past two years, Travis County Judge Andy Brown has told the Austin Monitor he wants to double down on overdose prevention, mental health care and passenger rail. Looking ahead to 2025, those priorities have not changed – but…

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Judge upholds Austin vote on plan to redevelop old Statesman site

Courts • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jun 13, 2025

This session saw legislative wins for child care providers and working parents

Texas State Legislature • By Lina Fisher • Jun 9, 2025