BG Reads | News You Need to Know (May 18, 2023)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Public Safety Commission greenlights license-plate reader program amid police pushback (Austin monitor)
The Public Safety Commission voted unanimously on Monday that City Council approve a pilot program reinstating the Austin Police Department’s license-plate reader program – with caveats.Council is due to revisit a new contract for license-plate reader systems and related services with a third-party vendor at its Thursday meeting.
The Public Safety Commission heeded criminal justice reform advocates’ concerns about license-plate readers in its recommendations, urging City Council to ensure any future pilot program adheres to certain safeguards, including those outlined by the city’s Office of Police Oversight… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin airport to see another record-breaking summer, so what does that mean for expansions? (KVUE)
As Memorial Day approaches, staff at Austin's airport say they're getting ready to see another record-breaking summer travel season.
So what does this mean for projects that are in the works and what's already been done to accommodate growth?
As Austin's airport continues to set records every month and year, the amount of people coming in and out of the airport is only going up… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Downtown Austin faces key decisions, challenges amid development boom (Community impact)
Downtown Austin continues to see surging construction and visitor activity, and further transformational change is on the way with development set to grow by at least 25% alongside new public spaces and massive mobility additions coming online in the years ahead.
The overview of downtown's status was compiled by the Downtown Austin Alliance for its annual State of Downtown report released May 17. The nonprofit advocates for stakeholders and the more than 1,000 properties in the central business district, and manages hundreds of downtown acres through a public improvement district… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Greg Abbott asked other governors for help patrolling the Texas-Mexico border. Ron DeSantis answered the call. (Texas tribune)
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked fellow governors to send all the police and soldiers they could spare to help secure the Texas-Mexico border from a potential increase in migrant crossings with the expiration of a federal rule used to quickly expel people from the United States.
Although border encounters between law enforcement and migrants had dropped significantly in recent days, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was quick to heed the call, saying that he was prepared to commit 1,100 National Guard soldiers and law enforcement personnel… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Texas 'Death star' bill to block an array of local regulations on verge of passing Legislature (Houston Chronicle)
The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would bar cities and counties from regulating entire industries and professions beyond what’s in state law, putting the sweeping local crackdown on the verge of reaching Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. A priority of Republican state leaders, the measure would limit local regulations to being no more restrictive than what’s “expressly authorized” in the state codes covering business, labor, property and other wide-ranging areas. Local officials, labor groups and Democratic lawmakers say the bill goes too far, arguing it would prevent city and county leaders from responding to unique local needs while wiping out policies favored by a majority of their constituents, such as worker and environmental protections. City officials have said it could preempt commonplace regulations for things like unlicensed boarding homes and hazardous waste disposal.
Business groups and Republican legislators say the measure would give businesses much-needed consistency — so they don’t face a “patchwork of regulations” from city to city — and ensure local officials don’t overstep the powers granted them by the Legislature. State Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Conroe Republican who carried the bill in the Senate, said it takes aim at “activist cities” whose varying ordinances have created a “compliance nightmare” for businesses, ranging from mom-and-pop stores to large corporations. “It's a job killer,” Creighton said. “It's a deterrent to businesses looking to move to Texas.” The measure, HB 2127, sailed through both chambers of the Republican-dominated Legislature, boosted by support from state leaders including Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan. Senate lawmakers gave the bill final approval Tuesday on an 18-13 vote, sending it back to the House with its core features intact. The bill now awaits the decision of state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock and the lead author, who can either accept the Senate's changes — sending the bill to Abbott's desk — or have lawmakers from both chambers hash out the remaining differences in a conference committee… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Mavericks’ Mark Cuban doubles down on casino resorts despite failure in Texas Legislature (Dallas MOrning News)
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban isn’t giving up on Texas becoming the top-ranked state for tourism if it were to legalize destination casino resorts. Last week, the Texas House essentially killed legislation backed by casino company Las Vegas Sands that would have allowed a pathway for such resorts. It’s the furthest such a proposal has gone in the GOP-controlled legislature, with previous attempts failing to get a committee vote. That gives supporters hope. He said that while the proposal — which could have meant two casino resorts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — did have a gambling element, it’s more about tourism. “Gambling is certainly a hook, but the real value to the State (sic) is to be a destination that people around the country and the world plan a year in advance and save to go to,” Cuban said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News.
Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, could not get enough support in the House needed for his proposal that would have called for a referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot on whether to permit eight resort-style gambling emporiums. Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, shelved the enabling legislation when it became clear Geren’s resolution would not pass the lower-chamber. Geren declined to comment. It was a gut punch to supporters of expanding gambling in Texas. Cuban too. The longtime owner of the Mavericks, who is worth an estimated $5.1 billion, has visions of building a new NBA arena in the Dallas area that would be housed within a destination resort in partnership with Las Vegas Sands. While Texas is an amazing state, Cuban said in his statement that it doesn’t have a year-round attraction that makes it a “dream” destination for big events, such as weddings and conferences. “Ask your out of state friends how often they have saved up to (bring) their family to Texas,” he said. “Ask anyone how often they look forward to coming here during the summer. You already know the answer.” Casinos also bring in headline entertainment, Broadway-style shows, sporting events and entertainment for children, he noted. The revenue generated could be more than any other state generates, while also attracting new businesses and jobs, he added… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
Montana becomes the first state to ban TikTok (NPR)
Montana has become the first state to ban the popular social media app TikTok.
Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 419 on Wednesday, saying that he wants to protect the state's residents' private information from being compromised. by the He pointed to the Chinese government as a potential threat.
"The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented," Gov. Gianforte said.
There is no direct evidence that the Chinese government has ever accessed TikTok user data. However, TikTok's critics point to laws in China that allow the government access to a company's customer records… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Micron Outlines $3.6 Billion Investment in Chip Plant With Japan’s Backing (Wall Street Journal)
Micron Technology said it would invest around $3.6 billion in advanced memory-chip making in Japan, aided by support from the Japanese government.
The agreement was announced Thursday in Japan ahead of a summit by leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies in Hiroshima starting Friday. Micron said it would make cutting-edge memory chips that spring from the investment starting in 2025.
The deal comes at a time of rising tension between the U.S. and China over chip technology. The U.S. has imposed waves of restrictions that are aimed at slowing China’s ability to become a cutting-edge producer of semiconductors that underpin countries’ technical prowess and military advancement.
America’s ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, was closely involved in crafting the deal that is being held up as an example of the G-7 responding to China’s economic clout… (LINK TO FULL STORY)