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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,”...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
This summer has been like no other. The nation has been roiled by a pair of historic phenomenons: the coronavirus pandemic and civic unrest following the death of Texas native George Floyd while in police custody. Floyd’s death prompted a nationwide wave of protests...
Since the death in May of Texas native George Floyd, there have been protests across Texas and the nation demanding police reform, including calls to “defund” police departments by redistributing funds to public safety programs and social service agencies. Austin...
Regular readers of our municipal law blog will undoubtedly recall that we recently wrote about the Texas Public Information Act. Please check out that July 28 introductory post. At the end of it, we promised to pick up the topic where we left off: exceptions to the...