BG Reads | News You Need to Know (January 11, 2021)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW // BG PODCAST - Episode 121: Talking COVID-19 Vaccination with Dr. Aliza Norwood
On today’s episode Bingham Group CEO A.J. speaks with Dr. Aliza Norwood, an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Population Health and Internal Medicine at Dell Medical School. The two discuss her experience with the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination, the differences between it and the Moderna treatment, vaccine misconceptions and more.
NEW // What to Expect in Austin 2021: Thoughts from a Lobbyist (Texas CEO Magazine Q1 Issue)
Check out Bingham CEO A.J.’s recent Texas CEO Magazine article on the coming year.
PRE-FILED BILLS FOR THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE:
LINK TO FILED HOUSE BILLS (1104)
[AUSTIN METRO]
COVID-19 hospitalizations trigger 50% capacity limits in Austin and surrounding areas (KXAN)
Sunday Texas’ Trauma Service Area O, which includes 2.3 million people in the Austin area, reached the COVID-19 hospitalization rate which automatically triggered additional restrictions for the area under state guidelines.
Under the new restrictions, which went into effect Sunday, businesses and retail establishments in the Austin area must reduce their operations to 50% occupancy. Per state rules, hospitals must also stop elective surgeries must across the area.
Under an order issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in October 2020, the 50% occupancy limitations go into effect when more than 15% of overall hospitalizations in any trauma area are COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven consecutive days. Trauma Service Area O, which includes Austin, has exceeded that 15% threshold from January 3 through January 9.
On Sunday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reports Trauma Service Area O has 18.8% of its total hospitalizations coming from COVID-19 patients. As a result, most venues in the area must now reduce occupancy levels to 50% and hospitals must stop elective surgeries…. (LINK TO STORY)
Austin Convention Center being prepared as COVID-19 care site as hospitals fill (Austin American-Statesman)
As new cases of COVID-19 and hospital admissions reach record levels, the city of Austin and Travis County were working Saturday to open the Austin Convention Center as an an alternate care site for patients.
In a news release Saturday, officials said the facility will admit people who need lesser care to alleviate the number of patients at local hospitals. Patients with high-level care needs, including intensive care, will remain at hospitals.
"We have been sounding the alarm for weeks that our situation was worsening,” Mark Escott, interim Austin-Travis County health authority, said in a statement. “Our hospitals and intensive care units are filling up and deaths continue to rise throughout Central Texas."
The convention center will be prepared to take COVID-19 patients as soon as staffing is in place, according to Saturday's news release. The Travis County Medical Society, which represents 4,000 physicians, on Thursday called on qualified doctors to temporarily work as inpatient physicians for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the surge... (LINK TO STORY)
Trammell Crow promotes Brad Maples to lead Austin business unit (Austin Business Journal)
Brad Maples has been named the leader of Dallas-based Trammell Crow's Austin business unit, which puts the real estate veteran in charge of "all development and acquisition projects, new business pursuits, finance and overall day-to-day operations of the office," according to a Jan. 7 announcement.
Maples will take over the role from Adam Nims, who was promoted to president of western operations in April 2020 and had maintained both roles before Maples' promotion. In a statement, Nims called Maples a "true team player and a highly skilled developer."
Trammell Crow was Austin's largest commercial real estate development firm as of 2019, when it had nearly 3.3 million square feet either delivered or under development. The firm delivered more than 932,000 square feet of commercial space in 2019, according to Austin Business Journal data… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Deficit of up to $20 billion points to no-frills 2021 Texas legislative session (Houston Chronicle)
Gambling lobbyists and marijuana advocates are circling around a wounded Texas state government with hopes that the worst financial situation in a decade will push reluctant lawmakers to finally look their way for billions of dollars in potential revenues. It is not just the coronavirus pandemic that is clouding the state’s finances, but also a dramatic decline in oil and gas revenues that has the 87th Texas Legislature facing the prospect of needing to patch an estimated $4 billion hole in the current budget. And in the legislative session that begins Tuesday, lawmakers are looking at a $10 billion to $20 billion deficit as they begin building the next two-year state budget.
“Nothing else happens until we come to grips with this budget wall,” said State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, chair of the Texas Senate Republican Caucus. Texas is already relatively unique in American politics in that its Legislature meets once every two years for 140 days. This session will be even shorter. Not only will the budget mess take up much of the early action, but the pandemic has placed restraints on gatherings that are going to make it harder for the House and Senate to conduct committee hearings and take public testimony on legislation. While that means fewer chances for COVID-19 to spread in committee hearing rooms, it also means fewer bills getting heard and even fewer ultimately passing. Over the previous three sessions, lawmakers have filed nearly 7,000 bills per session with over 1,100 becoming law on average.
“We are going to have fewer bills, there is no question,” said state Sen. John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat who is starting his 38th year in the Texas Senate — longest of any member. But that limitation comes as COVID-19 and the social unrest from the summer have magnified some of the biggest issues of the day. Delivery of health care, the state’s growing uninsured population, the pandemic response, an antiquated unemployment compensation system, police reform and criminal justice reforms are just some of the issues competing for air… (LINK TO STORY)
Texas Legislature to consider COVID liability protections for businesses (Austin Business Journal)
An effort is picking up steam at the Texas Legislature to increase legal protections for businesses when it comes to liability for where someone contracted Covid-19. The Texas Civil Justice League is preparing a bill that would heighten protections for all businesses — including small businesses, nonprofits, health care systems and religious organizations — as long as they were following Covid-19 guidelines from government authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or a local or state health department. The proposal was still being prepared by press time, said George Christian, senior counsel at TCJL.
"The basic premise is Covid, like any other virus like this, is community-spread. You don't know where you get it," Christian said. “If somebody files a personal injury lawsuit against a business, they're going to have to prove a higher standard of liability. It's going to have to be based on credible science ... and proven by clear and convincing evidence.” The proposal would also extend protections back to the beginning of the pandemic and allow businesses to point to guidance from several different government-related organizations, Christian said. "There were also a lot of guidelines flying around here, and we don't want businesses to be responsible for having to sort out whose guidelines they should follow," he said. "If somebody defies guidelines, that's different. We're not trying to let people off the hook if they do that." Christian said Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, is slated to carry the bill, and he was unaware by press time of any related proposals that were in the pipeline. This type of added protection for businesses has been identified as a priority for this upcoming session by several organizations… (LINK TO STORY)
Lone Star State was the top corporate move destination again (Dallas Morning News)
More of those big moving trucks you see on the highway are headed to Texas. Texas was the top inbound destination for corporate moves handled in 2020 by Allied Van Lines. “It’s no surprise that Texas, with its business-friendly climate, continues to rank as the top move destination for Allied corporate relocation services customers,” the big Chicago-based moving and hauling company says in a just-released report. California, Illinois, Florida and North Carolina are also top destinations where the Allied trucks are headed.
Houston and Austin were the two most popular cities for moves by the company’s customers in 2020. Allied said most of its inbound moves to the Dallas area were from Chicago, Southern California, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Most of the inbound Austin moves were from California markets. Texas has been a top destination for the major moving firms in recent years. And in 2020, several major California-based firms announced plans to move workers to the Lone Star State. “This year was challenging for everyone and we are proud of our teams for helping people move safely during this pandemic,” Allied Van Lines general manager and vice president Lesli Bertoli said in the report. “Movers are an essential business and have responded swiftly to the pandemic with thorough planning, effective safety measures and thoughtful policies on handling scheduling.” Allied said the most popular month for corporate moves last year was June… (LINK TO STORY)
Trump’s planned visit to RGV may occur same day as impeachment vote (McAllen Monitor)
Preparations are underway in the Rio Grande Valley to coordinate a visit from President Donald Trump. According to the White House, the president will be visiting Alamo on Tuesday for a ceremonial trip regarding the border wall. “President Trump is expected to travel to Alamo, Texas, on Tuesday to mark the completion of more than 400 miles of border wall — a promise made, promise kept — and his Administration’s efforts to reform our broken immigration system,” a White House official stated in an email. The president is expected to land in Harlingen on Tuesday, according to U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar. The Laredo-based congressman shared an email with The Monitor titled “VIP Notice – Rio Grande Valley.”
“Expect VIP movement January 12, 2021 in the vicinity of the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Pilots can expect temporary airspace restrictions in conjunction with this VIP movement,” the email states. A federal law enforcement source also confirmed that government vehicles seen in McAllen on Saturday, at McCreery Aviation and fueling up at a local convenience store on South 10th, belonged to the Secret Service. Cuellar said he confirmed the ongoing preparations with officials on the ground. The plan includes a visit to tour the border wall. A ceremony to mark the 450th mile of border wall construction Thursday was canceled, but the goal to complete the project was central to the president who campaigned on the promise to build it. A trip Tuesday could fall on the same day the House of Representatives may be voting to impeach President Trump, Cuellar said, noting the vote could also fall on Wednesday. If an impeachment is successful, he would be the first president in history to be impeached twice… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
Pelosi to move forward with impeachment if Pence doesn't act to remove Trump (Politico)
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued Vice President Mike Pence an ultimatum on Sunday night — invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump in the coming days or Democrats will proceed this week with impeaching the president for an unprecedented second time.
Pelosi made clear in a letter to her members that if Pence refuses to act, Democrats will immediately move to force Trump from office for his role in inciting violent riots at the Capitol on Wednesday linked to at least five deaths, including a police officer. Pence so far has shown no willingness to meet Democrats’ demands, making an impeachment vote almost certain this week.
Democrats’ effort to pressure Trump to resign or forcibly remove him from office comes as the president has just 10 days left in his term. But Pelosi and other top Democrats have not been deterred by the clock, saying that Trump is “unhinged” and a seditious threat to America who warrants immediate removal. A vote to impeach Trump could happen as soon as the middle of this week.
“In protecting our Constitution and our Democracy, we will act with urgency, because this President represents an imminent threat to both,” Pelosi said in the letter to Democrats on Sunday night laying out next steps… (LINK TO STORY)
25 domestic terrorism investigations opened after assault on Capitol (The Hill)
Law enforcement officials have opened at least 25 domestic terrorism cases following the riot that broke out at the U.S. Capitol building last week amid pro-Trump demonstrations in Washington, D.C.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) confirmed on Twitter on Sunday that Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy said during a call that “at least 25 domestic terrorism cases have been opened as a result of the assault on the Capitol,” according to Crow’s notes from the conversation.
McCarthy “indicated that the (Defense Department) is aware of further possible threats posed by would-be terrorists in the days up to and including Inauguration Day and is working with local and federal law enforcement to coordinate security preparations,” Crow also wrote.
According to Crow’s account of the call, the Department of Defense made “several” attempts to offer National Guard resources to the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police and U.S. Capitol Police before the mob breached the Capitol building on Jan. 6. The department “repeatedly were told no additional resources needed.”
The Democratic lawmaker also said that “due to a lack of coordination and preparation, there was not a functioning operations center in the Pentagon to manage (National Guard) presence and direct additional resources” amid the riot… (LINK TO STORY)
Trump plans defiant final week as many Democrats urge his ouster (Bloomberg)
Banned from social media and abandoned by some staff after inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol, President Donald Trump and a dwindling circle of advisers plan a defiant final week in office, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump is confident Vice President Mike Pence and members of his cabinet won’t attempt to remove him under the 25th Amendment, the people said. Pence is dismissive of the idea of trying to use that authority to drive Trump from office, one person said. The president and some allies also believe Democrats are overreaching by trying to once again impeach him over Wednesday’s mob at the Capitol, and think Senate conviction would be unlikely in any event. One adviser called Democratic consideration of impeachment a political gift to Trump. Pence hasn’t discussed the 25th Amendment beyond privately dismissing the approach as not feasible, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Trump and Pence haven’t spoken since Wednesday, though, when the vice president sheltered in place at the Capitol after the building was stormed by Trump supporters. Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma told the Tulsa World newspaper he’d “never seen Pence as angry” as he was after being blasted by Trump for not intervening in the congressional count of Electoral College votes. Trump tweeted that Pence lacked “courage.”
Trump plans to run out the clock on his four years in office by highlighting what he believes are his biggest accomplishments, including the barrier his administration built on at least part of the U.S. border with Mexico. A trip to Alamo, Texas, near the border is expected on Tuesday, a White House spokesman said. Trump is also preparing at least one more round of pardons, and will try a final time to advance his administration’s effort to bring Big Tech to heel, the people said, though it isn’t clear what he may do. In sum, it’s a last-ditch attempt to rehabilitate Trump’s legacy after his supporters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, resulting in five deaths including that of a Capitol Police officer. Trump has given no indication that he’s considering resigning, as many Democrats and some Republicans have demanded. A small group of House Republicans wrote to Joe Biden on Saturday, pleading with him to persuade Speaker Nancy Pelosi to back off impeachment as an olive branch in the interest of national unity… (LINK TO STORY)