News from March 2023
Florida expands school choice as Texas bill is introduced, DeSantis says: ‘These programs have been instrumental in elevating student achievement’
By Austin Journal Report | Mar 31, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation that expands school choice for students, which is something the Lone Star State also has on the docket.
Life:Powered's Bennett: 'We fully support SB 7’s attempt to apply cost allocation to the new reliability service the PUC is developing'
By T.H. Lawrence | Mar 31, 2023
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) released a joint statement on March 9 announcing their support for Senate Bills 6 and 7, two pieces of legislation aimed at ensuring a reliable energy grid across Texas and attracting new sources of reliable thermal electricity generation.
City of Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee met Feb. 21
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 31, 2023
City of Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee met Tuesday, Feb. 21
Middleton believes proposed legislation will 'go a long way to provide reliable, dispatchable energy for Texans'
By Andy Nghiem | Mar 30, 2023
State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) supports recently announced legislation focused on boosting energy grid reliability across Texas.
City of Austin Mobility Committee will meet April 6
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 30, 2023
City of Austin Mobility Committee will meet at 1 p.m., Thursday, April 6
Drogin: Education savings accounts are 'about freedom'
By Austin Journal Report | Mar 29, 2023
Empowering parents in rural communities with Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) will give them the freedom to choose the best school for their children, according to Mandy Drogin, campaign director for Texas Public Policy Foundation's Next Generation Initiative.
Texas attorney general: 'Constitution does not prohibit the Legislature from establishing' Education Savings Account program
By Austin Journal Report | Mar 28, 2023
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently issued an opinion in response to Sen. Brandon Creighton's filing of an Education Savings Account (ESA) bill that would establish a program to designate funds for parents to use for their children's education choice.
Texas congressman announces proof-of-work mining resolution at Blockchain Summit
By Austin Journal Report | Mar 27, 2023
When the Alcoa smelting plant in Rockdale, Texas, closed in 2017, it eliminated hundreds of jobs and left many locals without work. Since then, Riot, one of the leading bitcoin miners in the U.S., has filled the vacuum left by Alcoa.
Students, get involved with the State Legislature
By Tommy Wan | Mar 27, 2023
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, place much responsibility on our governing bodies.
Chapter 313 'Vampire Fund' opponents rally in Austin
By T.H. Lawrence | Mar 27, 2023
The rain fell, but their spirits soared.
Perry: 'Texas education is at a crossroads' and could benefit from career and technical education funding
By Sam Jackson | Mar 27, 2023
Former Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) voiced his support for school choice and parent empowerment in Texas in an editorial he wrote for the Odessa American.
City of Austin City Council met Feb. 23
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 25, 2023
City of Austin City Council met Thursday, Feb. 23
City of Austin City Council met Feb. 21
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 24, 2023
City of Austin City Council met Tuesday, Feb. 21
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee met Jan. 18
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 23, 2023
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee met Wednesday, Jan. 18
School choice proponents applaud legislation: ‘Every family deserves the freedom to access learning opportunities'
By Austin Journal Report | Mar 22, 2023
Advocates for school choice are celebrating the recent introduction of legislation promoting education savings accounts (ESAs) in the Texas Legislature.
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee will meet March 29
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 22, 2023
City of Austin Audit and Finance Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 29
City of Austin Water Oversight Committee will meet March 29
By Angelica Saylo Pilo | Mar 21, 2023
City of Austin Water Oversight Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 29
Silicon Valley Bank failure threatened Austin beverage startup: 'It put our team in a spot'
By Juliette Fairley | Mar 20, 2023
Founded by Sarah Puil in 2020, BOXT is an ''environment-first'' beverage startup in Austin offering luxury wine packaged in compostable and refillable boxes as opposed to glass bottles and is delivered directly to customers.
Bipartisan opposition to corporate welfare plan for being 'light on details,' suggests state finds tax breaks for all residents
By Laurie A. Luebbert | Mar 20, 2023
As part of an effort to lure new business development within the state boundaries, Texas lawmakers are trying to devise a replacement for the expired Chapter 313 plan, and one potential answer has been put forth in House Bill 5 (HB 5). HB 5, though, lacks specifics, making it hard to evaluate.
Disu on 28-point effort to guide UT to Sweet Sixteen: 'I couldn’t have done this without my teammates'
By John Suayan | Mar 20, 2023
Senior University of Texas (UT) Longhorns forward and Pflugerville native Dylan Disu scored a season-high 28 points on 14-of-20 shooting to help the second-seeded program ward off the Penn State Nittany Lions 71-66 in the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's basketball tournament on Saturday.