A retirement in the El Paso delegation.
Rep. Joe Pickett (D-El Paso) has announced that he is retiring effective January 4, 2019 to deal with health issues. Pickett has served in the Texas House since 1995. His resignation will trigger a special election to fill the seat for House District 79. To read more…
New SOS.
Governor Abbott has appointed David Whitley as the next Secretary of State. Whitley most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Abbott. Whitley’s appointment requires Senate confirmation. To read more…
Obamacare ruled unconstitutional.
For now. Friday, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional because there is no longer a tax penalty for not having insurance as required by the “individual mandate”. Because of this, Judge Reed ruled that the entire law is unconstitutional as well. The ACA is still law as this case makes its way through the appeals process. Governor Abbott has said Texas will work on an alternative to the ACA if it is ultimately struck down by the courts. To read more…
Only in Austin…
An Austin tradition is making a comeback with the 37th Street lights (37th Street and Guadalupe). The truly Austin-style holiday displays near West Campus had started to dwindle, but this year they are back brighter and weirder than ever. If you don’t want to fight the crowds at Zilker, this is the perfect “Keep Austin Weird” solution. To read more…