BG Reads | News You Need to Know (February 21, 2020)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW -> Episode 75 - Austin Real Estate Talk with Development Legend Perry Lorenz (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
As Superintendent Paul Cruz Prepares To Leave Austin ISD, His School Closure Plan Remains Unresolved (KUT)
Even though Superintendent Paul Cruz said he's leaving the Austin Independent School District, the process of school closures that started under his watch likely will not end. But where it goes from here is unknown.
At a press conference Thursday, Cruz said the decision on how to move forward with eight schools under consideration for closure is something he will discuss with the school board.
“There are so many moving parts and there is so much significant work ahead," he said. "But I’ll certainly be having that conversation with the board so we can time things out to make sure we are being responsive to our needs.”
Cruz initiated the plan last spring to overhaul the school district by closing some schools, changing boundaries and adding additional programs.
He announced Wednesday that he is leaving AISD for a job with the University of Texas’ College of Education. It's unknown when his last day will be… (LINK TO STORY)
Eckhardt talks revenue caps, Palm School negotiation in State of the County address (Austin Monitor)
At several turns during her State of the County address Thursday, Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt reminded listeners that in many respects, the county operates as an extension of Texas’ state government. The pluses and minuses of that framework, she said, are numerous.
Among the challenges are finding ways to manage land use in fast-growing rural areas, or funding various efforts in transportation, health and human services, and certain services related to law enforcement without revenue from local property taxes. “One thing about these constraints is it makes county government super-creative,” Eckhardt told interviewer Judy Maggio, noting that the Commissioners Court has been forced to look in some unusual places to find funding for increased transportation capacity.
“We are finding ways to make investments in transportation around populations with low opportunity and so we’re making it a health and human service issue rather than a transportation issue,” she said. “We look for low-opportunity census tracts where we pull down grants from the federal government and find other means of funding. I think toll revenue is a very appropriate revenue source for transit infrastructure.”
Throughout the hourlong conversation, Eckhardt touted the positives for the county: growing median incomes, low poverty rates and reducing the county portion of local property taxes for several years following the recovery from the 2008-09 recession… (LINK TO STORY)
Howard, Israel pass on race to replace Watson (Austin American-Statesman)
Two high-profile Austin Democrats — state Reps. Donna Howard and Celia Israel — said Thursday that they will not enter a special election to choose a replacement for state Sen. Kirk Watson. Their decisions will remove two potentially formidable opponents from a special election that has drawn high interest since Watson announced Tuesday that he will resign effective April 30 to become dean of the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs.
Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet scheduled the election that will determine who completes the final two years of Watson’s term. In the meantime, two new names joined the list of those weighing a possible campaign for the Texas Senate — state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, and Pflugerville City Council Member Rudy Metayer. Others who have said they are contemplating a run include state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin; Austin City Council Member Greg Casar; Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt; immigration lawyer and former House candidate Chito Vela III; and Austin lawyer and Democratic donor Adam Loewy… (LINK TO STORY)
Abbott offers to lease state campsite for homeless to Chamber of Commerce nonprofit for $1 (Austin American-Statesman)
A local nonprofit headed by the Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Austin Alliance is poised to take over Gov. Greg Abbott’s campsite for the homeless in Southeast Austin. Abbott has offered a $1-a-month lease for the 5-acre site to the nonprofit, ATX Helps. The offer could become a reality as soon as next week, when the proposal comes before the Texas Transportation Commission on Feb. 27.
“He said he would do what he can to help and ensure public safety,” Abbott spokesman John Wittman said Thursday. “Obviously this is part of that.” The campsite is on U.S. 183, about one mile south of Montopolis Drive. It sits in land owned by the Texas Department of Transportation. The Transportation Commission will consider entering into negotiations to lease the land at its next meeting. It will also discuss whether to waive requirements to seek fair market values in the lease because the land would be used for “social mitigation purposes,” according to the meeting’s agenda… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Facial recognition technology takes off at Hobby Airport (KHOU)
The hassle of having to wait in long lines the next time you go through a U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoint at Hobby Airport may be a thing of the past.
Hobby Airport is taking a big leap into the future by becoming the first in Texas to have full facial recognition technology for both arriving and departing international travelers. The international terminal is now fully biometric.
“This is where you use your face as a passport," said Saba Abashawl, Houston Airport System Chief External Affairs Officer.
The technological milestone is expected to cut wait times in half.
“Passengers will use their face to leave from and gain entry into the United States through Hobby," said Houston Aviation Director Mario Diaz.
Also, Abashawl said the process is more efficient and creates a more pleasant experience for passengers.
“Hobby Airport was poised to become the airport of the future. I think we have accomplished that today,” she said… (LINK TO STORY)
Coronavirus Quarantine In San Antonio Ends For 90 Evacuees From China (KUT)
The first group of people in quarantined in San Antonio over the coronavirus were released on Thursday after 14 days.
The 90 evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base will now be allowed to go home, wherever that is in the United States. Health officials reported that the evacuees had emerged from the likely incubation period for this virus.
Dr. Anita Kurian, who directs the Communicable Disease Division of the city's health department, explained that the patients, who were evacuated from China's Hubei Province, "did not develop any symptoms, and now they're considered no risk."
A statement from the Centers for Disease Control stressed that "[i]t is important to know that these people being released from quarantine pose no health risk to the surrounding community, or to the communities they will be returning to."… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Roger Stone sentenced to over three years in prison (The Hill)
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced Roger Stone to three years and four months in prison for lying to Congress and witness tampering, and criticized President Trump for trying to influence the outcome of the case over his former adviser.
Thursday's sentencing hearing follows a tumultuous stretch that saw Trump attack the original prosecutors, the judge and the jury in the case on behalf of his longtime adviser. And it follows the withdrawal of the original prosecution team from the case after the Justice Department amended their recommendation that Stone serve seven to nine years in prison.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, delivered an implicit rebuke to Trump over his comments about the case and admonished the administration for its reversal over the past week… (LINK TO STORY)
How a court battle on felon voting rights in Florida could affect the 2020 election (Washington Post)
There’s a debate going on across the country about whether felons should be able to vote after they’ve served their time. The answer coming out of state capitals is increasingly: Yes. But what happens when states put up roadblocks to curb that, as Florida recently did? A federal appeals court in Florida said Wednesday that Florida’s law requiring felons to settle fines before they can get reinstated to vote is unconstitutional, and the judges agreed to temporarily pause the law until there’s a final ruling on it. A spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he will immediately ask courts to reconsider the ruling. While the court battle isn’t over, Wednesday’s decision could have ramifications for the national debate over felon voting rights, as well as the voting pool for the 2020 presidential election in a key swing state.
For much of modern American history, a felony conviction has meant you give up your right to vote for life. Only two states — Maine and Vermont — allow felons to vote without any restrictions. But that has changed drastically in recent years as various criminal justice reform efforts have gained traction across the political spectrum. Today, about 39 states offer some kind of restoration of voting rights to felons, according to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures. A number of those changes have come recently, especially in Republican and some purple states. Until recently, Florida had one of the harsher laws in the nation, banning felons from ever voting again. Florida’s big change came by ballot initiative. In 2018, almost 65 percent of voters approved restoring rights for felons after they finished their sentences, despite opposition from Republican leaders. The decision could bring an estimated 1.4 million voters back into the voting pool, a massive number that advocates celebrated as one of the largest expansions of voting rights in U.S. history… (LINK TO STORY)
The Bingham Group, LLC is an Austin-based full service lobbying firm representing and advising clients on municipal, legislative, and regulatory matters throughout Texas.
PLEASE RESHARE and FOLLOW:
Twitter #binghamgp
Instagram #binghamgp