Latest news with #SarahEckhardt
WIRED
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
Texas Lawmakers Want More Control of the Tesla Robotaxis on Their Roads
As a small number of Tesla robotaxis continue to pick up and drop off a select few Tesla influencers in Austin, Texas, a state legislator who represents part of the electric automakers' limited service area says she's concerned the cars' driving is 'less reliable' than the typical human driver. Videos posted online show some 'moving violations' that 'could be very serious,' state senator Sarah Eckhardt, a Democrat who represents Texas' 14th district, told WIRED in an interview. 'My constituency is particularly tech savvy and excited about this [autonomous vehicle] technology, but my constituency is also very concerned about public safety, and we can hit the right balance.' Last week, as the hours before the debut of Tesla's robotaxi service ticked down, Eckhardt was one of seven Texas Democratic lawmakers who sent a letter to Tesla field quality director Eddie Gates asking the company to delay its plans to launch. Texas has for years had loose rules and oversight around autonomous vehicle operations, making it an attractive place for tech developers to test and launch. But a new law requiring AV companies to comply with "basic safety guardrails' passed this spring and will kick in on September 1, and the lawmakers were 'formally requesting' Tesla wait until then to put its driverless cars on Austin's roads. 'We believe that this is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla's operations,' the lawmakers wrote. If Tesla chose to go ahead with the scheduled June 22 launch, the lawmakers requested "detailed information" about how Tesla will comply with the new law. Eckhardt, the first to sign the letter, hasn't heard from Tesla since, even after the company launched its service Sunday. 'They're sometimes difficult to get a hold of,' she says. Still, Eckhardt credits the lawmakers' pressure for Tesla's decision to leave a human monitor in the front passenger seat of each robotaxi. According to videos posted by riders, these people seem to have some power to intervene when the technology doesn't perform as expected. (Tesla did not respond to any of WIRED's questions for this story.)
The Hill
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hill
Texas Democrats ask Tesla to delay robotaxi rollout
A group of Democratic lawmakers in Texas is urging Tesla to delay the rollout of its robotaxis in Austin, as the driverless cars prepare to hit the streets this weekend. In a letter to Tesla's director of field quality, Eddie Gates, the seven lawmakers asked the electric vehicle maker to push back its launch until September, when a new Texas law is set to take effect. The law, which revises earlier state guidelines for autonomous vehicles, requires the operators of self-driving cars to receive prior authorization from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). To secure authorization, companies need to show their cars can operate in compliance with state traffic laws, are equipped with a recording device, comply with federal standards, are properly registered and insured and can 'achieve a minimal risk condition' if the autonomous driving system stops working. 'As members of the Austin delegation in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, we are formally requesting that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the new law takes effect on September 1, 2025,' the lawmakers wrote in the letter, shared on X by Texas state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. 'We believe this is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla's operations,' they continued. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said earlier this month that the company was 'tentatively' aiming to launch its robotaxi service on June 22, although he noted that they 'are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift.' The robotaxi launch marks a key moment for Tesla, as it seeks to make a strong showing after months of turmoil. The electric vehicle maker became a political symbol for Musk during his fourth-month stint in the Trump administration, dragging down the company's stock price and attracting both peaceful and destructive demonstrations. If Tesla goes ahead with its planned launch over the weekend, the Texas lawmakers asked the company to respond to their letter with 'detailed information demonstrating that Tesla will be compliant with the new law upon the launch of driverless operations in Austin.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senate passes bill authorizing study of Texas mental hospital capacity
AUSTIN (KXAN) – A bill authorizing an extensive study of Texas' mental health facilities and treatment system received full Senate approval Wednesday. State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, wrote the measure, SB 719, saying Texas' state hospital system is 'overstrained and over-capacity' and experiencing increasing annual demand, according to her bill analysis. The bill now goes to the House where it will await referral to a committee. Among many duties, Texas' state hospitals treat patients charged with crimes and found incompetent to stand trial. Due to limited space, those individuals often wait months – even years in some cases – before getting to a state hospital bed. 'Currently, there is no official state estimate of future bed needs,' according to Eckhardt's bill analysis. 'In 2023, over 60 percent of adults treated inside state hospitals came from the criminal justice system, either from county jails or the prison system.' 'This is a crisis.' Lawmaker seeks transfer deadline for state hospital waitlist All those criminal cases are put on hold, until the mentally ill individuals reach a state hospital, get treatment and are returned to competency. Eckhardt told KXAN that delay can amount to 'justice denied.' KXAN has reported extensively on the impact of the state hospital's waitlist, including people dying before reaching trial and families left waiting for justice. At least 54 died since 2018 waiting for state hospital opening, senator calls for more tracking The bill would study the current supply and future needs for acute inpatient psychiatric beds in in-patient mental facilities, and researchers could collaborate with an academic institution. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign controversial school choice bill into law
Saturday, Gov. Greg Abbott is set to sign the controversial school choice bill into law, allowing for taxpayer money to be used to help qualifying students pay for private school tuition. Texas lawmakers passed the legislation on April 24 with a vote of 19-12. It was approved roughly a week ago by the Texas House in a historic vote. It was the first time the Texas House gave the green light to a bill on private school vouchers. The Senate approved similar legislation multiple times, including earlier this year, by a similar margin of 19-12. How the Texas private school vouchers program works As part of the $1 billion bill, most students who attend an accredited private school will receive $10,000 per year. Students with disabilities will receive up to $30,000 per year, and home-schooled students will get $2,000 a year. Texas Democrats say the legislation hurts public schools Democrats said they believe at the end of the day, most of the students who take part in the program will be wealthier students who attend private school now. "We are looking at siphoning $1 billion out of our already underfunded system to help a tiny percentage of Texas school children who are mostly already in private school," state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said. Gov. Abbott has said repeatedly he was confident the bill would pass this legislative season.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas lawmakers could help push forward plans for high-speed rail
AUSTIN, Texas - State lawmakers could help push forward plans to build a high-speed rail connecting San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas. On April 28, a House Transportation Committee heard testimony on HB 483. The bill would allow TxDOT to reach agreements with a private company to build, maintain, and operate a high-speed rail along the I-35 corridor. The intercity passenger rail would be expected to reach speeds of at least 110 mph. Lawmakers said it's needed to build a modern transportation network that meets the urgent need of our growing population. "We're behind Florida in high speed rail. Orlando, Florida, has done amazing things, leapfrogging over the state of Texas and the rest of the nation with regard to high-speed rail, with great advantage to Florida residents. Texas talks about being number one. We need to be number one," said Sen. Sarah Eckhardt. The legislation would also repeal a 2017 ban on state investments in high-speed rail. It still needs passage in both chambers to become law.
