Capitol Context: As Austin 'district' plan fails, a check on Washington, D.C.

With the elections behind us, we’re shifting from providing you with context from the campaign trail to context from the Texas State Capitol as the Texas legislature gets to work. Keep up with Capitol Context this legislative session as we examine bills being debated, the messages we’re hearing from elected leaders and how their votes impact us all.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A proposal to turn the City of Austin into the 'District of Austin' — essentially under state control — failed this week in the state legislature.

House Bill 274, authored by Rep. Briscoe Caine, R-Houston, was shut down by the House Committee on State Affairs by a vote of 11-0.

But the idea of the state putting Austin under its thumb is something that seems to keep bubbling up at the Capitol.

For context, KXAN checked in on what's been happening in Washington, D.C., which is a district that is only accountable to the federal government.

Turns out, local leaders in the old District of Columbia want out.

The difference here, however, is that D.C. leadership doesn't want to be a city like Austin; they want to become a state. And they want their own voting member of Congress.

There's a district government website devoted to the push for statehood, along with vehicle license plate designs.

According to USA Today, just last month, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the following:

“The District's focus is on how we become the 51st state. I know there's talk about other places being the 51st state, but we're going to be the 51st state."

Muriel Bowser, Washington, D.C. Mayor

Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s non-voting delegate in the House of Representatives, has filed a statehood bill as she has in years past.

There's also a GOP-led effort in the House and Senate to tighten congressional oversight of the district due to concerns over crime.