Tag Archives: Austin

Enforcement of SB4 halted

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent! U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia granted a preliminary injunction of Senate Bill 4, one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s key legislative priorities that seeks to outlaw “sanctuary” entities, the common term for governments that don’t enforce federal immigration laws. The … Continue reading →

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Confederate monuments in the Capitol

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Get rid of them, too. A state lawmaker wants all Confederate symbols removed from the Texas Capitol grounds, including a plaque that is 40 steps away from his office that rejects the idea that the South seceded from the Union … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s preemptive “sanctuary cities” lawsuit dismissed

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks on Wednesday dismissed the state of Texas’ lawsuit against Travis County and other defendants over the state’s new immigration enforcement law. Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a pre-emptive lawsuit shortly after the bill was … Continue reading →

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Abbott versus the cities

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The continuing story. If Gov. Greg Abbott has disdain for how local Texas officials govern their cities, it didn’t show in a Wednesday sit-down with three mayors who were among 18 who jointly requested a meeting to discuss legislation that … Continue reading →

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Mayors to Abbott: Don’t mess with our cities

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck getting through. Less than 24 hours after Gov. Greg Abbott blasted local government restrictions like tree ordinances as a threat to the “Texas brand,” city government leaders statewide are seeking a meeting with the Republican leader. “We would … Continue reading →

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Hearing for that other SB4 lawsuit

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The SB4 lawsuit that Ken Paxton filed, to get the law pre-emptively declared to be constitutional, had its hearing in Austin on Thursday. A federal judge on Thursday criticized the politics surrounding Texas’ new immigration-enforcement law and hinted that he’d … Continue reading →

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City of El Paso joins in on SB4

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Add one more to the list. The city of El Paso voted on Tuesday to join the growing list of local governments that have filed a legal challenge in hopes of stopping Texas’ new immigration enforcement law from going into … Continue reading →

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Ellis seeks Harris County entry into SB4 litigation

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, an email from Commissioner Ellis: Despite strong opposition from law enforcement officials, faith leaders, local governments, civil rights organizations, constituents, and advocacy groups, Senate Bill 4 (SB4), the “show-me-your-papers” legislation, has been signed into law. The new … Continue reading →

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RideAustin tries to hang on

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. The return of Uber and Lyft to Austin has put the city’s only ride-hailing nonprofit in a fight for survival. RideAustin, one of several small companies that started operations in Austin after the ride-hailing giants left … Continue reading →

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SB4’s day in court

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sparks were flying. Opponents of Texas’ state-based immigration law told a federal judge Monday that allowing the controversial measure to stand would pave the way for a nationwide police state where local officers could subvert the established immigration-enforcement powers of … Continue reading →

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Feds join the state in defense of SB4

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was to be expected. About a month ago, the city of El Cenizo filed a lawsuit against the state, calling the bill unconstitutional. On Monday, the Trump administration got involved. The defendants in the lawsuit are the … Continue reading →

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Houston officially gets in the SB4 litigation business

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Houston City Council voted Wednesday to sue the state over its new “sanctuary cities” law, joining Texas’ three other largest cities in challenging the controversial measure. Council voted 10-6 to join San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, El Paso County … Continue reading →

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Getting ready for the first SB4 hearing

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

All eyes are going to be on this next week. On Monday, June 26, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia will hear the City of San Antonio’s request for a preliminary injunction to block Senate Bill 4, the “sanctuary cities” law, … Continue reading →

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Greg Abbott’s war on trees

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is just bizarre. One of the 20 items Gov. Greg Abbott has asked lawmakers to consider during the upcoming special session, which will begin July 18, is outlawing local tree regulations. More than 50 cities and towns in Texas … Continue reading →

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An SB4 threefer

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We have our first SB4 casualty. A 15,000-member association of attorneys and law professors said on Wednesday that it is relocating its 2018 convention out of Texas in response to the state legislature passing Senate bill 4, a sweeping and … Continue reading →

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Dallas gets in the fight against SB4

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Dallas is joining some other Texas cities, including Austin and San Antonio, in taking on the state’s so-called “sanctuary city” law. Mayor Mike Rawlings made the announcement Wednesday afternoon, calling SB4 “unconstitutional” and a law that “greatly … Continue reading →

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State files motion to combine all the “sanctuary cities” lawsuits

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t a surprise, but there is a bit of a twist. In a filing late Thursday, Attorney General Ken Paxton asked a federal district court in Austin to absorb two other legal challenges that have been filed against the … Continue reading →

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Mayors (still) against climate change

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Someone’s gotta do it. On Thursday, President Donald Trump officially announced that the United States would be withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, citing the deal’s failure “to serve American interests.” Hours later, governors, mayors, and environmental groups all had … Continue reading →

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San Antonio files “sanctuary cities” lawsuit

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here they go. The cities of San Antonio and Austin announced on Thursday they have joined the fight to stop the state’s new immigration enforcement law, Senate Bill 4, in federal court. […] The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational … Continue reading →

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Uber and Lyft come rolling back

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

To Austin: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed into law a measure creating a statewide regulatory framework for ride-hailing companies, overriding local measures that prompted businesses such as Uber and Lyft to leave Austin and other cities. Uber and … Continue reading →

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More “sanctuary cities” plaintiffs gearing up

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Local governments are not going down without a fight. On Tuesday, which organizers said was the beginning of a “summer of resistance,” Austin City Council member Delia Garza said the city will move this week to take formal action to … Continue reading →

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Senate passes statewide rideshare bill

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a done deal. After a debate among lawmakers over the best way to regulate services like Uber and Lyft, the Texas Senate on Wednesday backed a proposal that would override local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies. House Bill 100 would … Continue reading →

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Paxton gets ahead of the “sanctuary cities” lawsuit rush

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s one way to do it, I suppose. Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to get ahead of an anticipated barrage of legal challenges to Texas’ ban on “sanctuary cities,” which takes effect Sept. 1. Shortly after Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

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The SB4 protests

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I admire the hell out of this. At least two dozen protesters on the grounds of the Texas Capitol on Monday evening were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, the culmination of a day-long sit-in. The demonstration began around 10 a.m. Monday … Continue reading →

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Get ready for the “sanctuary cities” lawsuits

Posted on April 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just a matter of time. Now that Senate Bill 4 is on its way to becoming law, opponents are looking to the courts for relief – and a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court case is giving them hope. The high … Continue reading →

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The post-Uber Austin rideshare experience

Posted on April 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly notes the issues that some people faced during SxSW hailing a ride, and considers the rideshare landscape in Austin post-Uber and Lyft. But the thesis that Austin is experiencing a crisis around ride-hailing apps is an old one, … Continue reading →

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Houston hyperlooping

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How soon can this be built? A Texas plan using the Hyperloop concept envisioned by Tesla founder Elon Musk is one of 35 proposals from around the globe competing this week in Washington for bragging rights as the best initial … Continue reading →

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NCAA rewards North Carolina for its weaksauce HB2 repeal

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So this happened. Discrimination won the championship this year. The NCAA announced Tuesday morning that it completely fell for the bait-and-switch concocted by Republican leadership in North Carolina’s legislature and Gov. Roy Cooper (D). Last week, they passed a compromise … Continue reading →

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Senate committee hears rideshare bills

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One of these, in some form, is likely to become law. Senate Bill 176, by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, and Senate Bill 361 by state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, received a joint hearing after [Senate Business & Commerce Committee] … Continue reading →

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Restricting restrictions on AirBnB

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have issues with this. A legislative proposal that would limit local government control of short-term home rentals in Texas has reawakened a fight over regulations that has already played out in cities across the state. Senate Bill 451 by … Continue reading →

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Marching

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In Austin. Up to 50,000 activists swarmed the Capitol grounds on Saturday to fight for women’s rights on the heels of Trump’s inauguration. The high-spirited crowd joined more than a million protesters nationwide. The Austin march was so large that … Continue reading →

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Who wants to rent their house out to Super Bowl visitors?

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t, but some people hope to make a lot of money renting theirs. With the Super Bowl heading to Houston next month, locals are starting to see dollar signs as well, hoping to cash in on visitors’ willingness to … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit over secular nativity display will proceed

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Merry secular Christmas, y’all. A lawsuit is moving forward against Gov. Greg Abbott over his order to remove a satirical nativity scene from the Texas Capitol last year. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the … Continue reading →

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Uber wants back in Austin

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s how they get back that’s the question. The ride-hailing company Uber may return to the state’s capital despite leaving Austin in May after a bruising fight with the city over regulation of the industry, according to Trevor Theunissen, the … Continue reading →

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