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Tag Archives: Texas Legislature

State laws will have broad-spectrum effects on Travis County

The 88th Texas Legislature’s regular session recently ended, with both favorable and unfavorable fiscal effects on Travis County. On Tuesday, county Intergovernmental Relations Officer Julie Wheeler updated the Travis County Commissioners Court on the outcomes of the session and the…

Austin music venues could receive $100K liquor tax rebates from new state incubator

Live music venues in Austin could receive up to $100,000 annually in state liquor tax rebates from a new program created to provide relief for the state’s live music industry. The Texas Music Incubator Rebate Program was passed by the…

Good news, bad news from Legislature for Austin

For the city of Austin, the just-ended 88th regular legislative session offered both good news and disappointments, as outlined in a lengthy memo from Brie Franco, the city’s intergovernmental relations officer. On Tuesday, as her team was getting ready to…

Austin light rail gets first approval amid looming Texas legislative threat

Austin’s newest light-rail vision – a $5 billion map set to redefine 10 miles of streets – is traveling two parallel tracks this week. On one track, city decision-makers are flashing the go-ahead signal, setting the stage for the Austin…

Neighborhood groups warn of bill to limit, kill city regulations

Members of two neighborhood coalitions have been contacting members of the Texas House to alert them to what they perceive as an especially dangerous bill, one that could strip cities throughout the state, as well as counties and special districts,…

Project Connect could be on the ballot again this November

Austin’s mayor is adopting a new strategy against a Texas bill that threatens to derail the city’s voter-approved transit expansion: Get the legislation passed as quickly as possible with overwhelming support in the Texas House and Senate. The approach seemed…

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Austin tried and failed to rewrite its land code. Republican lawmakers might do it for them.

In Austin, 5,750 square feet is a magic number. It’s one-tenth of a football field. Half of an Olympic standard swimming pool. And precisely the size of the American dream. “If you’re driving around urban Austin, through Hyde Park, Clarksville,…

Library legislative working group gets update on ‘bills of concern’

The Library Commission spent the majority of its regular meeting on Monday discussing proposed legislation viewed as potentially harmful to the mission of libraries in Austin and statewide. Commissioner Courtney Rosenthal, who is leading the commission’s legislative working group that…

Library Commission working group to track bills restricting access to library materials

Since the Texas Legislature reconvened for its 88th session in January, the city’s Library Commission has been tracking a number of bills concerning restriction of library materials. At last Monday’s regular meeting, commissioners expressed their concern about some of the…

Austin leaders brace for state lawmakers to take up bills restricting library content and resources

After Texas lawmakers placed limitations on how Texas teachers approach lessons on history and racism and passed anti-trans legislation in recent sessions, Austin leaders are preparing for further action on these fronts when the Legislature convenes for its 88th session…

Legislation restricting open records requests likely to meet opposition

Legislation aimed at redacting personal information from city records subject to the state’s open record law faces an uphill battle at the Texas Capitol.  This was the message in a Nov. 8 memo to Austin City Council from city staff.…

Legislative agenda passes with Kelly opposed

City Council approved a lengthy legislative agenda Thursday night, with only Council Member Mackenzie Kelly voting no. Though she had proposed an additional task for the city’s legislative team just a few minutes earlier, Kelly voted against adopting the agenda.…

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