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BG Reads Week in Review (for week of June 10, 2024)

BG Reads Week in Review (of June 10, 2024)

June 15, 2024

BG Reads Week in Review

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Top Clicks for the Week of June 10, 2024:

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City of Austin Budget

In planning for the July 12th FY25 draft budget release, we’re hearing that city departments are being asked to budget out for two years (rather than one).

Also on that date, according to Mayor Watson’s office, Council will hold a work session at which City Manager Broadnax and his team will present the budget.

And July 12th will mark the launch of the Council Budget Questions (CBQs) process. This is a public facing process. The public will see the questions and answers

D.C. Travel

This past week, I joined the Greater Austin Chamber, on its annual Federal Advocacy Trip (my second) to Washington, D.C. The trip, as always, featured leaders in Austin’s business, civic, and political communities.

All politics is local, and it was pleasure meeting with the Central Texas delegation, as well as our senators to discuss the Austin metro’s legislative agenda for the 118th Congress.Among our issues were Transportation, Infrastructure, and Housing, along with Economic Development, Innovation, and National Security. Notably with the latter this included the CHIPS Act.

[WEEKEND NEWS]

The status of Austin Police oversight act, contract negotiations (KXAN)

The status of police oversight provisions Austin voters passed in May 2023 has been in limbo ever since that vote.

One of the primary measures includes public access to what’s called a g-file. A g-file is an internal, confidential file that contains complaints against police officers that have not been substantiated with evidence and did not result in any form of punishment.

The g-file is considered a major hurdle in contract negotiations between the City of Austin and the Austin police union, which opposes the release of g-file contents. The City and the Austin Police Association (APA) re-entered discussions for a long-term contract in March... (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Supreme Court overturns federal bump stock ban, siding with Austin gun dealer (Texas Tribune)

An Austin gun shop owner succeeded Friday on a years-long quest to overturn a federal ban on bump stocks, winning a 6-3 victory from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bump stocks are devices that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire hundreds of rounds in a minute. The court ruled the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can not include bump stocks under legislation banning machine guns.

The overturned ATF rule required owners of bump stocks to either destroy them or surrender them to the ATF to avoid criminal prosecution.

The case was filed by Michael Cargill, the owner of Central Texas Gun Works and an outspoken proponent of gun rights in Texas, after he surrendered two bump stocks to the ATF. He argued that ATF incorrectly identified bump stocks as machine guns, and overstepped its power in banning them. He brought the case with the support of the advocacy group the New Civil Liberties Alliance.

“This is a great victory for everyone in the country. Whether you're pro-gun, anti-gun is just not about firearms,” Cargill told The Texas Tribune. “This is about an administrative agency deciding that they're going to create a law and administrative agencies do not have the authority to do that. Only Congress can do that.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Small but mighty: Austin-Travis County EMS graduates nine cadets amid staffing crisis (CBS Austin)

Austin-Travis County EMS graduated nine cadets Friday afternoon.

They’ll soon hit the streets as field medics to help address the department’s ongoing staffing issues.

This graduating cadet class only had nine graduates, which is pretty small compared to those in the past, but during a staffing shortage, ATCEMS says any extra hands make a difference.

“Even though you’re a part of something great, you’re also feeling like if I didn’t come to work, if I called out, there might not be someone to take my spot during a staffing shortage, so that really just gives an even deeper purpose,” said Abigail Goldberg who was a part of ATCEMS Cadet Class 0424... (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Texas AG's office to appeal Austin marijuana ordinance case dismissal (KVUE)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office has filed a motion to appeal a district court's ruling that allowed an Austin marijuana ordinance to stay in place.

On Friday, court documents indicated that the state is planning to appeal that ruling.

Paxton's office filed the lawsuit earlier this year over concern about the Austin Freedom Act, which voters approved in 2022. It deprioritizes enforcement of low-level marijuana possession, ending citations and arrests for Class A or Class B marijuana offenses… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

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