Category Archives: Local Governmental Entities
Electric Power Lines: To Bury, or Not to Bury. That is the Question
A common issue that Texas cities face when dealing with electric utility companies centers around whether they can require a company to place their electric utilities underground. One would think that the City simply needs to adopt an ordinance that requires electrical undergrounding. However, as many Texas cities are discovering, it is not that… Read More »
New Texas Law for Flood Control Funding Depends on Voters this November
Louisiana has declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Barry heads for land, bringing the potential for a life-threatening storm surge. In Houston, we breathe a collective sigh of relief while simultaneously, our Hurricane Harvey memories are refreshed. What has Texas done to avoid the type of flooding and damage experienced in 2017… Read More »
Fourth of July and the Law of Fireworks
When you hear “Independence Day,” what comes to mind? Perhaps a myriad of things—cookouts, swimming, tricorn hats, Old Glory, alien invasions—but I’d bet one of the top things most people think of is fireworks. After all, is there a better way to celebrate anything than to set off a series of colorful, controlled explosions?… Read More »
Texas Voters to Decide on Constitutional Amendments for Police Dogs, State Parks and More
Our most recent blog written by our firm president detailed how Texans are waiting for Governor Abbott to sign bills on his desk that passed during the recent 86th Legislative Session. There is plenty of change hinging on the Governor’s signature, however, some legislation will require more than the Governor’s signature and will also… Read More »
Texas Legislature Tightens State Reins over Local Control
As Daenerys rode the dragon Drogon and sacked King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, I was reminded of the just closed 86th Texas legislative session and its effect on local control. “Local control” is the notion that the better form of government is the government closest to the people because it is more responsive… Read More »
No More Tiers: Annexation Becomes More Challenging for All Texas Cities
Annexations have been a hot-button issue in Texas in recent years. Texas annexation laws, which underwent major changes a couple of years ago, were again addressed by the Texas legislature in the most recent legislative session. In 2017, Senate Bill 6, also known as The Texas Annexation Right to Vote Act, was aimed at… Read More »
Summertime in Texas: The Law of the Mosquitoes
Ah, summer. And you know what that means: mosquitoes. Okay, so summer doesn’t officially start until the summer solstice on June 21, but the mosquitoes don’t know that, nor do they care. Many otherwise pleasant outdoor evenings have been ruined by these tiny pests. They’re so troublesome, in fact, that they’ve raised the ire… Read More »
Video Activism: If You Ignore Them, They Will Leave
What is “video activism” and how do we respond when confronted with a “video activist”? That is a question that a lot of government employees are starting to ask. This question is becoming more frequent due to the sharp increase in video activists showing up at government buildings across the greater Houston region. These… Read More »
First Amendment Right to Protest
In 2017, our Texas state senators and representatives voted for, and passed, a law that seriously impacts the rights of anyone entering a contract with a government entity in Texas (all levels of government) to the right to protest or right to free speech. Initially, it appeared this was a limitation on those of… Read More »
Texas Texting While Driving Ban Raises Questions for Enforcement
On September 1, 2017, the Texas legislature passed a law banning the practice of “texting while driving” across the state. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, approximately twenty percent of car crashes in Texas is caused by “distracted driving,” which resulted in some 450 deaths and more than 3,000 serious injuries in 2016… Read More »