Tag Archives: Texas Legislature
Friday, May 31, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Texas State Legislature
Texas lawmakers tried to take the reins from cities this session. The results were mixed.
For the last handful of legislative sessions, the Texas Legislature has had it in for Austin and other cities.GOP lawmakers who regularly thumb their noses at “big government”-minded efforts in D.C. have filed bills targeting city laws regulating everything from…
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 by Jack Craver
Texas State Legislature
Travis County contemplates small wins, big losses at Legislature
Every week while the state Legislature is in session, Travis County’s chief lobbyist, Deece Eckstein, briefs members of the Commissioners Court on the bills that might affect the county. In recent months, the weekly briefing has usually been bleak, but…
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 by Ashley Lopez
Texas State Legislature
State lawmakers approve legislation shielding most Texans from surprise medical bills
Surprise medical bills may be a thing of the past for many Texans. In a unanimous vote, the Texas House approved a Senate bill banning health care providers from sending steep medical bills to insured Texans in emergencies.Senate Bill 1264…
Friday, May 3, 2019 by Chad Swiatecki
Texas State Legislature
State bill no longer targets Austin’s MLS deal
A Senate bill that many felt could endanger the city’s lease deal on a new soccer stadium has been amended in a way that appears to have created an exception for the roughly $250 million structure.On Thursday, State Sen. Paul…
Friday, May 3, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Budget
Watching Legislature, city delays financial forecast
Without final action on the property tax bill moving through the Texas Legislature, Austin budget planners are holding off on presenting the city’s financial forecast to City Council. At this point, however, legislative watchers expect final passage of SB 2,…
Thursday, April 18, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Texas State Legislature
Austinites testify for, against Precourt bill
Dave Greeley, president of Precourt Sports Ventures, told a Senate committee Tuesday night that SB 1771 “would jeopardize the viability” of Austin FC, the soccer club slated to play in the stadium his company has agreed to build at McKalla…
Friday, April 5, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Texas State Legislature
Austin defends its short-term rental rules before Texas lawmakers
Austin’s rules on short-term rental units – advertised on apps and sites like Airbnb and HomeAway – are under fire at the Texas Capitol. House lawmakers heard testimony Thursday on a bill that would override the city’s ban on properties…
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 by Ashley Lopez
Politics
House Speaker Pelosi says attempted voter purge in Texas shows need for stronger federal protections
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a visit to East Austin on Tuesday to promote sweeping voting reform legislation currently before Congress.Among other things, House Bill 1 would ensure online voter registration or automatic registration for citizens across the country. The…
Thursday, February 14, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Water
Buda seeks passage of aquifer storage bill
Buda’s explosive growth, from about 7,300 people in 2010 to nearly 17,000 today, coupled with a changing climate that brings both floods and drought, means that the city has to carefully manage its water resources.The city is hoping to move…
Friday, January 25, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Texas State Legislature
County pushes for progress amid state’s political battles
Travis County has already filed bills for a third of its dozen legislative priorities for the 86th Texas Legislature since the session began Jan. 8.One of these priorities is to ensure that sobering centers are authorized to assume responsibility for…
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 by Andrew Weber
Transportation
Texas wants to put more autonomous vehicles on the road
Like a mirage on a sun-beaten West Texas highway, the future of autonomous vehicles in Texas isn’t altogether clear. A new state effort hopes to clear up the prospect of an increasingly connected fleet of vehicles on the road.The Texas…
Thursday, January 17, 2019 by Jo Clifton
Texas State Legislature
Better session ahead, legislators say
Senator Kirk Watson told those gathered at the Real Estate Council of Austin luncheon on Wednesday that he is “more optimistic than I have been in the past by quite a bit” about the possibility of resolving numerous problems related…
Thursday, December 6, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Budget
Local pols examine impacts, options in state school funding debate
Leaders from all levels of government in Central Texas, plus most of the area’s school districts, learned Wednesday that they could be in for budgetary hits if state lawmakers pass limits on local property tax increases without restructuring the state’s…
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Texas State Legislature
Austin, TravCo leaders brace for state laws targeting revenue, local control
Austin leaders have started gaming out the budget cuts and possible staffing and service reductions that would come from possible state caps on property tax increases.At last week’s meeting of the Austin Regional Affordability Committee, city staff briefed a consortium…
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 by Jo Clifton
Texas State Legislature
Property taxes, Austin Energy top city’s worry list
Once again, the city of Austin, along with other large Texas cities, will face a grueling task as the 2019 legislative session begins in January.Intergovernmental Relations Officer Brie Franco told City Council during Tuesday’s work session that she and the…
Thursday, July 12, 2018 by Audrey McGlinchy
Courts
Texas usually fights Austin at the Capitol. Lately, the fight is in the courtroom.
The city of Austin has endured several legal jabs from the state in the past couple of months.Recently, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stepped into a dispute over the makeup of the city’s Planning Commission. A week ago, the city…
Monday, July 2, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: Deece Eckstein
This week, Travis County Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator Deece Eckstein joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano. Listen in below to hear predictions about the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature and a review of some of the…
Thursday, April 5, 2018 by Jack Craver
Budget
Council braces for another tight budget cycle amid threats from Legislature
City Council will have to raise property taxes by 5 percent in the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget just to continue funding existing programs, according to a financial forecast prepared by the city budget office.In a presentation to Council members on…
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Courts
Court upholds majority of ‘sanctuary cities’ law
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Senate Bill 4 can remain in effect for the time being. Tuesday’s decision will allow the so-called “sanctuary cities” law to take effect while the case against it plays out.However,…
Wednesday, March 7, 2018 by Ashley Lopez
Elections
Sheryl Cole and ‘Chito’ Vela head to runoff in Texas House race, pushing Dawnna Dukes out
Democrats Sheryl Cole and Jose “Chito” Vela will move on to a runoff election for Texas House District 46 after pushing out embattled incumbent Dawnna Dukes in the primary on Tuesday.The district includes parts of East Austin, Manor and Pflugerville.Cole,…
