'Throwing stones': Lawmaker behind District of Austin bill challenged in hearing

'Throwing stones': Lawmaker behind District of Austin bill challenged in hearing

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas leaders challenged a Houston-area representative who authored House Bill 274, which would strip the city of Austin of its governing authority and turn it into the District of Austin. "House Bill 274 is a simple bill, it seeks to establish a District of Austin as the official city of Texas government," said Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Houston, at the House State Affairs Committee Wednesday. "Ensuring the capital city remains accou…

Committee hears Texas House bill that would create 'District of Austin'

House Bill 274 would allow the state to amend or repeal laws, ordinances and policies in Austin.

A Texas GOP lawmaker wants a state takeover of Austin but can't offer specifics on how it would work

The bill from Houston-area Republican state Rep. Briscoe Cain isn't the first attempt to undermine local control in Austin.

Austin, Texas Builds New Housing, Drives Rents Down 22%

The Texas capital, once a classic case of unsustainably rising rents in a hot housing market, is now leading the nation in rental price declines thanks to an unprecedented housing construction boom. Rents in Austin have plummeted 22% from their peak in August 2023, the largest drop of any major U.S. city, according to data…