Category Archives: Local Governmental Entities
Update: COVID-19 Response and Governmental Actions in Texas
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in profound disruptions across America and the state of Texas. While the political and legal landscape is constantly and rapidly changing, as of Friday, March 20, 2020, these are the governmental actions that have most affected Texas cities and their governing bodies. On March 13, 2020, Texas Governor Greg… Read More »
Texas Open Meetings Act – Videoconferencing/Teleconferencing
Please note that due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, the state of Texas has relaxed requirements for local governments under the Texas Open Meetings Act. The Texas Municipal League has created a guide for local governments when opting to use videoconferencing or teleconferencing to hold public meetings. “Even as the State of Texas takes… Read More »
State of Emergency: How Cities Play a Role in Responding to COVID-19 and Other Disasters
In recent weeks, the COVID-19 virus has been at the forefront of the news and the minds of most people. The federal government and many state governments have taken steps to set regulations in an effort to help contain or slow the spread of the deadly virus. The federal government has implemented travel restrictions… Read More »
What Are They Requesting? The Difference Between Public Information and a Judicial Record
If you work in local government anywhere in the State of Texas, you are all too familiar with the open records request. Most of the time it is simple to determine what legal authority to turn to in responding, but every now and then a request comes in that leaves us scratching our heads… Read More »
Can You Hear Me Now? How to Define a Public Hearing in Texas
In the United States, where the government derives its power from the consent of the governed, the opportunity for public input is cherished and revered not only on election day but also throughout the legislative process. In Texas, for example, the Legislature has recently enacted a statute requiring governmental bodies — other than those… Read More »
Why Did the City Cross the Road? – To Annex the Other Side
Texas annexation laws underwent a major overhaul in 2019, a subject our firm addressed in a prior blog post. Often, the full ramifications of new legislation are not immediately apparent, until the new laws are put into practice. As with any new innovation, sometimes there are some bugs to work out. Over the past… Read More »
You’re Up in My Business – Suing the AG Over an Open Records Ruling
Elected officials often chafe at the intrusiveness of the Texas Public Information Act when requests come in asking, for example, to obtain text messages sent during a city council meeting on a personal cell phone. The answer: “Dad can you bring some “queso” home after the meeting.” Public employees and managers chafe equally because… Read More »
Where Did All the Water Go? Dealing with Drought in Texas
Drought is a major concern in the State of Texas, and for good reason. The last severe drought that our State experienced was back in 2011, and due to a lack of preparation, a lot of regions throughout the State felt the negative impact of that drought more than ever before. To be fair,… Read More »
Bracket Bill: How the 2020 Census May Change Which Texas Laws Apply to a City
The year is 2020. Jokes about Barbara Walters are timely; jokes about hindsight are not. Also, this new year comes with a few other new things in tow: a new decade, new Olympics, a new presidential election, and a new census. It’s that last one I mostly want to talk about today. Another attorney… Read More »
Public Input Ahead of City Council Decisions on Agenda Items Now Required under Texas Law
In Texas, it has long been established that the public has a right to attend public meetings, such as city council meetings, so that they can be aware of what’s going on in their local government. There is an entire chapter in the Texas Government Code known as the Texas Open Meetings Act which… Read More »