Republican Texas lawmaker proposes bill that would put Austin under state control

December 6, 2024 in News by RBN Staff

AUSTIN, Texas — Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, this week filed a bill in the Texas Legislature that, if passed, would allow the state to take control of Austin.

Through House Bill 274, the city would become the District of Austin, allowing the Legislature to amend or repeal laws and ordinances in the district instead of local leaders.

The bill would also require that the governing body of the District of Austin answer to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House.

State Representative Briscoe Cain files House Joint Resolution 86, Proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to establish a special district to be the seat of state government.https://t.co/f1xATFUbrS pic.twitter.com/yq2sJBczv0

— State Representative Briscoe Cain (@RepBriscoeCain) December 2, 2024

In a statement, Cain cited heightened crime and homicide rates, defunding of the police and a focus on “controversial political initiatives rather than infrastructure and public service” as reasons for filing the bill.

“Our state employees and visitors to the Capitol deserve to feel safe,” Cain said. “The City of Austin has failed to govern responsibly, and its negligence endangers those who come here to serve Texans and our constituents who participate in state government.”

The proposed District of Austin would serve as the new seat of state government and would be created from the city’s current boundaries. If passed, the decision would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

“This is about more than governance; it’s about safety, accountability, and protecting the integrity of Texas’ state government,” Cain said. “Austin’s failures are not just an embarrassment; they threaten the people who live and work here and the citizens who visit. The District of Austin will provide the focused, accountable leadership necessary to address these challenges head-on.”

Cain first filed the legislation in 2021 and chose to re-file it for the upcoming legislative session. He represents District 128, which is located east of Houston.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson was reelected in November. He’s serving a four-year term. Watson responded to Cain’s bill in an email to MySA, which reads in part:

“The Texas Legislature has been hostile to all Texas cities in recent years, but it’s long had a special and unnecessary antipathy for its state capital. It’s been an effective political tool for some in control of the Capitol (it gets this sort of media attention) but isn’t particularly helpful when we’re actually trying to solve our shared problems.”