SB 4 suit dismissed
Thursday, August 10, 2017 by Elizabeth Pagano
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks dismissed a lawsuit against Travis County and Austin city officials over Senate Bill 4 – the “sanctuary cities” law passed during the regular session of the Texas Legislature. Shortly after that bill was signed into law, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit, preemptively seeking legal confirmation that the law is constitutional, against Mayor Steve Adler, Sheriff Sally Hernandez, City Council members, the city manager and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Following the ruling, Paxton issued a statement defending the law and expressing his disappointment. “We were first to file a lawsuit concerning SB 4, filed this case in the only proper court, and moved quickly to consolidate other lawsuits against SB 4 in Austin,” he said. “The health, safety, and welfare of Texans is not negotiable. We’re disappointed with the court’s ruling and look forward to pressing our winning arguments in the San Antonio cases and beyond (if necessary) on this undoubtedly constitutional law.” The ruling is embedded below. Austin is still suing the state over the law, along with most of the cities in Texas, and a ruling on that lawsuit, which was heard in San Antonio in June, is still pending.
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