Texas lawmaker files bill to ban the display of firearms at public demonstrations
A bill filed in the Texas House would ban the display of firearms at public demonstrations, creating a misdemeanor charge.
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, an Austin Democrat, filed the bill in response to threats of violence at the Texas Capitol in the run-up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
The Texas Capitol grounds remain closed through Wednesday after the Texas Dept. of Public Safety warned of violent extremists intending to demonstrate at the Texas Capitol, where it is legal for licensed-to-carry individuals to possess firearms.
Legislature convenes; Austin Public Health Authority offers COVID-19 vaccine to lawmakers
Texas House Representative Vikki Goodwin says she was also approached, but didn’t accept receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Like everybody else I am anxious to receive the vaccine, but I don’t think it’s right to skip the line,” said Goodwin. “The CDC and the state government has set up guidelines of who should be receiving it, and I don’t fall in those guidelines.”
Lawmakers ask Gov. Abbott to prioritize teachers, grocery and food workers in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
What State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, said was supposed to be cause for celebration, has turned into confusion and frustration.
Access to COVID-19 vaccines, and according to Goodwin, public information about how to get vaccinated, is lacking.
Goodwin wrote a letter with 37 other Texas House Democrats calling on Gov. Greg Abbott and Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, to clear up confusion on the state’s vaccine rollout.
Texas House Democrats ask Gov. Greg Abbott to overhaul COVID-19 vaccine distribution process
“The dearth of reliable public information leads to skepticism over the government’s ability to look out for the public health,” state Rep. Vikki Goodwin wrote in the letter, which 37 other House Democrats signed.
Realtor Magazine: Your Champions on the Virtual Hustings
Like all candidates must do these days, Goodwin is rethinking her outreach to voters in light of the pandemic, using tactics like phone banks, social media, and online events. And with the shift to remote campaigning, she sees a silver lining. “While the energy in the room during a public event just can’t be replicated online, so many more people from across the state are participating,” she says. “I much prefer seeing people’s faces and body language, but we have to be flexible and adapt.”
Goodwin forms anti-racism advisory group
The May 25 death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis was a turning point for many western Travis County residents who responded by holding rallies to support Black Lives Matter. For State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, Floyd’s death made it “very apparent that we still have a long way to go to reach where we need to be with civil rights.”
As a result, Goodwin—whose House District 47 covers Lakeway, Bee Cave, Spicewood and some unincorporated Westbank areas—recently formed an Anti-Racism Advisory Group. With 15 members representing diverse neighborhoods and races, the group aims to improve race relations and address racism in the area.
Travis County delegates issue joint statement supporting peaceful protests, condemning violence
The members of the Travis County Delegation to the Texas House of Representatives have issued a joint statement supporting peaceful protests while condemning violence and destruction. The statement comes following days of growing anger and unrest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Bowie High School band still fighting to get refund on trip cancelled by COVID-19
Goodwin wrote a letter to the airline. “I would like for British Airways to offer cash refunds for those who ask for them. There may be some who feel like they may use the credit in time so not everyone would ask for a cash refund but for those who do we feel like they should offer that,” she said.
FOX 7 Austin reached out to British Airways earlier this week with the concerns of these parents and students, and so far they’ve told us they are looking into it.
State Rep Vikki Goodwin on Austin homeless situation
Amid outrage over Austin's homeless policies, state lawmakers are preparing for the next legislative session, looking for ways to fix homeless issues across Texas.
New Hamilton Pool Road development vandalized
On Jan. 10, the monument sign at the front of the Provence neighborhood was defaced with the spray painted message “Keep the Hills Country.” Vandals also broke glass and removed front panel lettering. The matter was referred to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office the following day, but sheriff’s spokesperson Kristen Dark said the case has been suspended “due to lack of investigative leads.”
Rep. Goodwin outraises 5 GOP candidates in Travis County state House district
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, raised more money during the second half of 2019 than each of the five Republicans seeking to challenge her. Goodwin, a real estate broker, raised $120,000, according to a campaign finance filing released Thursday by the Texas Ethics Commission. She spent $64,600 and has nearly $106,000 in cash on hand.
State representatives urge governor to allow refugees to settle in Texas
A letter signed by nine members of the Texas House of Representatives on Thursday had urged the governor to participate in the federal refugee resettlement program.
Billboards, traffic safety key issues
On December 17, Rep. Goodwin assembled a panel of local experts on topic of billboards and traffic safety along Highway 71. Acting as moderator, she posed questions to Epi Gonzalez, engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation; Bob Moore, executive assistant to Travis County Precinct 3 Commissioner Gerald Daugherty; Stacy Suits, Travis County Precinct 3 constable; and Sarah Tober, executive director of Scenic Texas.
Texas State Rep. Vikki Goodwin questions red-light camera ban after driver runs red light, T-bones her car
‘"If [drivers] know that there's a red-light camera, they might be more apt to stop at the red light," Goodwin said.
She's aware of the argument used by Abbott and others that red-light cameras may cause more rear-end crashes, but she said she recognizes the cameras are just one part of a bigger solution.’
Some TX lawmakers call for red flag laws and other changes, while others say ‘no’ to gun law reform
Goodwin said she fears losing even more innocent lives. The Texas Legislature doesn’t meet again for another year and a half.
“That’s such a long time from now. Anything can happen,” she said. “I’m afraid people are seeing what’s been happening and saying ‘Well, if that’s how someone else has handled their anger, maybe I need a gun, too,’ and we have sort of a copycat situations and that’s what scares me.”
A Decade of Democratic Gains in Central Texas
Eleven Texas House districts comprise the five-county Austin metro area: Travis has six, Williamson is split among three, Hays makes up most of one, and Bastrop and Caldwell together anchor another. (State House districts, unlike state Senate or U.S. congressional districts, are drawn to respect county lines.) When this map debuted in 2012, Republicans captured six of those 11 seats; today, Democrats hold nine, which between them include the entire city of Austin.
As traffic fatalities mount in the Lake Travis-Westlake area, residents are growing more vocal
Bee Cave City Council voted down a resolution seeking a speed study from the TX DoT. Also on the agenda was a resolution to endorse House Bill 2814, a bill from state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, that calls for safety corridors on certain segments of state roads deemed highly dangerous.
Passing the Bucks: Tax Caps, School Finance Trade Places
The careful choreography of the session's marquee budget, property tax, and school finance measures advanced Tuesday, April 30, with the House's approval of Senate Bill 2, the revenue cap plan opposed vociferously by local mayors, county judges, and other elected officials.
State representative introduces bill to establish traffic safety corridors
State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, introduced House Bill 2814 to the Legislature on March 1. It is a bill she said was inspired by a highway safety advocacy group called Safer71 based out of the Sweetwater area in western Travis County.
Austin Democrats see hope for gun-safety legislation
Operating in a Republican run Legislature that has been more interested in expanding gun rights, advocates for laws promoting firearm safety— including three Austin Democrats — said Tuesday that they have higher hopes for progress this session.