One of the many challenges that have emerged in 2020 for governmental agencies across the nation has been finding ways to restore public confidence in policing – a challenge our state is currently not meeting, according to a Texas Sunset Advisory Commission report....
Texas Municipal Law Blog
Texas attorney general accused of firing aides in retaliation
State law includes a stout statute to protect government employees who believe their employer – a governmental body or official – has broken the law. In these situations, a government employee might want to report the misdeeds to authorities, but fears that the cost...
Texas county’s pandemic restrictions halted – at least temporarily
A few days ago, Texas became the second state to hit a grim pandemic milestone when it passed 1 million cases of Covid-19. California was the first state to pass the million mark. The numbers are growing faster than ever, as the virus surges in both states and in many...
Can a city perform a drug test on all of its employees?
Drug testing is common among private businesses. A clean test is often a prerequisite before a person can start a job. But what about public entities? Can a city or municipal government require drug testing of all its employees? Generally speaking, the answer is “no,”...
Family files wrongful death lawsuit against Texas county
Just north of Austin sits the hilly brushland of Williamson County, filled with prickly pear cactus and Texas live oak. The typically quiet area is brimming with controversy that began last year with a car chase that ended in tragedy. Wrongful death suit against...
How the pandemic altered Texas city-police union negotiations
Almost every aspect of life has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. It would surprise few if the pandemic – coupled with sporadic civil unrest this year – made often-problematic negotiations between Texas municipalities and police unions more difficult....
Black man sues Texas city after police led him through streets with rope
Ever since the death earlier this year of Texas native George Floyd while in police custody, civil unrest has flared up in various cities across the nation. There has also been a number of highly publicized lawsuits against governmental bodies alleging police...
Texas county sheriff arrested, sued over alleged sexual assault and more
If you drive about 30 miles south of Waco or about 60 miles east of Ft. Hood or about 100 miles northeast of Austin, you will find yourself in Falls County. The sparsely populated farming county has found itself in a few headlines lately after Sheriff Ricky Scaman was...
When governmental bodies face employment law litigation
The governments of Texas towns, cities and counties are employers that must obey the same state and federal employment laws that private employers must observe. But just as in business, public employers such as municipalities, townships and counties sometimes face...
Texts between school board members raise open meeting concerns
In the 21st century, school board business can take place in several ways: in in-person meetings, virtual meetings and electronic communications. Recently, a Dallas area school board president got into trouble though by possibly violating Texas open meeting rules...
