Apr 29, 2026 Special Joint Meeting Public Safety and Mobility Committee

COMMENT, AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO DIG INTO OUR ITEMS A BIT DEEPER.

UH, THANK YOU CHAIR AND, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR VELASQUEZ FROM PUBLIC SAFETY ON, ON PUTTING TOGETHER THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT AND TIMELY MEETING.

UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE HERE, UM, STAFF.

UM, AND THERE'S, THERE'S TWO SEATS RESERVED, UH, FROM FOLKS FROM, FROM WAYMO.

SO WE'LL BE SEEING THEM AS THEY, THEY COME IN OR, OR NOT COME IN.

UM, BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE INTERSECTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND MOBILITY.

UH, AS IT RELATES TO AVS ON OUR STREETS.

UH, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE INNOVATION DOES NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY.

AND IT'S ALSO, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING ON OUR ROADS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE, UH, IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

SO, I WANT TO GROUND THIS DISCUSSION, UM, BY FIRST STARTING A CLIP THAT MANY FOLKS MIGHT HAVE SEEN.

UM, ON MARCH 1ST, THERE WAS A HORRIFIC MASS SHOOTING ON WEST SIXTH STREET, AND A WAYMO VEHICLE APPEARED TO OBSTRUCT FIRST RESPONDERS TRYING TO REACH THE SCENE.

SO IF WE CAN, WE CAN PLAY THAT VIDEO AND YEAH, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE CARS.

COME ON.

GO.

OH, F**K.

I MEAN, NOT GONNA GO ANY, YO, WE JUST NEED TO GET IN IT, I THINK.

SHOULD WE, I GUESS, JOE TO GAUGE THE DOOR.

SO I, GOD BLESS A PD GOD BLESS, UH, THE, THE VIDEO THAT EVERYONE JUST SAW, UH, HELP BRING

[00:05:01]

ISSUES TO LIGHT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S WORTH HIGHLIGHTING THAT THIS IS NOT A ONE-OFF INCIDENT.

UH, A WAYMO, UM, ALSO STOPPED BETWEEN TRAIN TRACKS AND A RAILROAD ARM, UH, WHEN A CA METRO TRAIN WAS PASSING.

I THINK WE ALSO HAVE THAT VIDEO TOO, TO SHARE WITH SAFETY CONCERNS AT THIS RAILROAD CROSSING FOR A DRIVERLESS WAYMO VEHICLE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THE CAR STOPPED BETWEEN THE SAFETY ARM AND THE TRACKS JUST AS THAT TRAIN PASSED.

WAYMO SAYS THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THE CAR.

COMPANY SAYS ITS VEHICLES HAVE CROSSED THAT LOCATION HUNDREDS OF TIMES WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT SAYS IT WILL NOW REVIEW THAT LOCATION.

WAYMO HAS INSISTED ITS SELF-DRIVING CARS ARE SAFER THAN HUMAN DRIVERS, DESPITE RECENT INCIDENTS MAKING HEADLINES WITH SAFETY CONCERNS THAT THIS RAILROAD CROSSING FROM DRIVER, THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO BEEN ONGOING REPORTS OF VEHICLES NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWING SCHOOL BUS LAWS, UH, PUTTING CHILDREN AT RISK AS THEY CROSS THE STREET.

AND WE HAVE A VIDEO OF THAT AS WELL.

OH, SORRY.

UM, AND THEN, UM, I JUST REALIZE IT'S ON LOOP.

UM, AND THEN AS RECENTLY AS THIS LAST WEEK ON APRIL 25TH, UH, MANY OF US GOT IN A LETTER FROM CONSTABLE, UH, STACY SUITS.

UH, THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVED A, A WAYMO THAT PROCEEDED PAST A BARRICADE AT RAINBOW BEND, UH, TRAVELING IN THE INCORRECT DIRECTION DOWN PARKWAY TOWARDS PEACE PARK.

AND THERE WAS A SECOND INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED WHEN A WAYMO VEHICLE STOPPED AT THE CROSSWALK LOCATED AT PARKWAY IN ENFIELD.

UH, THE VEHICLE WAS ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH A SIZABLE CROWD OF ATTENDEES, BUT FAILED TO ADHERE, UH, TO, UH, INSTRUCTION GIVEN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

UH, SO THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF EXAMPLES THAT HAVE AFFECTED OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, WE, WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE HAD INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS WITH WAYMO.

UH, OUR HOPE WAS THAT WAYMO WOULD SHOW UP TODAY, UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK, UM, TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATION, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC AND OUR CONSTITUENTS IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.

THEY DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND TO BE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HOSTING THIS, UH, JOINT PUBLIC SAFETY MOBILITY MEETING.

UH, WE EXPECT MORE FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE OPERATING ON OUR ROADS.

UM, I, I THINK OFTEN IT'S BEEN SAID ON THIS STAES, AND IT'S BEEN SAID IN CONVERSATIONS WITH CONSTITUENTS, THAT THEY FEEL THAT OUR ROADS ARE OFTEN USED, UH, AS, AS TEST GROUNDS.

UM, AND THAT THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE.

UH, PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD COME, SHOULD COME FIRST, UM, ALWAYS.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT THERE TO BE GREATER TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, AND, AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING.

UM, AND I THINK THAT INCLUDES MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE STRONGER TECHNOLOGY, CLEAR PROTOCOLS AND BETTER COORDINATION WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM CITY STAFF ON THOSE SOLUTIONS TODAY.

UH, AND THE STATE HAS LIMITED CITY'S ABILITY TO DIRECT REG TO DIRECTLY REGULATE, UM, THESE AVS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO STOP LEADING ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, UH, THAT THAT FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOULDN'T BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, MY HOPE AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO FOLKS, UM, LIKE I SAID AROUND THE AVS AROUND CITY STAFF, UM, HAD A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY, UH, WITH, WITH THE TEAMSTERS, UH, THAT THIS IS, THIS ISN'T A PARTISAN AN ISSUE.

THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, UH, THAT I THINK EVERYONE CAN, CAN COME TOGETHER FOR.

SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO, UH, CHAIR ELLIS.

THANK YOU VICE CHAIR CADRE.

LET'S TURN IT OVER TO PUBLIC

[Public Communication: General]

AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND MOBILITY LEADERSHIP THAT IS HERE.

JOINING US TODAY, WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS, ONE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, MR. CARLOS LEON, AND THEN WE HAVE MIRIAM SCHOFIELD TO SPEAK

[00:10:01]

ON THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.

WELCOME.

AND I BELIEVE WILL MR. LEON HAVE THREE MINUTES OR SIX MINUTES? HE'LL HAVE SIX.

HE SIGNED UP FOR BOTH ITEMS. OKAY.

AND MS. SCHOFIELD WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

APRIL 25TH, GUILTY BLACKMAIL.

GO AHEAD, MR. THREATENING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.

MR. LEON, I HATE TO INTERRUPT.

CAN YOU MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS ON? I WANNA MAKE SURE YOUR, YOUR CORDS ARE RECORDED.

ABSOLUTELY.

RIGHT NOW IT'S RED, IT'S NOW GREEN.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.

I'LL START AGAIN.

SOY CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST, S FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO CAP METRO ISSUES, THREATENING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UPDATING MY APRIL 23RD TESTIMONY TO CITY COUNCIL ON ITEM 34.

OBAMA DRIVER OF BUS 2 6 0 9 VIOLATED MY RIGHT TO RIDE, REFUSING TO BOARD ME OR LOOK AT CAT METRO'S LETTER SAYING I WAS NOT BANNED BY NOT FOLLOWING CAT METRO RULES OR CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, HE FLIPPED THE INTERACTION UPSIDE DOWN FROM PEACEFUL LAW AND ORDER TO WARLIKE LAWLESSNESS AND CHAOS, WHICH I PROTESTED BY SLAPPING THE PASSENGER BUS WINDOWS HE DROVE AWAY.

NOW, KAT METRO PORTRAYS ME AS VIOLENT KAT METRO'S MALEVOLENT ATTACK OR BE ATTACKED.

MINDSET MIRRORS OBAMA'S OPPRESSED OR BE OPPRESSED BINARY WORLDVIEW MIND BLINDING THEM BOTH TO THIRD OPTION, PARADIGM SHIFT TO MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL MUTUAL NON-AGGRESSION, CAT METRO RESPECTFULLY SERVING ALL PASSENGERS AND ALL PASSENGERS RESPECTFULLY TREATING CAT METRO INSTEAD, CERTAIN CAT METRO DRIVERS CONTINUE DENYING ME MY FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO INTERSTATE TRAVEL WITHOUT DUE PROCESS.

ALSO VIOLATING THE 14TH AMENDMENT'S EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE.

THESE ATTACKS APPEAR TO BE ONGOING RETALIATION AGAINST ME FOR PUBLICLY INFORMING CITY COUNCIL, CAT METRO'S BOARD AND AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS BOARD ABOUT CAT METRO MISCONDUCT AND REPORTING, SENIOR DIRECTOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

DARREL JAMAL'S ALLEGED CRIMES TO A PD SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CC'D TO POLICE CHIEF DAVIS.

THE MANY DETAILED EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLAINTS FILED THROUGH CAT METRO'S ONLINE CUSTOMER COMMENT REPORT SYSTEM SEEMED TO PUSH JAMEL TO PREVIOUSLY ISSUE ME A FRAUDULENT UNWARRANTED SIX MONTH SUSPENSION FROM CAT METRO BASED ON A DIRECT THREAT DEFINITION, PLAGIARIZED WORD FOR WORD FROM THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

AND REPURPOSED OUT OF CONTEXT, THOUGH COLLEGES EXPEL YOU FOR THAT CEO AND PRESIDENT DOTTIE WATKINS HAS NOT FIRED JAMEL PROBABLY BECAUSE SHE APPROVED THAT SUSPENSION POLICY BUILT ON THAT FALSEHOOD.

HISTORY SHOWS THIS CORRUPTION CONTINUES UNTIL APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TAKEN, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE BODY CAM EVIDENCE HAS GREATLY IMPROVED HOW A PD INTERACTS WITH THE PUBLIC.

I FILED PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS FOR BUS VIDEO DOCUMENTING DRIVER MISCONDUCT.

HOWEVER, UNLIKE THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, HOLDING A PD OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS WITH SUCH EVIDENCE, THERE'S NOTHING SIMILAR FOR CAT METRO BECAUSE CAT METRO'S BOARD APPEARS UNABLE AND OR UNWILLING TO DO SO.

THUS, WITH RESPECT TO ITEM ONE'S DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, I SAY TO YOU, CREATE AND IMPLEMENT A CITY ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTING AN OFFICE OF CAT METRO OVERSIGHT.

USE CITY CODE TWO DASH 15 AS A TEMPLATE.

FOR EXAMPLE, CAT METRO OVERSIGHT SHOULD BE A ROBUST SYSTEM OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OVER CAT METRO, EMPHASIZING TRANSPARENCY, ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY AND FACILITATING ENACTMENT OF REFORMS THAT SYSTEMATICALLY REDUCE CAT METRO CRIMINALITY AND MISCONDUCT TOWARD ELIMINATION FROM THE TOP DOWN.

PUBLICLY RELEASING

[00:15:01]

CAT METRO CONDUCT INFORMATION IS PART OF QUALITY CONTROL ENFORCEMENT.

HOWEVER, UNLIKE A PD CAT METRO SUBCONTRACTS MUCH OF ITS WORKFORCE BUS DRIVERS, SUPERVISORS, AND MECHANICS FROM KEOLIS TRANSIT NORTH AMERICA, A PRIVATE COMPANY.

THUS, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYEES MISTAKENLY BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC SERVANTS WHEN DOING MASS TRANSIT FOR CAT METRO, THEY NEED THEIR CONSISTENTLY FOLLOW CAP METRO RULES, POLICY AND PROTOCOLS NOR CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

SOME TRY MAKING UP ENFORCING THEIR OWN OVERLY RESTRICTIVE RULES.

CONTRAVENING STATE AND OR FEDERAL LAW TARGETING SPECIFIC PASSENGERS FOR HARASSMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

TWO CARRY ON BAGS AND ONE SEAT ONLY.

ARE TWO PRIVATE CARRIER RESTRICTIONS WRONGLY APPLIED TO COMMON CARRIER CAT METRO, DOING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO WRONGLY DENY SERVICE TO PASSENGERS VIOLATING TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE 4 51 0.001 PART FOUR, DEFINING MASS TRANSIT AS THE TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS AND HAND CARRIED PACKAGES OR BAGGAGE.

CONTROLLING CASE LAW DEFINES THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK IN VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.

VE, THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT RULED TRANSIT AUTHORITIES LIKE CAP METRO ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO OPERATE UNDER A HIGH DEGREE OF CARE STANDARD, HOW A VERY CAUTIOUS, COMPETENT, AND PRUDENT PERSON WOULD ACT UNDER THE SAME OR SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

YET CAT METRO'S DRIVERS ARE NOT TAUGHT THESE LEGAL TRUTHS, BUT THEY'RE THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SHIP.

THUS, CAT METRO'S BUS DRIVER TRAINING AND MONTHLY MEETINGS NEED SERIOUS CRITIQUE AND REVISION JUST LIKE APDS CADET TRAINING DID.

FOR EXAMPLE, BUS DRIVERS WERE ALLEGEDLY TOLD AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS NOT TO BOARD ME WITH MY GEAR, THOUGH I HAD NOT BEEN BANNED THEN AND MY GEAR ALLOWED ON THE BUS, THERE MUST BE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SUCH TARGETED DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT AGAINST ME OR ANY OTHER PASSENGER.

SUCH ABUSES OF OFFICIAL CAPACITY VIOLATE TEXAS LAW.

THUS FOLLOWING PROVERBS 27 17 TEACHING AS IRON SHARPENS IRON MAN SHARPENS ANOTHER, CREATE THE OFFICE OF CAT METRO OVERSIGHT ASAP FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBERS.

ELLIS AND QUADRY KNOW ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF CAT METRO'S BOARD.

IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY.

AMEN.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MIRIAM SCHOFIELD AND I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE TEXAS STREETS COALITION, WHICH FIGHTS FOR SAFE, HEALTHY, AND JUST TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.

WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS CONSIDERING SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP REGARDING, UM, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

WELL, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES DEFINITELY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF OUR STREETS.

HOW SAFE THEY ULTIMATELY WILL BE IS GONNA BE A FUNCTION OF DECISIONS MADE BY AV COMPANIES AND POLICY MAKERS.

IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT WAYMO IS INT HERE TODAY, AND THEIR ABSENCE UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR POLICY THAT ENSURES THAT AV COMPANIES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACTIVITY OF THEIR VEHICLES.

I WANNA RAISE TWO POINTS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT POLICIES SURROUNDING AVS.

THE FIRST IS THAT SAFETY NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED HOLISTICALLY.

WHILE CRASH RATE IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEASURE, SEVERAL SAFETY RELATED CONCERNS THAT HAVE SURFACED IN AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES ARE NOT REFLECTED IN THAT METRIC, IN THAT METRIC.

SAFETY IS ALSO ABOUT THE WAY THAT AVS RESPOND TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS LIKE THE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED ON MARCH 1ST.

UH, THE BURDENS THAT IT PLACES ON OUR ALREADY BURDENED EMS SYSTEM WITH UNNECESSARY 9 1 1 CALLS AND THE WAYS THAT THEY INTERACT WITH SCHOOL BUSES, BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WILDLIFE.

THESE PROBLEMS HAVE SOLUTIONS, BUT LEGISLATION AND POLICY IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

UH, SECOND, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ARE INTERACTING WITH OUR BROADER MODE SHIFT GOALS.

ARE THEY INCREASING OR DECREASING TOTAL VMT? HOW ARE THEY IMPACTING THE PERCENTAGE OF TRIPS THAT ARE TAKEN BY CAR? IF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ARE GOING TO BE USING OUR STREETS, WHICH ARE PUBLIC SPACES, THEY NEED TO BE OPERATING IN WAYS THAT SUPPORT RATHER THAN THWART THE CITY'S GOALS.

JUST WANNA GIVE ONE ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE THAT I FOUND VERY CONCERNING.

UH, WAYMO'S ARE OFTEN STOPPED IN BIKE LANES IN AUSTIN, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF CYCLISTS.

AND A RECENT, UH, ARTICLE REPORTS THAT IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT WAYMO'S AND BIKE LANES IN SAN FRANCISCO, WAYMO RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT EXPECTING AVS TO RESPECT BIKE LANES IS QUOTE, TOO HIGH A BAR BECAUSE CUSTOMERS EXPECT TO BE DROPPED OFF IN THEM.

AND I REALLY THINK THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE.

AV COMPANIES ARE INCENTIVIZED TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR VEHICLES, NOT THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEM.

IF WAYMO'S GET TO CLOG UP BIKE LANES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PASSENGERS WANT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PASSENGERS WANT THEM TO SPEED, OR WHEN PASSENGERS, UH, WANT THEM TO FAIL

[00:20:01]

TO MAKE WAY FOR AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A RUSH.

WE'D LIKE TO SEE AV COMPANIES WILLINGLY COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL OFFIC OFFICIALS IN ADDRESSING THE SAFETY CONCERNS.

BUT WE ALSO NEED TO SEE LEGISLATION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, UH, THAT IMPROVES TRANSPARENCY, PROVIDES MORE ACCESS TO THE DATA THAT AV COMPANIES HAVE, UH, LEGISLATION LIKE THAT WAS PASSED IN CA CALIFORNIA ABOUT HOW THEY OPERATE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AS WELL AS SUPPORTING EASIER OF ENFORCEMENT THROUGH FINES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR VERY MUCH FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL UP

[2. Briefing on incidents involving interactions between first responders and autonomous vehicles during emergency responses on City roadways [Rachel Castignoli, Senior Business Process Consultant - Austin Transportation and Public Works, Autonomous Vehicle Safety Working Group; Roger Patterson, Commander - Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services; William White, Lieutenant - Austin Police; Matthew Holmes, Battalion Chief - Austin Fire].]

THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL TAKE TODAY, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER TWO, A BRIEFING ON INCIDENTS INVOLVING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES DURING EMERGENCY RESPONSES ON CITY ROADWAYS.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT RACHEL CASTAGNO, LEWIS LEFF, AND A TEAM OF OFFICIALS READY TO HELP EDUCATE US.

GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS LEWIS LEFF.

I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.

I'M HERE WITH COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, AUSTIN FIRE, AUSTIN POLICE, AND AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, WHO ARE ALSO MEMBERS, EXCUSE ME, OF OUR LONGSTANDING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WORKING GROUP.

IN 2019, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE UPDATED AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

IN THAT PLAN, SEVEN YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE KEY LONG-TERM CHALLENGES ASKED HOW MIGHT WE PREPARE FOR AND LEAD IN LEVERAGING RAPIDLY EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION.

NOW WITH OVER 300 ESTIMATED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN AUSTIN, WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF A SHIFT FROM A TECHNOLOGY GENERALLY BEING TESTED TO A TECHNOLOGY BECOMING MORE MAINSTREAM.

AS THE AS AND P ALSO NOTES, THERE ARE MANY UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS ABOUT WHAT WILL COME AND HOW WE'LL RESPOND AS A CITY TO ENSURE THAT WE BALANCE COMMUNITY NEEDS, SAFETY CONCERNS, AND OTHER SHARED VALUES IN AUSTIN.

SO WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHERE WE STAND TODAY WITH AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE INTERACTIONS, WITH FIRST RESPONDER INCIDENTS, PRESENT SOME OPTIONS FOR HOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE THESE INTERACTIONS INTO THE FUTURE.

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AS Y'ALL SPEAK.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, MY NAME IS RACHEL KALI AND I FACILITATE OUR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WORKING GROUP.

I WORK IN TPW.

UM, AS YOU GUYS SPOKE ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, TEXAS DOES PREEMPT, UH, THE CITY FROM, UH, CREATING ANY REGULATIONS OR PERMITS FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

BUT WE DO HAVE AN AV WORKING GROUP, UM, WHICH IS MADE UP OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, CAP METRO AND A ISD.

WE MEET REGULARLY TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE INCIDENTS THAT ARE REPORTED TO US, UM, TO DO TRAININGS, AND WE MEET REGULARLY WITH AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMPANIES.

UM, THAT DASHBOARD WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE INCIDENCES PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, TEXAS DID REQUIRE AUTHORIZATION FOR AV UH, OPERATIONS IN TEXAS, AND WE THINK THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT AT THE END OF MAY.

SO AV COMPANIES WILL HAVE TO BE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE.

WE DO FIND THAT ALL THE AV COMPANIES HAVE DONE TRAININGS WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

UM, AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE REALLY BIG ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AV SAFETY WORKING GROUP.

I WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY GO OVER WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'VE GOT WAYMO, ZOOX, AND TESLA DEPLOYED ON THE ROADS.

UM, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S MORE THAN 250 WAYMO'S, UH, ZOO'S, ABOUT FIVE OF THOSE ROBO TAXIS, WHICH DON'T HAVE STEERING WHEELS OR HUMAN OPERATED BRAKES, UM, AS WELL AS THE TESLA ROBO TAXII AND SOON THE TESLA CYBER CAB.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE, THESE AV COMPANIES FOR YEARS, UM, AS THEY COME INTO AUSTIN, AND WE DO SHARE WITH ALL OF THEM OUR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOW THEY SHOULD BEHAVE.

I'M GONNA PASS IT TO CHIEF HOLMES, UH, BATTALION CHIEF MATT HOLMES, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SO GEOFENCING BASICALLY JUST MEANS AN EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND AN INCIDENT.

THIS IS DONE THROUGH OUR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH SENDING AN ACTIVE 9 1 1 EMAIL TO OUR AV PARTNERS, LETTING 'EM KNOW, HEY, WE WANT YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS PRESELECTED INCIDENT.

THOSE INCIDENTS, TYPICALLY OUR EXAMPLES WOULD BE BOX ALARMS, ACTIVE ATTACKS, ANY INCIDENT WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY LARGE FOOTPRINT OF FIRST RESPONDERS RESPONDING TO IT.

UH, THIS IS THE SAME METHOD THAT IS DONE IN PHOENIX AND IN SAN FRANCISCO WHERE AVS OPERATE CURRENTLY.

UH, THE EXPECTATION FROM THIS AV WORK GROUP IS THAT WHEN THE GEOFENCE IS CREATED, WE WOULD, WE EXPECT TO SEE A 1000 FOOT RADIUS AROUND THAT INCIDENT FOR ONE HOUR.

UH, THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN AVS HAVE SHOWN QUESTIONABLE, UNPREDICTABLE MOVEMENT DURING THESE DYNAMIC INCIDENTS.

WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF A WAYMO OVER A CHARGED HOSE LINE DURING THE ROADWAY INN FIRE, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2025.

UH, REPORTS WERE THAT THE AV STARTED TO ENTER THE INCIDENT, PULLED OVER TO THE CURB AND PARKED THEN A FIVE INCH UNCHARGED HOSE LINE WAS LAID IN THE STREET, ALLEGEDLY REMOTE SUPPORT CAME IN AND HAD THE VEHICLE BACK UP.

AND ONCE

[00:25:01]

IT BACKED UP OVER THE UNCHARGED HOSE LINE, IT STOPPED.

WE ALSO HAVE REPORTS OF AN A PD OFFICER MAKING CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AND TELLING THE VEHICLE TO STAY PUT.

SUBSEQUENTLY, AFTER THAT, THE CHARGED HOSE LINE, THE HOSE LINE WAS CHARGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK THERE FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF HOURS.

UH, NEEDLESS SAY, WE CAN SAY THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY COMPROMISING FIREFIGHTER TACTICS AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY.

HENCE THE REASON WHY WE STRONGLY, UH, ARE OUR EXPECTATION IS OF KEEPING THAT GEOFENCE.

GO.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S, IT'S MORE TIME CONSUMING AND CUMBERSOME FOR OFFICERS TO DEAL WITH THAT.

SO, COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE AV WORK GROUP AND THE AV COMPANIES IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

AS SOON AS WE KNOW THAT THE AV COMPANIES ARE GONNA OPERATE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE GIVE A WELCOME LETTER TO THEM SO THEY CAN OUTLINE AND KNOW WHAT THE STATE, UH, REGULATIONS ARE AND KINDA WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THOSE AV COMPANIES THAT ARE GONNA OPERATE IN OUR CITY.

AV COMPANIES ARE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT SETTING UP INITIAL, UH, TRAINING, UH, FOR FIRST RESPONDERS GO INTO A CLASSROOM.

UH, WE MEET THEM, WE HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION, WE SHARE THEIR INFORMATION, THEY TALK ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF THEIR VEHICLES.

SOMETIMES THEY TELL US HOW MANY VEHICLES ARE GONNA BE OPERATING AND WHERE IN THE CITY THEY'RE GONNA BE OPERATING.

WE SOMETIMES GET ACCESS TO FIRST RESPONDER GUIDES, UM, AND THEN WE GO OUTSIDE AND ACTUALLY GET TO SEE THE VEHICLE, OPEN THE DOORS, TALK TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS, TALK TO ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS.

FROM THOSE MEETINGS, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE SCHEDULED MEETINGS BETWEEN OUR WORK GROUP AND THOSE AV PARTNERS SO WE CAN SHARE INFORMATION LIKE, HEY, THIS MONTH WE HAVE SEVERAL SPECIAL EVENTS HAPPENING, AND THIS IS GONNA BE THE ROAD CLOSURE PLAN.

WE HOPE THAT AVS WILL ALSO RESPOND TO US BY GIVING UPDATES ON INCREASING NUMBER OF FLEETS OR IF THEY'RE GONNA EXPAND THEIR OPERATION DOMAIN.

ALSO, IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT INTERACTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEIR VEHICLES, CONCERNS THAT WE MAY HAVE HAVE, LIKE, HEY, WE'VE GOT CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE NOT RESPONDING APPROPRIATELY TO HAND SIGNALS.

WE'VE GOT CONCERNS ABOUT GEOFENCE, UH, ISSUES AT CERTAIN INCIDENTS.

WE'VE GOT, UH, ISSUES ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH SCHOOL BUSES.

WE HAVE INTERAC, WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS AND HOW YOU RES RE RESPOND AND OPERATE IN SEVERE WEATHER.

SO THE GOAL IS, IS THAT WE BRING THOSE CONCERNS TO THE AV COMPANIES AND THEN WE START WORKING AND COMMUNICATING WITH SOME, UH, WITH A PATHWAY TO WHERE THEY FIX THOSE ISSUES AND WE CAN SEE IMPROVEMENT.

LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, CITYWIDE EMERGENCIES, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY SAID ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, ONE OF OUR CONCERNS IS SEVERE WEATHER.

WE KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS IN FLASH FLOOD ALLEY.

WE KNOW THAT A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN CAUSES FLOODING IN THIS CITY.

OUR WORKING GROUP HAS PROVIDED UPDATE CURRENT FLOODING MAPS TO ALL AV COMPANIES.

AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS YOU SEE A PICTURE OF A WAYMO VEHICLE AND A LOW WATER CROSSING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

UH, THIS TOOK PLACE IN MARCH 28TH, 2025.

THERE WAS A VIDEO OF THIS THAT WENT VIRAL.

IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE VIDEO, UH, THE CONDITIONS, THE RAIN HAD ALREADY STOPPED.

CONDITIONS WERE PRETTY CLEAR.

THE WAYMO APPROACHES THIS INTERSECTION, BUT DOES NOT STOP.

IT DOES NOT SEE THE STANDING WATER.

IT ENTERS THE STANDING WATER, IT COMES TO A STOP.

THERE WAS A, A PASSENGER IN THE BACKSEAT.

THE THE REAR WINDOW DID ROLL DOWN AND THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO EXTRICATE THEMSELVES.

AS SOON AS WE KNEW ABOUT THIS, WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED WAYMO AND WANTED TO SET UP DISCUSSIONS ON HOW WE'RE GONNA FIX THIS PROBLEM.

LIKE, WHAT ARE THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES? HOW DO THEY RESPOND WHEN INCLEMENT WEATHER IS COMING IN? I MEAN, OUR, UH, INTENTION IS THAT WE RECOMMEND AVS DO NOT OPERATE IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

SO WE HAVE THAT, UH, CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH 'EM ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE AND WE HOPE TO SEE IMPROVEMENT.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW THAT LIKE A LITTLE ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO IN SAN ANTONIO, THEY HAD A VERY SIMILAR INCIDENT WHERE AN AV WENT INTO A LOW WATER CROSSING, RUSHING WATER, PUSHED THE AV OFF OFF OF THAT INTERSECTION, AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE RECOVERED SEVERAL DAYS LATER.

FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INSIDE THAT VEHICLE.

SO ONCE AGAIN, OUR PREFERENCE IS NOT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE UNRESPONSIVE AVS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M LIEUTENANT WHITE WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I AM ALSO THE AUSTIN POLICE REP ON THE, UH, AV TASK FORCE.

SO ONE OF THE, UH, THINGS THAT WE DEALT WITH ON OUR SIDE ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE IS, UH, SHE'S ISSUING CITATIONS TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T SIMPLY ISSUE A TICKET LIKE AN OFFICER CAN ON A HUMAN DRIVER, UH, WHICH ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF TIME.

UH, WORKING WITH OUR MUNICIPAL COURT, THEY ADVISE WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THAT'S, UH, ESSENTIALLY AN OFFICER HAS TO FILL OUT AN AFFIDAVIT WITH A NARRATIVE EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED.

THAT OFFICER MUST, UH, SWEAR TO IT, HAVE IT WITNESSED BY ANOTHER OFFICER SWEARING TO IT.

THEN IT COMES THROUGH MY OFFICE.

I REVIEW THE AFFIDAVIT AND REVIEW, UH, THE REGISTERED OWNER.

I HAVE TO GO TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S WEBSITE FOR THE, FOR TEXAS TO SEE WHO THE REGISTERED AGENT IS FOR THE AV COMPANY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY, UH, UH, CONTACT WITH THE COURT.

AND SO I WILL THEN FINISH AND COMPLETE THE AFFIDAVIT, AND THEN FROM THERE IT GOES ON TO THE, UH, MUNICIPAL COURT FOR THEM TO HANDLE AT THAT POINT.

[00:30:01]

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CITY ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO ISSUE, UH, PARKING VIOLATIONS THUS FAR SINCE WE'VE IMPLEMENTED IT, THAT WE'VE ONLY HAD SIX, UH, UH, CITATIONS ISSUED BY OFFICERS, FIVE OF THE SIX FOR IMPEDING TRAFFIC, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY BLOCKING TRAFFIC IN A, IN WHATEVER THE CONTEXT BE.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

SO ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH IS HAND SIGNALS.

SO SINCE JULY OF 2023, WE NOTED THAT THE AVS WERE STRUGGLING WITH HUMAN TRAFFIC CONTROL, BE IT ON FOOT, AND ESPECIALLY WITH OUR MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS, BE IT THAT THEY'RE DOING A FUNERAL ESCORT OR BLOCKING AN INTERSECTION FOR WHATEVER THE REASON CAN BE.

UH, OFTENTIMES AT SPECIAL EVENTS AS THE AVS COME AROUND SPECIAL EVENTS, THERE'S CLOSURES, THERE'S, UH, MOTORCADES AND ALL THESE THINGS WHERE THE OFFICERS ARE TRYING TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND THE AREA.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE NOTICING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH AVS BEING ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIONS THAT THE OFFICERS ARE GIVING.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY ALSO WE'RE SEEING THAT THE AVS ARE COMPLYING MORE WITH TRAFFIC SIGNALS THAN THEY ARE WITH THE OFFICERS GIVING THE DIRECTIONS.

'CAUSE SOMETIMES THE OFFICERS ARE TRYING TO GET CARS TO MOVE AGAINST A RED LIGHT, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION OR TRYING TO GET, UH, AVS TO STOP ON A GREEN LIGHT.

AND WE WILL SEE A DEMONSTRATION OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS VIDEO.

YOU GO THAT WAY, GO THERE.

SO HE'S, HE'S DOING A FUNERAL ESCORT, AND THIS IS A WAY MORE APPROACHING WHEN HE'S TRYING TO DIRECT TRAFFIC TO STOP.

AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT NOT ONLY DISREGARDED THE HAND SIGNALS, BUT IT WAS LOOKING AT THE GREEN LIGHT AND TRYING TO JUST GO THROUGH THE GREEN LIGHT.

AND ADDITIONALLY, WHEN IT'S, WHEN IT'S NOT FOLLOWING THE HAND SIGNALS, THAT'S WHEN WE OFTEN SEE THE IMPEDING TRAFFIC SITUATIONS OCCUR, THAT WE, UH, MOST OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND SO THIS WAS A VIDEO THAT, UH, INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER THE SHOOTING ON SIXTH STREET, UH, WHERE AGAIN, UH, A WAYMO FROZE DUE TO A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC IN THE AREA, AND SOMETIMES IT'S TAKEN UP TO THREE MINUTES TO CONNECT WITH SOMEBODY.

UH, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THAT'S THE SAME OFFICER THAT MOVED THE WAYMO DURING THE SHOOTING ON THE FIRST INCIDENT.

AND HE BELIEVED HE COULD GET IT TO MOVE A LOT QUICKER, AND HE WAS, HE KNOCKED ON THE WINDOW FOR ALMOST TWO MINUTES BEFORE IT FINALLY CAME DOWN IN THIS INCIDENT.

AND SO THAT SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE BACKING UP OF TRAFFIC.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DURING THAT INCIDENT, PRIOR TO THIS VIDEO, HE WAS TRYING TO GET IT TO MOVE WITH HAND SIGNALS FOR A WHILE AND IT WASN'T COMPLYING, AND THAT'S WHEN HE APPROACHED THE VEHICLE TO GET IT TO MOVE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, COMMANDER ROGER PATTERSON.

I AM THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER FOR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS AND THE EMS REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CITY'S AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE TASK FORCE.

UH, WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'RE GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, TWO INTERACTIONS THAT FIRST RESPONDERS HAD WITH WAYMO VEHICLES WHILE THEY WERE RESPONDING TO THE MARCH 1ST INCIDENT ON WEST SIXTH STREET.

UH, THE FIRST NINE ONE ONE CALL FOR THE SHOOTING CAME OUT AT 1 58 IN THE MORNING OF MARCH 1ST.

UH, FIVE MINUTES LATER, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS AND AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT UPGRADED THE CALL TYPE TO AN ACTIVE ATTACK, AT WHICH POINT, UH, THE AV COMPANIES THAT ARE OPERATING IN AUSTIN RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION THAT THERE WAS A LARGE INCIDENT OCCURRING AND THAT WE WERE ASKING THEM TO GEO-FENCE THE AREA AROUND THE INCIDENT.

UH, APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MINUTES LATER, UH, THIS OCCURRED ON OASIS STREET, UH, ABOUT A HALF A BLOCK, OR I'M SORRY, A BLOCK AND A HALF, UH, FROM BUFORD'S, UH, WHERE THE WAYMO, UH, STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND BLOCKED THE RESPONDING AMBULANCE.

UH, THANKFULLY THE AMBULANCE WAS NOT BLOCKED IN AND WAS ABLE TO BACK OUT AND FIND ANOTHER ROUTE, UH, TO THE INCIDENT.

UH, AND THE A PD OFFICER THAT PULLED UP WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE WAYMO, UH, WITHIN APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES AND GET IT OFF OF THE ROADWAY.

UH, LATER, UH, IN THE INCIDENT, WHICH I'LL LET, UH, CHIEF HOLMES SPEAK ABOUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WE HAD ANOTHER, UH, ISSUE WITH WAYMO'S ON GUADALUPE BETWEEN SIXTH AND SEVENTH STREET.

ALRIGHT, SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING HERE IS, IS THE GOOGLE, UH, IMAGE OF THE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR.

I'M SORRY, SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR THAT WAS SET UP BY RESCUE 14 AT THE MARCH 1ST INCIDENT.

UH, THIS WAS CALLED FOR ON THE RADIO ABOUT TWO 17, AND THEN WE PROCEEDED TO HAVE ISSUES ABOUT 2 36.

SO WHAT, WHEN THIS TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR WAS SET UP, YOU HAVE INCOMING AMBULANCE COMING

[00:35:01]

AND BEING TOLD TO STAGE ON GUADALUPE BETWEEN SIXTH AND SEVENTH STREET, SO THAT WAY THEY COULD EASILY DEPLOY TO BUFORD'S ON SIXTH STREET TO PICK UP EXTRA TO PICK UP PATIENTS AND SEND THEM TO LOCAL AREA HOSPITALS.

SO LET'S, UH, GO AHEAD AND PLAY THE RADIO TRAFFIC.

PLEASE COMMAND RESCUE 14 BEST ACCESS FOR THE MEDIC UNITS BECAUSE THE STACK UP ON QUAD IS, UH, PROBABLY COMING FROM EAST SIXTH TRUCK, ONE COMMAND CORPORATE TRUCK, ONE TRUCK ONE A PD IS DESIGNATING A REUNIFICATION AREA FOR THE BUFORD RESIDENCE.

IT'S GONNA BE AT FIFTH AND GUAC.

SAY THAT AGAIN, CHIEF FOR WHAT? AT FIFTH AND GUAC.

A REUNIFICATION AREA AT SIX IN GUADALUPE.

ESE SIX IN GU LOOP CORRECTION.

FIFTH AND RIO.

ALRIGHT, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.

FIFTH AND RIO.

WAYMO, WE'RE STILL UNCLEAR ON THE CAPABILITIES OF THEIR REMOTE SUPPORT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL IN THAT VEHICLE.

CAN I CONFIRM YOUR PASSING TO THE MEDIC UNIT'S STILL RESPONDING THAT NORTH ON QUAD TO SIXTH IS STACKING UP BECAUSE OF WAYMO'S, THEY NEED TO EITHER COUNTER FLOW OR COME FROM E SIXTH TRUCK ONE FROM COMMAND GO TRUCK ONE, TRUCK ONE.

WHAT'S OUR PERSONNEL SITUATION? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TO SPARE? ALL RIGHT, SO YEAH, GO BACK REAL QUICK.

SO, SO, UH, IN TALKING TO RESCUE 14 OFFICER AND RESCUE 14 FIREFIGHTER AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THEY REPORTED THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE WAYMO'S STACKED UP AT THE INTERSECTION OF GUADALUPE AND SIX, AND THEN RESULTING WITH, UH, AMBULANCES STACKING UP BEHIND THEM.

SO A FD OR AUSTIN FIRE AND AUSTIN POLICE PERSONNEL ATTEMPTED TO USE HAND SIGNALS TO DIRECT THOSE, UH, WAYMO VEHICLES TO CONTINUE SOUTHBOUND ON GUADALUPE.

THEY TRIED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES REPORTING THAT THE LIGHT AT THAT INTERSECTION CYCLED THROUGH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, THOSE TACTICS WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL.

THEN THOSE PERSONNEL ACTUALLY HAD TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE WAYMO, TALKED TO REMOTE ASSIST, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE WAYMO'S WERE ABLE TO PROCEED OUT OF THE TRAIN STATION CORRIDOR.

SO ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE WHAT WE EXPECTED THE GEOFENCE AROUND THE INCIDENT ADDRESS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

THIS IS THE THOUSAND FOOT RADIUS THAT WE REQUEST AV COMPANIES SET FOR THESE INCIDENTS.

UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NUIS INCIDENT WAS WELL WITHIN THE GEOFENCE THAT WE EXPECTED, AND WE AGAIN, WOULD EXPECT THAT THIS WOULD'VE PREVENTED THE ISSUE IF THIS GEOFENCE HAD BEEN SET.

UH, CONVERSELY, THE GUADALUPE INCIDENT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE THOUSAND FOOT, UH, GEOFENCE THAT WE EXPECTED, AND WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD'VE PREVENTED THAT ISSUE FROM OCCURRING.

UH, WHAT WE DO KNOW FROM WAYMO IS THAT THEY DID SET UP AN INITIAL GEOFENCE.

UH, WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT TIME IT WAS SET UP, UH, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN THE 1000 FOOT RADIUS THAT WE WERE EXPECTING.

UM, THEY DID EXPAND THE GEOFENCE, BUT THAT WAS NOT UNTIL OVER 40 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST NINE ONE ONE CALL WAS MADE.

AND AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS, UH, FROM COMMUNICATIONS ON OUR SIDE, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, WE AS PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS NEED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW LARGE THESE GEOFENCES NEED TO BE, WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING OF THE AV COMPANIES AND FROM THE AV COMPANIES.

WE, WE ALSO NEED MECHANISMS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE SETTING UP THESE GEOFENCES IN A TIMELY FASHION, AND THEY'RE SETTING THEM UP, UH, TO THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM TO BE SET UP.

UH, THE LAST THING THAT I, THAT I WILL SPEAK ABOUT IS, UH, WHAT WE, UH, COMMONLY REFER TO AS SLEEPER CALLS WITH AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

UH, THESE CALLS ARE WHEN, UH, THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HAS A SINGLE OCCUPANT, NO DRIVER, UH, AND THAT SINGLE OCCUPANT IS, UH, MOST OFTEN INTOXICATED, EITHER DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND THEY FALL ASLEEP OR THEY PASS OUT IN THE BACK OF THE AV AND THEY DON'T EXIT THE VEHICLE, UH, AT THEIR DESTINATION.

UH, THIS IS AN EMERGING ISSUE, UH, IN AUSTIN, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE KNOW IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN SAN FRANCISCO.

UH, THEY REPORT 250 SLEEPER CALLS IN 2005, AND THEY ONLY TRANSPORTED 2%, UH, OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO THE HOSPITAL FOR, UH, FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT IN AUSTIN.

WE SAW ABOUT 99 OF THESE CALLS BETWEEN MARCH AND DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR AFTER WAYMO WENT FULLY OPERATIONAL.

UH, AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME THINGS IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT WE'RE ONLY TRANSPORTING TWO TO 3% OF THESE PASSENGERS.

SO WHAT OCCURS WHEN THE PASSENGERS DON'T GET OUT IS THAT WAYMO REMOTE SUPPORT CALLS 9 1 1, AND WHEN THEY'RE CALLING 9 1 1, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING IS INCONSISTENT.

IT, UH, IT VARIES A GREAT DEAL, UH, BETWEEN WHO IS MAKING THE PHONE CALL.

AND ALSO AFTER, UH, OVER TWO YEARS OF MEETING WITH WAYMO TRAINING, WITH WAYMO DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES WITH

[00:40:01]

WHETHER THAT'S TWO-WAY VOICE COMMUNICATION, WHETHER THEY HAVE A VIDEO FEED IN THE VI IN THE VEHICLE, UH, OR IF THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME SUGGESTION THAT THEY CAN MAKE NOISES INSIDE OF THE PATIENT COMPARTMENT TO WAKE SOMEONE UP.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE UNCLEAR.

UH, THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR, FOR US IN THIS, UH, IS IT'S REALLY TWOFOLD.

ON ONE HAND, WE DON'T WANT TO COMMIT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF RESOURCES TO THESE CALLS WHEN STATISTICALLY WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE, MOST OF THE TIME THAT THESE PEOPLE DO NOT NEED FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT.

UM, OFTENTIMES IF THE REMOTE SUPPORT CAN'T TELL US IF THE PATIENT IS BREATHING, THESE WILL BE DISPATCHED AS CARDIAC ARRESTS.

CARDIAC ARRESTS ARE, UH, THESE CALLS ARE VERY RESOURCE HEAVY.

THEY PULL RESOURCES FROM ALL THREE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, APPARATUS AND PERSONNEL.

ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, UH, IF WE DON'T KNOW, UH, WHAT INFORMATION TO EXPECT FROM THE AV COMPANIES, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PROMPTS TO GIVE THEM TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION, WE'LL HAVE DIFFICULTY TRIAGING THESE CALLS.

SO ON ONE HAND WE MAY SEND TOO MANY RESOURCES, AND EVEN MORE CONCERNING IS WE DON'T SEND ENOUGH RESOURCES TO THESE CALLS.

SO WHAT WE NEED FROM THE AV COMPANIES IS CLEAR COMMUNICATION ON WHAT THEIR CAPABILITIES ARE AND POTENTIALLY SOME TRAINING FOR THEIR REMOTE SUPPORT ON HOW TO INTERACT WITH 9 1 1.

SO WE DO WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AS WELL AS OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY PROCESSES ARE ALIGNED.

THIS IS TO MAKE IT MORE CONSISTENT AND HOPEFULLY EASIER FOR THE AV COMPANIES AS WELL.

WE ESPECIALLY WORK WITH SAN FRANCISCO, PHOENIX, LAS VEGAS.

WE USE THE SAME DISPATCHER SYSTEM, THE CAD ALERTING SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE SIMILAR GEOFENCE EXPECTATIONS.

CALIFORNIA LAW WILL NOW REQUIRE AVS TO GEOFENCE EMERGENCY SCENES STARTING ON JULY 1ST, AND THAT GEOFENCE WILL NEED TO BE PUT UP WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY.

WE DO WORK WITH OTHER TEXAS CITIES AS WELL, ALTHOUGH AUSTIN WAS THE FIRST CITY WITH AV RIDESHARE AND CONTINUES TO HAVE THE LARGEST FLEETS WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS, UH, VEHICLE TASK FORCE.

AND SO WE DO PARTICIPATE IN WORK TO IMPROVE AV SAFETY THROUGH THAT BODY AS WELL.

WE'RE GONNA GET INTO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.

FIRST BATCH OF RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE PREEMPTED FROM, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS AROUND THAT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE THINK COULD BE MORE ON THE ENCOURAGING AND PARTNERSHIP LEVEL, UH, REITERATING THAT CITY DESIRE FOR THAT THOUSAND FOOT RADIUS OR, OR BEYOND FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS, AND AT LEAST FOR ONE HOUR.

AND YOU HEARD THE REASONS BEHIND THAT.

SO I WON'T GO TOO MUCH MORE INTO THAT.

A REQUEST THAT AV COMPANIES ARE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR DISASTER PLANNING AND THEY PARTICIPATE IN OUR EMERGENCY PLANNING EFFORTS.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN RECENT YEARS, PARTICULARLY WITH WINTER WEATHER RESPONSE, AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY LOCALLY AND BE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE SEEN ALREADY.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE ENGAGED WITH US AND SHARING THE INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE AND WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, AND HOPEFULLY RESPONDING TO THE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE CITY AS WELL.

THE LAST ONE IS ABOUT JUST REGULAR MEETINGS AND WE'VE HAD CONSISTENT MEETINGS WITH MOST OF THE AV COMPANIES OVER TIME.

THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, TIMES WHERE IT WASN'T AS CONSISTENT.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS REFERENCED EARLIER, AUSTIN REALLY IS A MODEL FOR A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO HOW TO, HOW DO WE ENGAGE WITH THESE COMPANIES, HOW DO WE DO THIS SO THAT THERE'S ONE CONVERSATION HAPPENING.

THE LEVEL OF INTERNAL COORDINATION YOU CAN SEE HERE IS ROBUST IN AUSTIN.

AND HAVING THAT ONE PLACE SO THAT THE AV COMPANIES CAN COME AND ENGAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE FIRST RESPONDER TRAININGS, WE'RE IDENTIFYING ISSUES, ASKING THEM TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS AND FOLLOWING BACK ON THAT FEEDBACK LOOP TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CORRECTIONS ARE ACTUALLY PUT IN PLACE.

WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP OVER TIME.

THE NEXT SET IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE, MAYBE MORE AT THE STATE LEVEL, POSSIBLY FEDERAL, BUT THERE MIGHT BE AN, AN OPPORTUNITY OR TWO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL.

UH, ONE IS ENSURING THAT THE TEXAS DMV HAS THE AUTHORITY TO IMMEDIATELY LIMIT OR RESTRICT OPERATIONS IF THERE IS A FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY CRASH UNTIL THAT INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE NOW ARE GIVING THE TEXAS DMV THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESTRICT OPERATIONS, BUT THE TIMELINES THAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR MAY BE WEEKS, IF NOT A FULL MONTH BEFORE THAT KIND OF DETERMINATION WOULD BE MADE.

AND SO IF WE'RE SEEING AN ISSUE HERE LOCALLY THAT'S CAUSING FATALITIES TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST THE STATE, IF NOT LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESTRICT THOSE OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THE FULL EXTENT OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE NEXT ONE, LIEUTENANT WHITE ELOQUENTLY PUT IT, UH, WE WOULD LIKE A DIGITAL CITATIONS PROCESS.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AN AV IS TREATED LIKE THE HUMAN DRIVERS.

THEY HAVE, UH, CONSISTENTLY SAID THAT THEIR DRIVING SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE IS, IS JUST AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER THAN HUMAN DRIVERS.

WELL, WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT PLAY OUT AS WELL.

AND, AND IF THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES OF THE ROAD THE WAY THAT EVERY OTHER DRIVER IS EXPECTED TO, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UH, ABILITY IS THERE FOR A DIGITAL CITATION PROCESS AS OPPOSED TO THE CUMBERSOME PROCESS THAT'S IN PLACE TODAY.

POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING FINES AND, AND FEES FOR REPEATED SAFETY VIOLATIONS.

UH, THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO A ISD SITUATION WITH THE SCHOOL BUS, UH, DOZENS OF VIOLATIONS.

WE DO HAVE SOME AUTHORITY WITHIN LOCAL CODE TO BE ABLE TO, UH, INCREASE FEES RELATED TO SCHOOL BUS VIOLATIONS.

[00:45:01]

AND THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT FARTHER INTO OTHER, WHERE WE COULD SAY IF THERE'S MORE THAN TWO, MORE THAN THREE VIOLATIONS THAN THE FEES OR THE FINES WOULD BE INCREASED OVER TIME.

ANOTHER IDEA IS THAT, AS YOU CAN TELL, WE'VE GOT REALLY HIGHLY TRAINED PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.

WE SPEND A LOT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE BEST PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I DON'T THINK THEIR TIME IS BEST USED MOVING VEHICLES DURING AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

AND SO THE IDEA, I THINK, IS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY EXPLORE SOMETHING WHERE THERE'S A FEE IF WE'RE GONNA BE REQUIRED TO MOVE THAT VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO DO SO.

IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RECOUP SOME OF THOSE COSTS THAT THEY'RE CHARGING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT'S BEING SPENT IN THOSE SITUATIONS? THE LAST PIECE WOULD BE REALLY ABOUT SHARING DATA.

UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL THESE VEHICLES HAVE, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES MORE THAN 20 CAMERAS ON THEM.

THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, UH, MAYBE RELATED TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, SPECIFIC CRASHES ON THE ROADWAYS.

THE THAT INFORMATION COULD BE EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR THE CITY.

AND WE'VE, UH, MADE REQUESTS IN THE PAST.

UH, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE EITHER THE STATE LEGISLATION OR CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT AT THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE DATA THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A COMMUNITY AND WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, FACILITATE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE AV COMPANIES AS WELL IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED AS OF YET.

SO AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY.

WE'RE EAGER TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH YOU, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

AND I KNOW THAT, UH, LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION THERE WILL BE MORE DISCUSSION OF, UM, LEGISLATIVE ACTION OR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY.

AND SO I JUST WANNA FLAG THAT FOR THE FOLKS UP HERE THAT ARE ASKING QUESTIONS.

I HAVE ONE QUICK ONE AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER FOLKS THAT PROBABLY HAVE A LIST OF QUESTIONS.

UM, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN DISPATCH ISSUES A GEOFENCE? ARE THEY CALLING WAYMO? ARE THEY EMAILING A CERTAIN EMAIL ADDRESS? WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT KIND OF LANGUAGE IS USED WHEN THAT INFORMATION GETS SENT TO WAYMO OR ANY OTHER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE? UH, GREAT QUESTION.

UM, THERE IS A TEMPLATE THAT THEY CREATE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND NOW, I'M NOT IN COMMUNICATIONS, BUT THERE IS A TEMPLATE THAT THEY CREATE AND THEY DO SEND AN EMAIL THROUGH ACTIVE 9 1 1 TO ALL OF OUR AB PARTNERS.

SO OUR AB PARTNERS HAVE, WE DO VERIFY THAT THEY GET THOSE NOTIFICATIONS.

SO WE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT OUR AV PARTNERS ARE GETTING THOSE NOTIFICATIONS.

UM, AND THEN THAT THEY HOPEFULLY UNDERSTAND IF THEY SEE ACTIVE ATTACK AND THEY HAVE A LAT LONG ATTACHED TO THAT, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.

UH, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WHEN IT'S A BOX ALARM THAT COMES IN AND A LAT LONG IS THERE, THE EXPECTATION FROM US IS THAT THEY PUT THE PEN THERE AND THEY CREATE A THOUSAND FOOT RADIUS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD ON THAT.

THAT'S PRETTY BARE BONE STUFF, BUT WE DO VERIFY THAT THEY GET THAT INFORMATION.

DO THEY SEND, UM, IMMEDIATE CONFIRMATION THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED IT OR IS IT AFTER AN INCIDENT THAT SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING UP TO MAKE SURE WHAT TIME IT WAS RECEIVED? UM, NO, THEY'RE AUTOMATED OUT OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM.

SO THEY'RE GOING OUT WITHIN USUALLY A MINUTE OF THE NINE ONE ONE CALL COMING IN.

UM, LIKE HE SAID, THE LA LONG THE ADDRESS AND THEN THE TYPE OF INCIDENT IT IS.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS, UM, WITH PHOENIX AND SAN FRANCISCO ALL USING THE SAME SYSTEM.

WE SEND OUT ABOUT FIVE A DAY.

SO, UM, BUT WE DON'T GET ANY CONFIRMATION BACK ON THOSE.

INTERESTING, OKAY.

'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IN MY DISCUSSIONS THAT IN THE OASIS INCIDENT, WAYMO HAD CHANGED THEIR GEOFENCE A COUPLE OF TIMES STARTING SMALL AND GETTING BIGGER, AND SO THAT'S WHY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR THEIR VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO BE OUT OF THE AREA.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE DAAS.

SURE.

VICE CHECK CADRE.

UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE.

UH, UH, ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS, UH, ABOUT WAYMO AND AND THEIR STAFF.

DO WE KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY STAFF IN AUSTIN AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE STAFF IN AUSTIN, WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED? UM, I BELIEVE THEY'VE JUST HIRED A LOCAL OPERATIONS MANAGER, UM, WHO I SPOKE TO THIS PAST WEEK ABOUT, UM, THE LONGHORN RUN.

SO, UH, THAT'S GREAT.

THEY HAVE NOT HAD STAFF IN AUSTIN FOR QUITE A WHILE.

UM, SO IT'S BEEN HARD TO COMMUNICATE WEATHER EMERGENCIES WITH THEM, BUT THEY DO SUBSCRIBE TO EVERBRIDGE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS THE CITY USES, BUT THEY'RE LOCATED IN, UH, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

HAS BEEN, IN MY OPINION, VERY DIFFICULT TO KIND OF PIN THEM DOWN ON THAT.

AND, AND THEN I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED THAT Y'ALL'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE OUT ON THE STREETS DURING EXTREME WEATHER.

HAVE THEY OR, OR IS WAYMO IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT OR THAT THEY JUST GIVEN A NON-ANSWER TO THOSE CONCERNS? , I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE STRESSED OUR CONCERNS.

WE'VE HAD BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATIONS.

THEY TELL US WHAT, UH, APPS THEY'RE LOOKING AT TRYING, THIS IS MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT TRYING TO PIN THEM DOWN ON LET'S SAY, OKAY, CAN YOU SPECIFICALLY TELL US WHAT TRIGGERS, UH, FROM THOSE APPS ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU CEASE OPERATIONS

[00:50:02]

UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE STARTED HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN MAY OF LAST YEAR WITH THE INCIDENT THAT WE HAD HERE.

UM, AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS OBVIOUSLY THAT THEY DO NOT OPERATE AND WE'RE EVEN GOING SO FAR AS LIKE, WHAT, WHAT IS THE TRIGGER OR THE BENCHMARK OF WHAT IMPENDING WEATHER IS COMING TO MAKE YOU KIND OF CEASE OPERATIONS EVEN BEFORE THAT EVENT HAPPENS.

UH, THAT'S MY TAKE ON IT.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANYBODY ELSE ON THE PANEL.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

UM, AND THEN IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE SLIDE DECK THAT 97% OF 9 9 1 9 1 1 CALLS ARE FOR NON-MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.

THEIR, THEIR WAKE UP CALLS, LIKE I ASSUME SOMEONE MAYBE DRANK A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH OR FELL ASLEEP.

HOW MUCH IS THAT COSTING THE CITY IN TERMS OF RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS? TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, WE HAVE NOT, UH, DUG DEEP ENOUGH INTO THAT YET TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

UM, WE'VE, WE'VE PULLED DATA AND WE'VE, WE'VE FILTERED IT OUT, BUT THE BIGGEST THING WE'VE DONE RECENTLY IS WE'VE CREATED A WAY, UH, TO SPECIFICALLY TRACK THESE INCIDENTS SO WE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ON THEM.

UH, SO, UM, WE RIGHT NOW KNOW WHAT THE CALL IS DISPATCHED AS WE KNOW HOW MANY UNITS RESPONDED.

UM, TO FURTHER DIVE INTO THAT, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL THAT WERE THERE, THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT WE'RE THERE.

UH, SO THAT IS, THAT'S, UH, I THINK IS A VERY COMPLICATED THING TO, TO DIG INTO, BUT SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO DO.

BUT IS ANYONE BEING BILLED FOR THAT CALL? LIKE, IS IS WAYMO BEING BILLED? IS THE PASSENGER, YOU KNOW, BEING BILLED? NO, THE, THE PASSENGER, UH, WOULD RECEIVE THAT BILL.

UM, AND, AND I THINK THIS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED AS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT LIKE, WHAT CAN BE DONE OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING A NINE ONE ONE CALL GO OUT TO WAKE SOMEONE UP.

I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED THAT MAYBE LIKE THE CAR WOULD MAKE A LOT OF NOISE TO, TO WAKE SOMEONE UP.

UM, IS THAT, BUT THAT ALSO ISN'T PLAYING OUT ANYWHERE ELSE? IT, IT'S BEEN INCONSISTENT.

UH, IT, MUCH OF IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS WORKING REMOTE SUPPORT, UH, WHEN THEY CALL.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REMOTE SUPPORT THAT SAY, YES, WE CAN DO THAT.

UH, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REMOTE SUPPORT THAT DENY THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITIES.

SO LIKE I SAID, WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS INCONSISTENT INFORMATION, UH, FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT THOSE CAPABILITIES ARE.

SO OUR DISPATCHERS AREN'T SURE WHAT TO PROMPT THEM TO DO OR, OR WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK IN, UH, SOME CASES.

AND THEN JUST THINKING AHEAD, YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL THAT, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS WERE ON SCENE ON, ON MARCH 1ST, AND AN A PD OFFICER WAS ABLE TO GET, UH, THE WAYMO, I GUESS CLEARED AWAY.

UH, BUT THE WAYMO HAS A WHEEL, UH, AND THE WAYMO HAS BRAKES AND ALL THAT.

IF IT HAD BEEN A ZOOX UM, AV CAR, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED? UM, HAVE Y'ALL BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ZOOX ON? WE HAVE DONE SOME, SOME INITIAL TRAINING WITH ZOOX.

MM-HMM .

UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING WITH ZOOX IS THAT THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN THEIR VEHICLE THAT WE CAN CONTACT THEIR REMOTE SUPPORT AND THEY WILL REMOTELY CONTROL THAT VEHICLE, UH, TO MOVE IT, UH, FROM WHATEVER IT'S IMPEDING.

UM, I HAVE A FEW, I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW OTHER FOLKS DO TOO, SO I COULD GET BACK TO MINE ONCE WE'RE DONE.

I THINK WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE MINUTES BEFORE WE NEED TO MOVE ON TO SOME OF THE OTHER BRIEFINGS, BUT DO WE HAVE, UH, OTHER QUESTIONS? LET'S GO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LANE AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.

SO I'M THINKING ABOUT THE INCIDENTS AROUND THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE VEHICLES WERE TRAVELING OVER A LITTLE OVER 20 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THEY, THEY APPROACHED ACTUALLY AT THE POINT WHEN THE CROSSING LIGHTS ACTIVATED.

UM, AND THEN WE SAW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.

HAVE WE RECEIVED, HAVE STAFF RECEIVED ANY SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS FROM WAYMO ABOUT NEXT STEPS TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF THING FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? YES.

IN A MEETING WITH WAYMO, UM, THEY EXPLAINED THAT THEY PUT IN, UH, A TEMPORARY PATCH, UM, THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION, WHICH WAS KANIG.

UM, AND THAT AT THEIR NEXT SOFTWARE UPDATE, THEY BELIEVE THAT IT WILL BE FIXED.

BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A PATCH AND WAYMO'S ARE GOING THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION.

UM, IF ANY OF THOSE VEHICLES HAD COLLIDED WITH A CAT METRO TRAIN, WHAT, HOW WOULD THE LIABILITY LOOK? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? I'M NOT SURE WE CAN ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE COULD CHECK IN WITH LEGAL AND MAKE SURE WE CERTAIN CIRCLE BACK 'CAUSE THAT HYPOTHETICAL I THINK HASN'T HAPPENED AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EXPLORED THAT WITH LEGAL YET.

CITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY DIRECT AUTHORITY TO REGULATE AV OPERATIONS WITH SPECIFIC CURB MANAGEMENT POLICIES OR DESIGNATED AV PICKUP AND DROP OFF ZONES, IS AUSTIN EXPLORING? I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY LOVE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT COULD REALLY, WITH A TRAIN AT PLAY, COULD, COULD BECOME QUITE LARGE.

UM, I ALSO WANNA ASK SOME QUESTIONS IN LIGHT OF THE BIKE LANE SITUATIONS.

UM, SO IT LOOKS LIKE AUSTIN'S LOGGED ABOUT 140 INCIDENTS BETWEEN 2020, 24 AND 25 WITH WAYMO ALONE THAT INCLUDED FIVE COLLISIONS.

SINCE THE

[00:55:01]

AND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IF IF'S A MOVING VIOLATION.

A PD COULD DO IT.

IF IT'S A, UH, VEHICLE THAT'S ACTUALLY PARKED AND WE HAVE AN UPDATED CODE THAT SAYS THERE'S NO PARKING AND BIKE LANE, WE CAN PROVIDE A PARKING CITATION, WHICH IS A CIVIL OFFENSE, UH, TO THAT VEHICLE.

AND SO WE DO PROVIDE THOSE CIVIL OFFENSE CITATIONS AT TIMES FOR PARKED VEHICLES.

UM, I THINK MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPING A CURB MANAGEMENT PLAN AND WE HAVE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR CONSULTANT TEAM, INTERNAL STAFF, SOME OF OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, WHAT IS THE RIGHT LEVEL OF, UH, SPACING AND AVAILABLE SPACE FOR RIDESHARE DROP-OFFS.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST AVS, THEY'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE LIKE RIDESHARE COMPANIES DO AS WELL.

AND SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME STUDIES ACROSS THE, UM, ACROSS THE CITY, HAVE SOME VIDEO, UH, UH, OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND ANALYZING WHAT IS THE CURB USE LOOKING LIKE TODAY AND WHAT DO WE EXPECT THAT TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE? 'CAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN ALONG THE CURVE AND THE VIDEO SHOWS US EVEN MORE THAN THAN WE EXPECTED.

AND SO THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY IS THERE, I THINK TO START TO PROVIDE DEDICATED SPACES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE, UH, DROP OFF AND PICK UP ZONES OUTSIDE OF TRAVEL LANES, WHICH IS, I THINK THE PRIMARY ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING SO FAR IS THAT, UM, YOU'VE GOT A, A TWO LANE ROADWAY, ONE EAST, ONE WEST, AND YOU'VE GOT A A VEHICLE STOP TO DO A PASSENGER PICKUP THAT'S GONNA CAUSE CONGESTION ISSUES.

THAT'S GONNA CAUSE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEDICATING SOME OF THAT CURB SPACE IN THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY KNOWING THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A GROWING, UM, SET OF NETWORK ACTIVITY.

AND THIS IS MY, THIS IS MY FINAL QUESTION.

UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO AS I THINK, UH, THINK ABOUT THE CITATION PROCESS AND, UM, ISSUING A CITATION AS PLAN A FOR A LOT OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, ONE, IT LOOKS QUITE CUMBERSOME.

UM, AND I WILL SIMPLY NOTE THAT, UM, WE HAVE HEARD IN RELATION TO OTHER ISSUES AT PLAY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT HAVING A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS IS, IS REALLY CONSIDERED INTERFERING WITH ENFORCEMENT.

SO I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE MANDATED SUCH A CUMBERSOME PROCESS.

UM, BUT AS TO THE QUESTION, WHENEVER SOMETHING A PLAN A IS, IS VERY CUMBERSOME OR NOT PRACTICAL, I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK ABOUT PLAN B.

AND THAT'S THE OTHER REASON WHY I, I AM INTERESTED IN THE LIABILITY PIECE OF THIS BECAUSE AS I LOOK AT THE SIXTH STREET, UM, INCIDENT, YOU KNOW, MY QUESTION IMMEDIATELY IS, WELL, IS PLAN B THAT WE PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE WAY USING ONE OF THE FIRST RESPONDER VEHICLES? IT SEEMS LIKE IT.

AND YET WITHOUT AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LIABILITY WOULD WORK, I MEAN, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO WEIGH THE COSTS.

SO IS THAT A VIABLE OPTION? IT'S CERTAINLY NOT ONE THAT I'VE SEEN US USE OR CONTEMPLATE.

SO BY STATE LAW, YES, WE HAVE THAT ABILITY, ABILITY TO CLEAR THE, UH, ROADWAY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.

UM, OF COURSE, UH, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, YOU, YOU WOULD NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE POLICIES ARE OF EMS, CAN THEY PUSH, UH, A VEHICLE? UH, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN, IF THERE WAS, UH, YOU'D HAVE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A PASSENGER OBVIOUSLY IN THERE.

AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, YOU GOTTA KNOW WHERE THE VEHICLE'S GONNA GO ONCE YOU START PUSHING IT.

IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION, THE OFFICER DID TELL ME HE THOUGHT ABOUT PUSHING IT, BUT HE COULD SEE THE WAY THE WHEELS WERE FACING, IT WOULD'VE JUST CONTINUED TO DO A CIRCLE AND STAY IN THE SAME SPOT.

UH, SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UH, CONSIDERATIONS LIKE THAT AS WELL AS WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN WE START PUSHING 'EM BECAUSE THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA COOPERATE WITH US IN THE SENSE OF GOING TO NEUTRAL AND LET US GUIDE THEM OUT OF THE WAY.

UM, SO THERE ARE THOSE CONSIDERATIONS IN, IN PLAY, BUT I'VE CERTAINLY COMMUNICATED TO THE OFFICERS AT THE DEPARTMENT THAT BASED ON STATE LAW, THEY ARE NOT ONLY ALLOWED TO DO IT, THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM ANY LIABILITY SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO DO IT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S KICK IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN HAS SOME QUESTIONS.

UM, I DON'T WANNA HURRY ANYONE ALONG 'CAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, BUT WE HAVE TWO OTHER PRESENTATIONS TO FINISH BY ONE.

GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS REALLY IMPORTANT PRESENTATION.

UM, I HAD A COUPLE GEO-FENCING QUESTIONS, SO NOT SURE EXACTLY WHO DIRECT IT TO DIRECT IT TO, BUT, UM, I GUESS TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND, ARE ARE THERE ANY AGREEMENTS OR RULES OR REGULATIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE A GEOFENCE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS ONE? NO.

TEXAS LAW PREVENTS US, UM, FROM MAKING ANY REQUIREMENT TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES THAT WE DON'T MAKE TO DRIVER VEHICLES VEHICLE.

SO THERE'S NO WAY TO COMPEL A GEOFENCE FROM ANY OF THE AV PROVIDERS UNDER THE CURRENT, UH, STATUS QUO? YEAH, THAT'S ACCURATE.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE AN EXPECTATIONS DOCUMENT AND AV COMPANIES HAVE AGREED TO THOSE EXPECTATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE THE THOUSAND FOOT GEOFENCE.

MECHANISMS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM OR ASK THEM TO DO BETTER OR MAKE FURTHER THEIR PROMISES? NO, WE LITERALLY CALL IT THE FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR DOCUMENT.

DOES THAT, UH, EXPECTATIONS DOCUMENT, PROVIDE ANY

[01:00:01]

UM, ARE THERE OTHER, I GUESS, STATES THAT HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF KIND OF REQUIRING GEOFENCING? YEAH, THE CALIFORNIA LAW THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT IN JULY WILL REQUIRE A GEOFENCE.

UM, AND THAT GEOFENCE WILL BE THE SIZE THAT THE FIRST RESPONDERS WANT, AND WE'LL HAVE TO GO UP WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF THE COMMUNICATION.

TO BUILD AND IT CONTINUES TO CREATE THAT PROBLEM.

AND THEN FINALLY, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JI'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COST OF, OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR A SLEEPER.

AND SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, NO BILLS GO OUT IN THE, IS THAT SITUATION, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, IF EMS DOES MAKE PATIENT CONTACT AND PROVIDE ANY KIND OF AN ASSESSMENT OR TREATMENT, THERE WILL BE A BILL GENERATED AND THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

OKAY, GREAT.

AND DO WE, UH, TREAT THESE TYPES OF CALLS SIMILAR TO LIKE A, A FALSE ALARM OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF FALSE REPORT WHERE THEY'RE CALLING FOR 9 1 1 BUT DON'T ACTUALLY NEED IT? YES, IT'S SIMILAR WHEN THE, THE FIRST UNIT, WHETHER THAT BE FROM A-P-D-E-M-S OR UH, A FD ARRIVES ON SCENE, UM, AND DISCOVERS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS, THE THEY'LL CANCEL THE CALL AT THAT POINT.

BUT THE, I GUESS IN OTHER SITUATIONS IF, UM, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAKES A FALSE REPORT MM-HMM.

TO 9 1 1, THERE COULD BE OTHER CONSEQUENCES IS, YOU KNOW, FOR A CRIME POTENTIALLY OF MAKING A FALSE REPORT.

UM, DOES ANY SORT OF ENFORCEMENT, UM, ACTIVITY OCCUR HERE? NO, NOT CURRENTLY.

NOT WITH EMS. AND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE BARRED UNDER STATE LAW TO, UM, BASICALLY LIKE PROSECUTE THE OPERATOR FOR MAKING A FALSE REPORT? I, I COULD PROBABLY SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.

BASED ON THE WAY THE LAW IS WRITTEN, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF AN INTENTIONAL ACT.

SO BY THE OPERATOR SEEING THAT THERE'S SOMEONE PASSED OUT IN THE CAR OR, OR, OR, OR CAN'T REALLY TELL WHAT THEIR SITUATION IS, UH, AND THEY'RE CALLING IN GOOD FAITH, IT WOULDN'T REALLY MEET THE ELEMENTS OF THAT PARTICULAR LAW.

I THINK I SAID COUNCIL MEMBER DECHEN NEXT.

AND THEN I KNOW MAYOR PROAM BAYLA HAS SOME COMMENTS AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE MAY HAVE A COUPLE MORE AS WELL.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I'LL TRY AND KEEP THIS BRIEF AND TRY AND FOCUS MY QUESTIONS ON THE ONES THAT IT'S BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A VARIETY OF PANELISTS HERE THAT CAN HELP ME WITH.

SO, SO I'LL START WITH THAT, WHICH IS, UH, BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

YOU ALL SHARED A LOT OF VIDEO OF THE DIFFERENT KIND OF INCIDENTS AS EXAMPLES FOR US.

I THINK THAT SPEAKS A LOT MORE POWERFULLY TO ME THAN JUST, UM, HEARING ABOUT ACCOUNTS OR READING ABOUT THEM.

BUT BASED ON THAT, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OF ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE, WHETHER IT'S THE SCHOOL ZONES OR THE SCHOOL BUSES OR, UM, THE GEOFENCING OR THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN GENERAL IN TERMS OF FINDING AND FEES.

UM, WHAT IS THE SORT OF MOST OBVIOUS OR LOW HANGING FRUIT HERE FOR US TO GO ADDRESS? IS THERE CONSENSUS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT THERE'S ONE ISSUE THAT SORT OF, UH, RISES ABOVE THE REST? I THINK THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT AT THE STATE IS UPDATING THE, UM, VIOLATIONS SO THAT WE CAN GIVE DIGITAL TICKETS SINCE THAT'S COMING ACROSS TO MORE CITIES.

UM, AND TEXAS HAS A LOT OF AUTONOMOUS FREIGHT ON ITS HIGHWAYS.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE, UH, SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IF, IF, IF I COULD ADD, AND I'LL LET, UH, MY FIRST RESPONDER, UH, PARTNERS ALSO RESPOND.

I THINK WHAT WE SAW A LOT OF IN THIS INSTANCE IS THE INABILITY OF THEM TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO HAND SIGNALS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

AND IF YOU SAW, THAT'S A CONSTANT THEME IN WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.

AND AS LIEUTENANT WHITE MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH SINCE 2023 AND IT HASN'T BEEN STATED, BUT IT SHOULD BE STATED THAT THIS, THIS WORK GROUP HAS REPEATEDLY TOLD OUR AV PARTNERS, WE ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU AND SET UP TRAINING SCENARIOS WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH US UNDER A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

AND WE'RE YET, WE'RE STILL HERE AND HAS, HAVE WE SET THOSE UP BEFORE? VERY, VERY FEW.

AND I CAN, I CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH WAYMO HERE WHO WE EXPECTED TO BE HERE, UH, THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN US UP ON ANY OF THOSE OFFERS OF SAYING, HEY, CAN WE WORK THROUGH THIS? WE'LL, WE'LL ON TO SET ASIDE, WE'LL SET UP HOSE LINES, WE'LL SET UP INTERSECTIONS, WE'LL DO HAND SIGNALS, WE'LL DO THESE SCENARIOS.

THAT WAY WE CAN HELP YOU KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT.

AND THEY'VE YET TO TAKE US UP ON THAT.

ANY OTHER PERSPECTIVES THAT BEYOND THE HAND SIGNALS AND THE, UH, THE VIOLATIONS TO TICKETS THAT WANTS TO ADD? UH, I WOULD JUST ECHO WHAT HE, I I THINK THE HAND SIGNALS CREATES SUCH A PROBLEM.

UH, IT, IT, IT, IT ADDS TO THAT IMPEDING TRAFFIC SITUATIONS THAT WE SEE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FOLLOW THE HAND SIGNALS.

IT JUST CONTINUES

[01:05:01]

SO LAST QUESTION THEN IS TO BUILD ON THAT AND TO BUILD ON A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS, THE VERY OBVIOUS POINT THAT WAYMO IS NOT HERE, THAT EITHER THEY'RE NOT, THIS DOESN'T RISE TO THEIR LEVEL OF ATTENTION OR WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS.

UM, IS THE IDEA THAT WE CAN DIGITIZE THE VIOLATIONS AND TICKETS, IS THAT GONNA CREATE MORE THROUGHPUT OF VOLUME TO ACTUALLY RISE TO THEIR LEVEL OF ATTENTION? WHAT ARE THE SORT OF, HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE THEM TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION? YEAH, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

I, I THINK THE NEW LAW FROM 2025 GIVES TEXAS DMV AND, UM, TEXAS DPS, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, NEW ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO AVS.

THE DMV ITSELF WILL BE ABLE TO GATHER INFORMATION THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE, THE ABILITY OF A COMPANY CLAIMING TO BE A NAVY COMPANY TO PROVIDE SAFE SERVICES.

AND THEN THEY HAVE THE OPTION AS WELL TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITIES, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS, FROM RESIDENTS, AND THEY'LL BE SETTING THAT UP IN THE COMING WEEKS.

AND SO I THINK OUR, OUR HOPE IS THAT WITH A NEW PROCESS IN PLACE AT A STATE AGENCY THAT IS ACTUALLY GIVING THAT ABILITY, THAT AUTHORITY TO OPERATE, UH, THEY'LL HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION, RECEIVE FEEDBACK, MAKE THE DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT THIS, THESE, UH, WHICHEVER COMPANY IS READY TO OPERATE, OR IF THEY NEED TO PAUSE OPERATIONS TO FIX SPECIFIC ISSUES.

AND SO THAT, THAT MECHANISM'S KIND OF IN PLACE, BUT IT DOESN'T GO QUITE AS FAR AS WE HAD HOPED, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAD ABOUT IMMEDIATELY LIMITING OR, OR CEASING OPERATIONS IF THERE'S A FATALITY.

UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, ITERATIVE PROCESS ON, ON THE STATE LAW SIDE, BUT THERE IS A NEW MECHANISM THAT HAS NOT BEEN TESTED JUST YET, AND THAT'LL BE IN PLACE IN THE COMING WEEKS.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR AND SEE HOW THAT GOES.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE MAYBE SOME CHANGES COMING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THIS REGARD.

RIGHT.

HAPPEN, RIGHT? WHERE THERE'S BODILY HARM, WHERE THERE'S EXTREME CASES, THERE'S DEATH.

I'M GONNA CALL ON VICE CHAIR CADRY FOR ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN K KICK IT OVER TO MAYOR PRO BAYLA.

IT'S, IT'S GOING OFF OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CHEN'S QUESTION, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, I GUESS, ENFORCEMENT AND TICKETING, AND YOU SAID THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA START, IF I, AND, AND I SAID THIS YESTERDAY, AND I'LL, I'LL KNOCK ON WOOD AGAIN.

I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A TICKET IN A WHILE, BUT IF I, IF I'M, IF I'M SPEEDING, IF I GO THROUGH, UH, A RED LIGHT, A STOP SIGN, UM, WHAT ELSE? IF I STALL MY CAR, I, I WOULD GET SOME SORT OF TICKET, RIGHT? AND IT WOULD BE FOR, I DON'T KNOW, I'M GONNA MAKE UP A NUMBER, $300, RIGHT? OR $500 IF AN AV COMPANY OR IF AN AV VEHICLE DOES THOSE THINGS.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVING THEM TICKETS.

WE'VE JUST BEEN GIVING THEM, UM, CITATIONS, I GUESS.

BUT NO, THERE'S NO FINANCIAL HIT THAT THEY'RE TAKING.

SO IF THIS THING COMES THROUGH, YOU SAID THAT WE'LL START SEEING IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR, OR MONTHS, AND IF THEY GET A TICKET, WILL AN AV TICKET BE JUST AS MUCH AS A HUMAN TICKET? IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

RIGHT.

BECAUSE IF, IF I GET FINED, IF I GET A TICKET FOR $500 LIKE THAT, THAT HURTS MY, YOU KNOW, THAT HURTS MY WALLET.

IF WAYMO GETS FINED FOR $500, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET FOR THEM.

SO WOULD THERE BE A HIGHER AMOUNT OF, I DON'T KNOW, FINE, THAT THEY WOULD INCUR? SO, UH, THE, THE CITATION PROCESS, WHAT WE'RE ISSUING THEM IS THE SAME LEVEL OF OFFENSE.

SO IF WE WERE TO CATCH THEM SPEEDING, IT WOULD BE THE SAME LEVEL OF OFFENSE IN THE PROCESS WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING WITH MUNICIPAL COURT, AS IF THEY GOT A CITATION THERE ON THE SCENE.

IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT IT HAS TO GO BECAUSE THERE'S NO DRIVER THERE TO ACTUALLY SIGN THE TICKET TO, UH, PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF COMPLETING AN AFFIDAVIT.

SO THE FEE SCHEDULE WILL BE THE SAME FOR THE VIOLATION 'CAUSE IT'S STILL GONNA BE THE SAME VIOLATION.

UH, BUT OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE NUMBER OF TICKETS THAT ARE GONNA BE ISSUED, UH, IT, THE, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T CHARGE 'EM MORE THAN A HUMAN DRIVER.

UH, SO THE, UH, THE, THE CURRENT FEES ARE GONNA BE THE SAME AS, AS ANY HUMAN DRIVER WOULD GET BASED ON WHATEVER THE COURT DECIDES.

AND TO CLARIFY, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE, THE PROCESS IN PLACE WITH THE DMV WILL NOT BE KIND OF NEW ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS. IT'LL BE THE OPERATING AUTHORITY THAT THEY'RE GIVING TO THE COMPANIES.

UM, WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IN THE SLIDE TO, JUST TO CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY A HUMAN DRIVER TYPICALLY HAS ONE CAR.

MAYBE THEY DRIVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT CARS, BUT THEY'RE THE ONE DRIVER IN THE CAR.

THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THIS IS THAT YOU'VE GOT ONE SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT'S DEPLOYED ACROSS HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES.

AND SO THE, THE REGISTERED AGENT FOR THE COMPANY IS THE ONE THAT RECEIVES THE CITATION.

SO, UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE INCREASING FINES OR, OR FEES, MAYBE THAT ONE $500 IF IT BECAME 700 MIGHT NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOZENS OF VIOLATIONS OF THE SAME BEHAVIOR, THAT'S WHERE THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY ADD UP OVER TIME TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, IMPACTFUL I THINK, TO THE DECISION MAKING AROUND MAKING CHANGES TO THAT BEHAVIOR.

SURE.

AND THEN I JUST HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

I WAS READING THIS ONLINE.

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF WAYMO'S HITTING AN INJURING CYCLIST.

UM, SEVERAL OF THEM RUNNING OVER DOGS, CATS, AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY AN INCIDENT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN MUELLER WHERE IT RAN OVER A DUCK.

UM, AND THERE'S BEEN INSTANCES OF, OF, OF CHILDREN BEING HIT AND, AND INJURED WHEN THOSE TYPE OF THINGS

[01:10:01]

THE FIRST, UH, FATAL CRASH IN INVOLVING A, A WAYMO, WAS IT ON JANUARY 19TH, 2025? DO THEY TAKE THAT CAR OUT OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE IF, GOD FORBID, IF SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM RAN OVER SEVERAL ANIMALS OR THEY RAN OVER A HUMAN BEING AND KILLED THEM, THEY WOULDN'T JUST BE ALLOWED BACK ON THE STREETS.

BUT WHEN A WAYMO DOES THAT IS THE WAYMO BACK ON THE STREET THAT THAT'S A DECISION MADE BY WAYMO.

AND SOON THE TEXAS DMV AS WELL.

I DO WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THE DUCK INCIDENT WAS AV RIDE.

A DIFFERENT AV COMPANY.

SURE.

BUT YES, ALL THE AV COMPANIES HAVE HIT ANIMALS IN AUSTIN.

UM, SO THEY CAN RECALL THE SOFTWARE.

THEY CAN GO THROUGH A SOFTWARE RECALL, WHICH THEY'VE DONE SEVERAL TIMES RELATED TO THE SCHOOL BUS INCIDENTS.

THEY'VE DONE SOFTWARE RECALLS TO, UM, TO, TO FIX BUGS.

SO THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT THEY DO.

AND THAT RECALL IS DONE OVER THE AIR, MEANING THE, YOU KNOW, CARS GET IT WHEN THEY'RE PLUGGED IN AT NIGHT OR WHENEVER THEY GO BACK TO THE DEPOT.

NUMBER THREE, THE BRIEFING ON THE MARCH 1ST, 2026 SHOOTING INCIDENT ON WEST SIXTH STREET.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TELA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHAIR ELLIS AND, UH, CHAIR VELAZQUEZ FOR CALLING, UH, THIS JOINT PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING AND TO STAFF.

UH, THIS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY, UH, INFORMATIVE AND EYEOPENING AND HONESTLY, I THINK, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, AGAIN, NATIONALLY, UH, JUST REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE THE, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE TIME AND THOUGHT AND EFFORT THAT Y'ALL HAVE, UH, PUT INTO THIS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

I COMPLETELY AGREE.

I APPRECIATE THIS ROBUST PRESENTATION.

I THINK THERE'S SOME FOOTAGE IN THERE THAT EVEN I HADN'T SEEN.

UM, I KNOW THAT THEIR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN THAT THEY'VE MET WITH EVERYONE AND ANSWERED ALL QUESTIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL STILL HAS QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE READY AND WILLING TO HELP TROUBLESHOOT THROUGH SOME OF THIS INFORMATION AND HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE VEHICLES CAN OPERATE IN AN APPROPRIATE AND SAFE MANNER.

AND THAT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING AT THIS POINT.

UM, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE BEST USE OF OUR, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TIME TO BE MOVING VEHICLES OUT OF THE WAY.

THEY NEED TO BE ASSISTING THE PUBLIC AND PROTECTING AND SERVING THE PUBLIC AND NOT SITTING THERE KNOCKING ON WINDOWS, TRYING TO GET A REMOTE OPERATOR TO BE ABLE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW SO YOU CAN MOVE THE VEHICLE.

I THINK THAT'S HUGELY CONCERNING FOR ME.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS NOT IF THIS IS GONNA TURN INTO A DEADLY SITUATION FOR SOMEONE, BUT WHEN, AND SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE DO TALK ABOUT AT A HIGH LEVEL.

I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CONSISTENCY THROUGH THE STATE AND THROUGH DIFFERENT FEDERAL AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE SAFE.

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT WHAT OUR OFFICERS SHOULD BE SPENDING THEIR TIME ON.

THIS IS NOT WHAT OUR MEDIC SHOULD BE SPENDING THEIR TIME ON.

THEY NEED TO BE OUTTA THE WAY IN THE FIRE FIRETRUCK, AND THEY NEED TO BE NOT ROLLING OVER THE HOSES WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT OUT FIRES.

UM, THESE ARE HUGELY CONCERNING, BUT I APPRECIATE THE DETAILED PRESENTATION YOU PUT TOGETHER 'CAUSE IT'S VERY EYE-OPENING AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GOING.

BUT THANK YOU.

I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ITEM

[3. Briefing on the March 1, 2026 shooting incident on West Sixth Street [Lisa Davis, Chief of Police - Austin Police; Joel Baker, Fire Chief - Austin Fire; Robert Luckritz, Chief of Emergency Medical Services - Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services; Jim Redick, Director - Austin Emergency Management].]

AND WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY THE CHIEFS OF ALL OF OUR THREE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS DIRECTOR REDDICK OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

WELCOME.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, PRO TEM COMMITTEE METERS COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

GOOD MORNING.

READY TO GO? NOPE, NOPE, THAT'S ME.

ON MARCH 1ST, 2026, A SINGLE SUSPECT PERPETRATED A MASS CASUALTY SHOOTING INCIDENT ON WEST STREET, WEST SIXTH STREET ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OUTSIDE BUFORD'S BAR.

AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, THREE IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE KILLED AND SET.

13 OTHERS WERE INJURED.

THE INCIDENT UNFOLDED RAPIDLY IN A HIGH DENSITY NIGHTLIFE ENVIRONMENT, A COORDINATED MULTI SCENE RESPONSE WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES AND TEAMS WE HAVE IN PLACE MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WITHIN SECONDS.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE 57 SECONDS.

IT TOOK FROM OUR OFFICERS TO RESPOND FROM OUR WEST, WEST SIXTH STREET LOCATION, I'M SORRY, EAST SIXTH STREET TO WEST SIXTH STREET.

PATROL OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS ARE REGULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT IN GEORGE SECTOR.

OUR PATROL UTILIZES A PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE AS A STAGING POINT AND DESIGNATED WORK ZONES ON EAST SIXTH STREET FOR POLICE FIRE AND EMS. A SECOND PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE WAS BEING DES DESIGNED FOR WEST SIXTH STREET.

PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, A PD ALSO UTILIZES COUNTER ASSAULT STRIKE TEAM CAST OFFICERS ON WEEKENDS AND DURING SPECIAL EVENTS, CAST OFFICERS PARTNER WITH A FD AND EMS KNOWN AS CAST MED PERSONNEL TO CREATE A RESCUE TASK FORCE FOR RAPID DEPLOYMENT TO LARGE SCALE VIOLENT INCIDENTS AND TO PROVIDE TACTICAL MEDICAL CARE.

THIS

[01:15:01]

PROACTIVE STAFFING MODEL SUPPORTS AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS AT 1:58 AM DISPATCHERS BROADCASTED ON AN ACTIVE SHOOTER ON WEST SIXTH STREET PATROL OFFICERS AND EMS ARRIVED WITHIN LESS THAN A MINUTE, OFFICERS LOCATED NUMEROUS VICTIMS WHO HAD BEEN SHOT INSIDE AND IN FRONT OF BUFORD'S BAR AT 2:03 AM THREE A PD OFFICERS ENCOUNTERED THE SUSPECT WITH A RIFLE AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF WEST SIXTH STREET AND WEST AVENUE.

THE SUSPECT FIRED HIS RIFLE TOWARD THE OFFICERS, AND ALL THREE OFFICERS RETURNED FIRE STRIKING THE SUSPECT MULTIPLE TIMES.

NO OFFICERS OR CIVILIANS WERE STRUCK BY GUNFIRE OR OTHERWISE INJURED.

DURING THE THIS EXCHANGE, A TACTICAL COMMAND POST WAS ESTABLISHED BY OFFICERS AT THE WEST SIXTH STREET IN GUADALUPE.

AN EXECUTIVE COMMAND POST WAS ESTABLISHED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TACTICAL COMMAND.

AND I CAN TELL YOU ARRIVING AT THAT SCENE WITHIN 45 MINUTES OF THIS INCIDENT, AND IT WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THE WORK THAT WAS BEING DONE IN CO IN A COORDINATED EFFORT WITH FIRE AND EMS, THE SCENE VICTIM IN MANAGEMENT.

THIS INCIDENT INVOLVED THREE CLOSELY RELATED RELATED SCENES.

WE HAD THE INITIAL SHOOTING SCENES BUFORD'S BAR INSIDE AND OUT.

WE HAD THE SUSPECT VEHICLE LOCATION, WHICH WAS IN THE 600 BLOCK OF WOOD STREET, AND THE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING LOCATION, WHICH WAS WEST SIX AND WEST AVENUE.

SO AS WE'RE LOOKING AT POST INCIDENT ACTIONS AND ONGOING EFFORTS, A PD AND FBI VICTIM SERVICES UNITS PROVIDED OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IMPACTED BY THIS EVENT.

A PD PEER SUPPORT UNITS PROVIDED SUPPORT TO PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN, INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT.

AND A PD HAS DESIGNATED A SECOND PUBLIC SAFETY ZONE ON WEST SIXTH STREET TO PROVIDE FASTER DEPLOYMENT TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

AND THIS IS ONGOING NOW.

AND I DO WANT TO, TO SAY THAT THIS FEDERAL TALK TO OUR FEDERAL, UM, PARTNERS LAST WEEK, THEIR INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING, AND I HOPE TO HAVE A CONCLUSION FROM THEM WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

JOEL BAKER, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I BRING YOU GREETINGS.

ALL FROM THE HEROIC, BRAVE WOMEN OF MAN OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I DON'T SAY THIS LIGHTLY, BUT WHO DOES COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY.

THE MARCH 1ST, 2026 SIXTH STREET ATTACK WAS NOT THE FIRST MASS SHOOTING IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, NOR UNFORTUNATE IS LIKELY TO BE THE LAST.

THIS REALITY DRIVES AUSTIN FIRE TO PRIORITIZE TRAINING PRACTICES AND EQUIPMENT THAT CAN AND DOES SAVE LIVES.

THESE RESOURCES WERE BROUGHT TO BEAR THE NIGHT OF THE BEAUFORT INCIDENT, AND THEY DID MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THE FIRST AUSTIN FIRE PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON THE SCENE WITHIN FOUR MINUTES OF BEING ADDED TO THE CALL.

UPON ARRIVAL, FIRE PERSONNEL BEGAN ASSESSING PATIENT USING THE BATH METHOD, WHICH IS BLEEDING, AIRWAY, TORSO, INJURIES, AND HYPER OR HYPOTHERMIA, WHICH ADDRESSES CONDITIONS THAT ARE LIKELY TO BE FATAL.

WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE, THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, ALL CRITICAL PATIENT WITH TRANSPORTED WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 24 MINUTES, AN ALL PATIENT WITH LESS SERIOUS INJURIES WERE CLEARED FROM THE SCENE IN APPROXIMATELY 47 MINUTES.

THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SPEECH CONSIDERING THE CHAOTIC NATURE AND ST EXTENT OF THE SCENE.

OUR PRIMARY, OUR PRELIMINARY INTERNAL ACTION AND REVIEW AFTER ASH REVIEW REVEALS ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION AMONG PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, BOTH PRIOR TO AND DURING MERCY THAT WOULD IMPROVE SCENE MANAGEMENT, FACILITATE MORE TIMELY UPDATES, AND REDUCE THE CHANCES OF DUPLICATE EFFORTS WHILE I CONTINUE TO GRIEVE THOSE FOR THOSE, UH, WHO WERE LOST AND INJURED.

AM ALSO IN AWE OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF THE 35 FIRE AUSTIN FIRE PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THE SCENE, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO QUICKLY NEUTRALIZED THE THREAT AND THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS FOR RUSHING TOWARDS THE DANGER TO AID VICTIMS AND TO, AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PERFORM HEROICALLY TO PROTECT AND HELP OTHERS IN LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION.

YEAH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO COME SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

LIKE I'M HEARING A LITTLE BIT OF AN ECHO, UM, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, AS WE SAID EARLIER, EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES.

THIS CERTAINLY WAS AN ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC EVENT THAT AFFECTED ALL OF US HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, BOTH, UH, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL AS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAD THAT

[01:20:01]

EVENING.

UM, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FIRST NINE ONE ONE CALL CAME IN AT ONE FIFTY EIGHT AND EMS WAS NOTIFIED AT 1:59 AM UH, WITHIN 57 SECONDS, UH, PARAMEDICS EMBEDDED WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE CA ME PROGRAM ARRIVED ON SCENE AND WERE ABLE TO BEGIN, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE WHILE THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES.

UM, THOSE PROGRAMS WERE, UH, ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS AND TO THE SURVIVABILITY OF THIS INCIDENT.

UM, AND THEY TIE DIRECTLY BACK TO A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT, UH, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UM, AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO BE HERE AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THESE PROGRAMS, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS.

UH, ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS YOU ARE AWARE OF IS WHAT'S CALLED CASMED.

UM, THAT PROGRAM, WHICH YOU, YOU ALL, UH, PROVIDED FUNDING TO EMS FOR IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, UM, ALLOWED US TO EXPAND AND, AND MAKE PERMANENT THE PROGRAM WHERE WE EMBED AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS PARAMEDICS WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RAPIDLY ENTER INTO THE HOT ZONE, UM, AND PROVIDE THAT CARE WHILE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PERFORMING THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THE CAS ME PROGRAM, WE ALSO HAVE THE DTAC PROGRAM, WHICH AGAIN, WAS IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, UM, WHICH ALLOWS US TO, TO PROVIDE, UH, DEDICATED PARAMEDICS AND EMTS IN THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.

UM, THOSE RESOURCES WERE ON SCENE.

IN FACT, THEY WERE JUST CLOSING UP, UH, FOR THE EVENING WHEN THE SHOOTING OCCURRED.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO RAPIDLY REDEPLOY THOSE RESOURCES, WHICH INCLUDE SMALL POLARIS RANGER AMBULANCES, UM, AS WELL AS THE COMMAND TEAM OVER TO WEST SIXTH STREET WITHIN, JUST IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THEY ARRIVED, UH, LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER THE FIRST CAST ME OFFICERS AND PARAMEDICS ARRIVED.

UM, THOSE PROGRAMS WERE ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THAT CARE ON SCENE IMMEDIATELY, UM, WHILE WE RAID THE, UH, THE CONTINUED ARRIVAL OF OTHER AMBULANCES.

UM, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THIS WAS, UH, DISPATCHED ULTIMATELY AS AN ACTIVE ATTACK SCENARIO, WHICH WAS RESULTS IN A, WE CALL A FIVE FIVE FIVE RESPONSE FROM THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. THAT'S FIVE AMBULANCES, FIVE COMMANDERS, AND FIVE SINGLE UNIT RESPONDERS.

UM, AND SO IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE CONTINUED TO GROW AND EXPAND BEYOND JUST OUR AMBULANCES AND OUR BATTALION OR OUR COMMANDERS, UM, ALSO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS, UM, AND WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO STEP OUT OF THEIR TRADITIONAL ROLE, UM, PROVIDE THAT, UH, THAT ACTIVE, UH, PARAMEDIC LEVEL CARE TO THE VICTIMS IMMEDIATELY.

IN TOTAL, THERE WERE 17 PATIENTS THAT WERE TREATED, THREE WERE PRONOUNCED DECEASED ON SCENE 14 WERE TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITAL OF WHICH THREE WERE IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

AS CHIEF BAKER MENTIONED, ALL CRITICAL PATIENTS WERE OFF THE SCENE WITHIN 24 MINUTES, AND ALL PATIENTS WERE OFF THE SCENE WITHIN 47 MINUTES.

AND TOTAL MORE THAN 20 EMS RESOURCES RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, UM, THAT EVENING, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT TO, FOR US.

UH, THIS JUST REALLY ABSOLUTELY EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR CONTINUED TO INTEGRATION WITH OUR POLICE AND FIRE PARTNERS.

AND WE'RE SO PROUD TO BE HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WHERE I BELIEVE THAT THAT INTEGRATION IS UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY, UH, IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS, IN OUR, THE WAYS THAT OUR TEAMS WORK TOGETHER EACH AND EVERY DAY.

UH, PARTICULARLY IN THESE, THESE UNIFIED PROGRAMS LIKE CA, ME AND DTAC AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, THIS UNIFIED OPERATION ALLOWED US TO RAPIDLY ACCESS PATIENTS.

WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTINUED THEIR DUTIES, IT ALLOWED US TO, UH, EFFICIENTLY TRIAGE, GET PATIENTS OFF THE SCENE QUICKLY.

UH, THE WORK IN ESTABLISHING A TRANSPORT CORRIDOR SO THAT WE COULD GET AMBULANCES IN AND OUT OF THE SCENE QUICKLY, UM, ALLOWED US TO, UH, PROVIDE PATIENT CARE WHILE ENSURING THAT, UH, ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS WERE, WERE IN SAFE.

UH, IN ADDITION, THE PRE-PLANNING THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE, WE TRAIN ON THESE THINGS.

WE HAVE PRE-PLANNED DEPLOYMENT MODELS IN THE DOWNTOWN SECTOR.

UM, WE HAVE THOSE AS WELL ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT WE DO WITH OUR, WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THE, THE COORDINATION THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN OUR ENTITIES IS UNPARALLELED, AND THAT'S WHAT RE RESULTED IN THE REDUCED TIME TO GET ON SCENE AND PROVIDE THE PATIENT CARE.

I'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, AS WE WOUND DOWN THE INCIDENT, THAT THE INCIDENT DOES NOT JUST END.

UM, AT THE MOMENT THAT WE GET THOSE PATIENTS OFF, OFF THE HOSPITAL, UM, WE BEGIN IMMEDIATELY DOING AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW, REVIEWING OUR OPERATIONAL DATA TO SUPPORT, UM, ANY CHANGES THAT WE MIGHT NEED IN THE FUTURE.

UM, AND BEYOND THAT AS WELL, UH, THE, AS I MENTIONED WHEN I FIRST STARTED THIS, UM, THIS INCIDENT WAS, WAS TRAGIC AND IT IMPACTED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BUT IT DID ALSO IMPACT, UM, THE PROVIDERS THAT RESPONDED TO THAT SCENE, BOTH WITH AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND ALL THREE OF OUR ENTITIES IMMEDIATELY ENTERED INTO PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS, UM, PROVIDING THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT RESPONDED, UM, TO ENSURE THEIR RESILIENCY, UH, AND LONG-TERM MENTAL HEALTH.

I'LL ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING A FEW YEARS AGO, WE REALLY EXPANDED, UM, OUR STOP THE BLEED TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDED TO VARIOUS ENTITIES ACROSS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

UM, AND PROGRAMS LIKE THAT ARE SO ESSENTIAL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT, UH, STEVE BAKER SAID, UM, ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE THAT MAY OCCUR LIKE THIS, THE TRAINING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, THE MEDICAL, UH, DEVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BOTH, UM, IN VARIOUS AREAS, INCLUDING THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR US.

UH, AND AS A PROGRAM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE, GET THAT TRAINING OUT THERE.

AND FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK EVERYONE, ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PERSONNEL THAT WERE OUT THERE.

UM, THEY TRULY ARE HEROES, WHETHER THEY'RE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, EMS

[01:25:01]

MEDICS, OR AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, OFFICERS OR AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS.

UM, EVERYONE THAT WAS OUT THERE THAT DAY DID ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL WORK.

UM, THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, WHAT IS NORMALLY CALLED UPON THEM, AND THEY PROVED TO US THAT WE TRULY HAVE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND PINS DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND SO, UM, IN CLOSING, WE, WE COMMIT TO CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT.

WE'LL GET THROUGH OUR AFTER ACTIONS, WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UM, BUT, UH, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR AUSTIN PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT SHOOTING.

AND WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN TO QUESTIONS.

AND WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THAT SWIFT RESPONSE.

WE APPRECIATE ALL THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS THAT WERE OUT THERE, UM, HELPING ADDRESS THIS MATTER.

AND SO OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES, BUT WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONDERS.

OTHER QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR, CADRE? YEAH.

UH, THANK YOU.

AND ONCE AGAIN, JUST GOING OFF OF, UH, CHAIR ELLIS'S WORDS, THANK Y'ALL.

AND A-F-D-A-P-D-E-M-S FOR, FOR HONESTLY BEING HEROES.

UM, AND MY HEART DOES GO OUT TO THE VICTIMS, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE WERE 150 WITNESSES TO THE MASS SHOOTINGS.

AND MY, UH, HEART'S ALSO OUT TO THE, THE FOLKS THAT'D HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT.

UM, I, I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS WITH, FOR CHIEF BAKER.

UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FIRE'S NOT PART OF THE CAST TEAM CURRENTLY, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.

IS THAT DUE TO FUNDING CONSTRAINTS OR, OR IS THERE ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, REASON BEHIND THAT? UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE WAS FUNDING AND THE ONE WAS THE CALL VOLUME THAT WE WERE, THAT WE NORMALLY RECEIVE OR DON'T RECEIVE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

BUT, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, SINCE THAT INCIDENT, WE HAVE, UH, RESTARTED THE PROGRAM.

YEAH, I, WE, WE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION COME UP WITH EMS, AND THAT'S WHY WE, DURING A BUDGET CYCLE, WE BROUGHT FORWARD FUNDING FOR THE, FOR THE CAST MED.

SO I WASN'T SURE IF THIS WAS A FUNDING, PURELY FUNDING OR IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER CONTEXT BEHIND THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

AND I'LL JUST, UH, ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID.

REALLY JUST GRATEFUL AND RELIEVED THAT A FAST RESPONSE AND THAT, UM, THIS WAS HANDLED, IT SOUNDS LIKE IN THE BEST WAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

UH, MY TWO QUESTIONS ARE, ONE, HAVING SOME TIME ELAPSED AND, UH, PROBABLY HAVE SOME POSTMORTEM THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS.

WE'VE HEARD ABOUT A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF THE GOOD THINGS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, SPECIFIC UNITS THAT WERE DEPLOYED, ET CETERA.

ANY THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON THAT YOU GUYS HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS? I'LL SPEAK FOR, FOR MYSELF, I THINK FOR ME, IT WAS CERTAINLY THAT NIGHT.

UM, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A, UM, AS FAR AS CALLING AN EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER, BUT THAT NEXT DAY I, WE SHOULD HAVE CALLED THAT TO BE, UM, PUT UP.

AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT COORDINATION OF OUR VICTIM SERVICES, OF GETTING ALL THAT DONE, ENSURING THAT ALL THE COUNSELS WERE NOTIFIED WERE UP TO DATE.

AND SO JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THAT TRULY IS A PIECE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT'S A PIECE THAT'S THERE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP US FACILITATE THOSE THINGS.

SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, A CM BATISTA COMING ON, HE HAS A, A MORE ROBUST BACKGROUND IN THAT.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, JUST THAT, UM, TRAINING WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, THAT GROUP AGAIN, AND JUST REALLY IN MY MIND, THAT'S WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THAT, IS HOW WE COULD IMPROVE UPON THAT.

YEAH, I, I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH OUR DIFFERENT INTERACTIONS AND COME TOGETHER TO, AS A TEAM, TO, TO BUILD A BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT, WHAT WENT WELL AND WHAT WE CAN, UH, WHAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UM, THAT'S REALLY GONNA BE WHAT'S INFORMATIVE, UM, FOR WHERE IT IS THAT WE NEED TO, TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN ON SCENE, THERE'S CERTAINLY THINGS THAT I LOOK AT AND I, I SAY WE PROBABLY COULD DO A LITTLE BETTER, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH OUR TEAMS, UM, AND THEN COME BACK WITH, UH, WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINITIVE.

I WAS GOING, I'M ECHO WITH CHIEF LUCKER HERE AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, AFTER EACH INCIDENT, REGARDLESS OF THE HOUSE OR SHOOTING AFTER ACTION SHOOTING, WE CAN ALWAYS FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR PROCESSES.

BUT ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO WORK BETTER ON IS HAVING A JOINT AFTER ACTION, UH, REPORT TO FIND OUT WHO'S ON FIRST AND WHO'S DONE WHAT.

SO WE CAN LIMIT THE DUPLICATION OF OUR, UH, EFFORTS.

UH, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER DEUCE, I ALSO, UH, APPRECIATE YOU.

UH, I THINK IT WAS YOU THAT MENTIONED THE RESPONSE TIME.

THAT WAS A FOUR MINUTE RESPONSE TIME FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ONCE WE RECEIVED THE CALL, WHICH IS, UM, PRETTY, UM, PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD READY, UH, WITH THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH RESPONSE TIME IN THE CITY.

UH, BUT I REALLY COMMEND THE MEN AND WOMEN, UM, FOR GETTING ON THOSE APPARATUS AND RUSHING AND PUTTING HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY FOR THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, WE ARE ALL DOING AFTER ACTION REPORTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT JIM REDDICK AND HIS GROUP WILL BE DOING A COORDINATED ONE FOR, FOR ALL OF US.

THAT'S CORRECT.

QUESTION REALLY QUICKLY IS, UM, REALLY JUST HELPING ME UNDERSTAND IF WE'VE LEARNED ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE MOTIVATION BEHIND OR IF WE'RE EVEN ALLOWED TO, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY INVESTIGATION ON THAT PIECE OF, UH, THE INCIDENT THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US TODAY.

THANKS FOR Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE ON THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, BEING ABLE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT REPORT WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE.

THE LAST

[01:30:01]

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA COME FROM THE FBI, I THINK THEY'RE WRAPPING UP THEIR, UM, INVESTIGATION AND WE'VE CERTAINLY, THE DA'S CLOSED HIS INVESTIGATION HERE.

UM, SO AT THAT POINT, WE'RE JUST WAITING TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE WHAT THE FBI'S FINAL FINDINGS ARE.

WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON THAT? UH, THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO HIM, IT SHOULD BE WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS.

MM-HMM .

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK THAT DOES IT.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU.

WE APPRECIATE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS BEING SO QUICK AND DILIGENT AND HELPFUL.

IS A BRIEFING BY MEMO FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO 2027, CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNITY FUNDING, PROJECT REQUESTS AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR

[4. Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Congressional Community Project Funding Requests & Legislative Updates memo dated March 23, 2026.]

MEMO DATED MARCH 23RD, 2026.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE NEED TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THIS ONE UNLESS FOLKS HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE A ROBUST LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION FOLLOWING IT IMMEDIATELY.

ANY QUESTIONS ON IT? OKAY.

THEN THAT WILL TAKE US TO

[1. Discussion and possible action regarding legislative initiatives, including amendments to the City's legislative agendas, relating to autonomous vehicles [Carrie Rogers, Government Relations Officer - Austin Government Relations].]

ITEM NUMBER ONE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS RELATING TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

AND WE HAVE CARRIE ROGERS, WHO HEADS UP OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM.

GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, UH, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE RECORD, I'M KERRY ROGERS, AND I'M THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE GREAT CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, WE HAVE WITH US ALLISON ROSS, WHO IS OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS MANAGER, AND CHRISTIAN AGAR, WHO'S OUR FEDERAL RELATIONS MANAGER.

AND I THOUGHT RACHEL, OH, OKAY.

THERE, I'M JUST MAKING SURE RACHEL WAS NEARBY FOR HARD QUESTIONS.

UM, SO WHAT WE ARE GONNA DO TODAY IS BRIEF YOU ON, UM, SOME OF THE HISTORY ON AV RELATED LEGISLATION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UM, ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED COMING FORWARD BASED ON FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE UPCOMING 2027 STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ANTICIPATED TO COME, UM, TO COUNCIL LATE NEXT MONTH.

UM, SO FIRST UP ON OUR FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY, WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE IS, UM, AND WE HAVE SOME NOTES HERE IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT.

WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE IS THIS IS AN ISSUE AND A, A DISCUSSION THAT IS OCCURRING NATIONALLY.

THERE ARE 25 STATES RIGHT NOW CONSIDERING AV RELATED LEGISLATION, UM, I THINK 67 DIFFERENT BILLS RELATED TO AV LEGISLATION.

AND THEN THERE ARE 35 STATES THAT HAVE ALREADY PUT IN PLACE, UH, BILLS RELATED TO AV REGULATION.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT CREATES A VERY FRAGMENTED POLICY FRAMEWORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND WE SEE THAT HERE AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL.

AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE THAT LENS ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

UM, SO HISTORICALLY, CONGRESS HAS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO PASS COMPREHENSIVE AV LEGISLATION, UH, BUT TO DATE NOTHING HAS YET, UM, PASSED IN ITS ENTIRETY.

CONGRESS IS NOW ACTIVELY ENGAGED AGAIN ON AV LEGISLATION, AND THE THEMES WE'RE SEEING ARE CONSISTENT.

UM, THE SAME THINGS THAT YOU ALL SPOKE ABOUT IN THE PRIOR BRIEFINGS, SAFETY STANDARDS, CRASH DATA REPORTING, CYBERSECURITY, AND CLARIFYING WHAT AUTHORITY REMAINS TO STATE AND CITIES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE NOT WAITING FOR CONGRESS.

U-S-D-O-T AND THE N-H-T-S-A ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR OWN RULEMAKING EFFORTS, WHICH MEANS POLICY IS DEVELOPING ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS, BUT AGAIN, ALSO CHALLENGING IN THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO FURTHER THIS FRAGMENTED, UH, FRAMEWORK.

UM, THIS YEAR, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES.

I THINK, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH YOU CHAIR, I KNOW, UH, THIS IS A YEAR THAT NEW SURFACE TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION IS EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN UP.

AND SO THAT IS, UM, COULD BE A VEHICLE FOR, UM, GETTING SOMETHING NATIONALLY IN PLACE RELATED TO AVS.

UM, OVERALL CONDITIONS IN CONGRESS, UH, AND US U-S-D-O-T MAKE AV POLICY MOVEMENT MORE LIKELY THAN IN PRIOR YEARS.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

UM, THE MAIN FEDERAL AV BILL THAT'S MOVING RIGHT NOW IS THE SOUTH DRIVE ACT.

UH, AND YOU SEE THE ACRONYM THERE ON THE SLIDE.

IT PASSED THE RELEVANT HOUSE COMMITTEE ON A NARROW PARTY LINE VOTE.

UM, BUT BOTH REPRESENTATIVE LADA AND REPRESENTATIVE DINGLE HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN WORKING TOWARDS A BIPARTISAN SOLUTION.

AND DON'T WE ALL LOVE THAT? UM, WE'D LOVE TO SEE THAT ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES.

[01:35:02]

THIS BILL REPRESENTS CONGRESS'S STRONGEST ATTEMPT YET TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL AV FRAMEWORK.

UM, AND IT'S HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME THAT AGENCIES ARE STEPPING UP THEIR OWN REGULATORY FRAMEWORK.

AND ALLISON WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR PARTNERS, BOTH AT, UM, TEXT DMV AND AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL.

SO WHILE THIS BILL MAY STILL SEE CHANGES, IT AGAIN SIGNALS CONGRESS'S INTENT TO CREATE A MO MORE UNIFORM AV STRUCTURE.

UM, HR 73 90 DIRECTS THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY TRA UH, TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP AV SAFETY STANDARDS.

THIS WOULD BE A MAJOR STEP TOWARD CONSISTENT NATIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING.

A KEY ELEMENT IS THE CREATION OF AV SAFETY CLASSES.

AND YOU HEARD, UH, A PD TALK ABOUT THAT EARLIER, TRYING TO CREATE TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS, UM, FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN THIS, UH, UH, TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION THAT IS OCCURRING HERE IN AUSTIN.

WE ALL KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS THE INCUBATOR FOR NEW TECHNOLOGY.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE HERE, AND THAT HAS ITS PROS AND CONS.

UM, AND SO CREATING AV SAFETY CLASSES IS PART OF WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UM, THE LEGISLATION ALSO REQUIRES PASSENGER CARRYING AVS TO ALLOW A PERSON TO SAFELY EXIT THE VEHICLE AND TAKE CONTROL EVEN IF NECESSARY, WHICH HAS BEEN A CONCERN FOR BOTH RIDERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER.

AND IMPORTANTLY, IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A NATIONAL AB SAFETY DATA REPOSITORY.

AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT DATA, UM, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

AND THE RESPONSE TO THOSE IS NO DIFFERENT REQUIRING REPORTING ON SERIOUS CRASHES AND QUARTERLY MILES DRIVEN IN A SELF-DRIVING MODE.

UM, UM, 73 90 WOULD PREEMPT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM RESTRICTING AVS THAT HAVE AN APPROVED SAFETY CASE.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT CLARIFIES THAT CITIES RE RETAIN CONTROL OVER CORE LOCAL FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING TRAFFIC LAWS, REGISTRATION INSPECTIONS, AND CONSUMER PROTECTION.

AND SO, AGAIN, YOU HEARD THAT EARLIER FROM OUR, UH, PEERS IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PORTFOLIO THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS, UM, AND GET OUR HANDS AROUND THOSE VEHICLES IN INSTANCES OF CONCERN OR EMERGENCY.

THE BILL ALSO EXPANDS EXISTING PREEMPTION PROCESS, ALLOWING LIMITED COMMERCIAL USE OF AVS, WHICH HAS BEEN ANOTHER CONCERN, UM, THAT DON'T FULLY MEET FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS.

AND THESE PROVISIONS ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR AUSTIN BECAUSE THEY SHAPE HOW REGULATORY ROOM, UM, HOW MUCH REGULATORY ROOM CITIES WILL HAVE ONCE THE, UH, NATIONAL FRAMEWORK WOULD BE IN PLACE.

UM, AND I'LL SAY THIS JUST AHEAD OF ALLISON GETTING THERE.

UM, FOR THOSE, I THINK WE'RE ON, UH, SLIDE SEVEN, IF YOU'RE KEEPING UP WITH ME.

IT SAYS 73 90 OPPONENT ARGUMENTS.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHERE I AM.

UM, BUT NOT ALL STAKEHOLDERS, OF COURSE, SUPPORT THE BILL AS DRAFTED.

CRITICS HAVE ARGUED THAT THE SAFETY CASE APPROACH ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH BECAUSE IT RELIES ON SUBJECTIVE LANGUAGE AND MANUFACTURER SELF-CERTIFICATION.

AGAIN, WE HEARD THIS EARLIER.

UM, OTHERS ARE CONCERNED THAT THE BILL'S PREEMPTION PROVISIONS WOULD TAKE EFFECT BEFORE THE, UH, NATIONAL TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION FINALIZES ITS RULES.

I THINK THOSE CAN PROBABLY BE MASSAGED THROUGH CYBERSECURITY IS ANOTHER CONCERN I, UM, FEEL LIKE COMES UP IN ALMOST EVERY ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

AND THEN THOSE CONCERNS HIGHLIGHT WHY NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THE BILL COULD CONTINUE AND WHY CITIES ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FINAL LANGUAGE.

NEXT SLIDE.

WE'RE ON SLIDE EIGHT.

UM, THE, UH, ON THE SENATE SIDE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A COMPANION BILL YET, UH, WORTH NOTING, BUT THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE IS ACTIVELY EXAMINING AV POLICY.

THE COMMITTEE RECENTLY HELD A HEARING FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE OF SELF-DRIVING CARS, AND SEVERAL SENATORS HAD EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR STRONGER SAFETY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S ANY DIFFERENT HERE IN AUSTIN AND ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, LIFE SAFETY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

UM, AND SO WE'RE HEARING THAT THAT SAME TREND, OF COURSE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

UM, SENATOR MARKEY, WHO'S A DEMOCRAT FROM MASSACHUSETTS, HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT A V'S.

SAFETY.

HE RELEASED A REPORT OF HIS OWN RAISING CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT THE REMOTE ASSISTANCE OPERATORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO MONITOR OR INTERVENE IN THOSE AV OPERATIONS.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

THE FEDERAL DOT AV SAFETY FORUM ON MARCH 10TH WAS HELD TO DISCUSS, DISCUSS THIS AV FRAMEWORK.

UM, CITY OF AUSTIN GOT A SHOUT OUT AS THE ONLY CITY WITH AN AV DATA DASHBOARD, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE HEARD THAT.

UM, SHOUT OUT TO OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR PRIORITIZING THAT.

[01:40:01]

THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE EMPHASIZED TO STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.

WE ARE THE INCUBATOR FOR THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY.

WE ARE THE, UM, FIRST CITY TO HAVE PUT THIS IN PLACE, AND THEREFORE WE SHOULD HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

WE HAVE A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, UM, IN PRACTICE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE ACTIVE PARTNERS.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, UM, AT THE DMV LEVEL AND WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT STARTING TO PULL US IN OVER THESE, UM, LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

NEXT SLIDE.

FEDERAL AV RULEMAKING.

IF YOU READ OUR MEMOS EVERY MONTH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NO SLOUCH ON SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON, UH, RELATED PROPOSED RULEMAKING.

UM, THAT COMES OUT ACROSS THE BOARD HOUSING SPECIFICALLY AND CERTAINLY HERE IN TRANSPORTATION.

UM, IN OCTOBER, WE SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO THE U-O-U-S-D-O-T THAT EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR MORE CONSISTENT SAFETY, UM, SAFETY DATA STANDARDS, EXCUSE ME, AND CLEAR EXPECTATIONS FOR AV INTERACTIONS.

SO WE ARE VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED, UM, IN WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

AND AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE THAT REFLECTED IN OUR DRAFT STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.

I THINK WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE STATE HERE.

SLIDE 12.

ALISON.

HI, ALISON ROSS.

UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START JUST WITH A QUICK LEGISLATIVE HISTORY THAT WAS COVERED EARLIER THAT UNTIL 2017, TEXAS LAW DID NOT RECOGNIZE AUTOMATED VEHICLES, UH, WITH THE PASSAGE OF SB 2205, UH, THAT DID ALLOW AND AUTHORIZED AUTOMATED VEHICLES ON TEXAS ROADS.

IT ALSO GAVE FULL AUTHORITY TO THE STATE.

SO THAT IS WHY, UH, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER EIGHTIES.

UM, THEN IN 2021, THEN THERE HAVE BEEN AT SOME OTHER BILLS, BUT THESE ARE THE MAJOR ONES.

UM, IN 2021, HB 30 26 PASSED.

UM, AND THAT REALLY JUST EXEMPTED CERTAIN FOR, FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE COMPLETELY AUTOMATED WITH NO HUMAN DRIVER, IT WOULD EXEMPT FROM SAFETY RE REQUIREMENTS, THINGS SPECIFIC TO HUMAN DRIVERS LIKE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, OR, I THINK THAT'S MY SEAT BELTS FOR THE DRIVER.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

SO THAT GETS US UP TO, UM, SB 28 0 7, WHICH, UM, HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY TODAY.

IT CREATES A REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION FOR COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF AUTOMATED VEHICLES ON TEXAS ROADS.

UM, IT PUTS A LOT OF THAT AUTHORITY UNDER THE DMV.

UM, AS AN ASIDE, AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, UH, WE, THE CITY HAS SUBMITTED, UH, RULEMAKING COMMENTS TO BOTH THE DMV AND TO DPS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 28 0 7.

AND THE DMV HAS CREATED AN AUTOMATIC VEHICLE REGULATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, AV RAC, UH, IT'S A STATEWIDE COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA ADVISE THEM ON AV MATTERS.

AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A MEMBER ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, FROM A PD.

AND THEN, UM, A ISD ALSO HAS A MEMBER ON THAT COMMITTEE.

AND RACHEL, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THAT? 24? THERE ARE 24.

IT'S A 24 PERSON COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE TWO.

SO THAT'S NICE.

AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE MAIN POINTS ON THAT.

SO WE WILL JUMP TO KIND OF LOOKING FORWARD.

UH, THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE DOES HAVE AN INTERIM CHARGE RELATED TO AAVS.

UH, THE HOUSE DOES NOT, UH, THAT THE SENATE HEARING WILL BE JULY 29TH, UH, STUDYING THE DEPLOYMENT OF AV TECHNOLOGY, SO BOTH THE, UM, WATCHING SB 28 0 7, BUT ALSO ANY OTHER, UM, ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN COMING UP.

UH, WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT HEARING WHETHER WE TESTIFY, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND WITH THE COMMITTEE SENDING SOME OF OUR RULEMAKING COMMENTS AND JUST TRYING TO EDUCATE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN AUSTIN.

AND, UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SITE, IT'S JUST A QUICK LOOK AT THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A NEW CHAIR THAT SENATOR, UH, TAN PARKER IS NEW TO THE COMMITTEE, AND THE NEW CHAIR TAKING THE PLACE OF SENATOR NICHOLS, WHO RETIRED.

UM, SO WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THESE MEMBERS MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN, UM, I'LL KICK IT BACK TO CARRIE TO TALK ABOUT OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU, ALLISON.

SO LOOKING AHEAD, BOTH CONGRESS AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE NATIONAL AV FRAMEWORK, AND WE WILL, UM, PRIORITIZE ENSURING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THAT LEVEL THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE MEMOS OR, OR AD HOC AS YOU NEED.

AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, IN FRONT OF US, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THIS AT

[01:45:01]

THE START OF THE BRIEFING, THERE ARE DRAFT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS COMING TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION IN MAY, AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR FEDERAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS THAT FIRST BULLET, AND THE SECOND, UH, BULLET, WHICH IS OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.

THIS IS THE DRAFT LANGUAGE WE HAVE.

UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, AND I THINK IN OUR ONE-ON-ONES REGARDING OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS, WE DON'T GET, UH, YOU KNOW, MICRO DETAILED IN THE PROGRAM ITSELF SO THAT IT ALLOWS STAFF SOME FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND AS AMENDMENTS COME UP, OR POLICY DISCUSSIONS CHANGE, UM, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SO THESE ARE THE DRAFTS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

UM, GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.

UM, WITH THAT.

SO WE ARE PLEASED TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT WE DID LEARN TODAY, AND THIS IS IN FOLLOW UP TO WHAT, UM, LEWIS AND RACHEL WERE SHARING EARLIER, THAT THE DMV HAS OPENED THEIR PORTAL, UM, FOR COMPANIES TO BEGIN APPLYING FOR AUTHORIZATIONS, UM, IN, UM, THE SYSTEM.

SO WE'RE IN REGULAR CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE, AND WITH THE INSIGHT AND WISDOM FROM, FROM RACHEL AND OUR PARTNERS IN TRANSPORTATION.

WITH THAT, WE ARE PLEASED TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE DAAS? WELL LOOK AT THAT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.

UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THESE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE.

UM, I'VE SAID PUBLICLY TOO, EVEN THOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EVERY TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO HELP KEEP THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN SAFE, UM, I AM HAPPY FOR THIS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES CONSISTENCY LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN THERE'S MULTIPLE COMPANIES DOING EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, UM, AND WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES SEEING? SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKS FOR AUSTIN MAY NOT WORK FOR SAN ANTONIO, AND WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.

UM, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A CALL TO ACTION THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A DEMAND FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT IS VERY MUCH A PARTNERSHIP THAT SAYS WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND THE MOBILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

I'VE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF FOLKS THAT SAY THEY FEEL SAFER IN AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE THAN GETTING IN A STRANGER'S CAR.

AND I, AND I CAN RESPECT THAT TOO.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FIGURING OUT HOW TO INTERACT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE FIRST THING THAT THESE DEVICES CAN FIGURE OUT, NOT THE LAST THING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT.

UM, WE HEARD VERY, VERY MOVING TESTIMONY FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TODAY ABOUT HOW MUCH, UH, THEY DESIRE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE AND HOW MUCH THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THESE VEHICLES, UM, ARE OPERATING TO THE HIGHEST CALIBER.

AND SO WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW LEGISLATION MOVES FORWARD, UM, FROM HERE ON OUT, UM, THIS ITEM IS POSTED AS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

UM, BUT WE THOUGHT ABOUT PROCEDURALLY HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND SO I'M GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE DON'T TAKE ACTION TODAY, BUT OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICE DEFINITELY LISTENS TO THE ENTIRE Q AND A TODAY WITH THESE PRESENTATIONS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON OUR ENTIRE STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

AND SO I HOPE YOU ABSORB THAT FEEDBACK AND IMPLEMENT, UM, SOME OF THE ASKS THAT YOU, THAT YOU TOOK OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION.

UM, AND SINCE WAYMO WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING TODAY, UM, WHICH IS I THINK AN INTERESTING CHOICE, BUT THERE'S TO MAKE, UM, THE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS OF THESE, UH, DUPLICATE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY ARE GONNA BE DRAFTING SOME LETTERS.

AND SO I HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL, UM, READ THEM, WEIGH THE INFORMATION AND THE REQUESTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THEM AND POTENTIALLY SIGN ON SO THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON A UNITED FRONT, UM, DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BE A CITY THAT DOES WELCOME NEW TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO FIRST AND FOREMOST HAS TO PUT OUR TOP PRIORITY AS THE LIFE, HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE FOLKS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND SO, WITH THAT, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CLOSING REMARKS, VICE CHAIR, CADRY.

OH, AND I WANNA SAY BEFORE YOU GO, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.

I KNOW THIS HAPPENED IN YOUR DISTRICT AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING SUPER, SUPER HARD TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS CONVERSATION GOING.

SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.

OF COURSE.

UM, YEAH, AND I WANNA THANK THE D NINE TEAM AS WELL.

UM, MELISSA'S IN THE AUDIENCE, SO THANK YOU, MELISSA.

THANKS FOR PRINTING OUT THE, UH, RESERVE FOR WAYMO SIGNS.

AND SADLY, WAYMO DID NOT SHOW UP.

UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR EXPERT STAFF AND OUR PUBLIC CITY OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS FOR BEING HERE TODAY, UH, FOR RAISING AWARENESS ON THIS ISSUE.

I WANT TO THANK, UH, CHAIR ELLIS AND CHAIR OF VELASQUEZ, UM, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

UM, AND I THINK WE HAD A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TODAY.

I THINK A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WERE ASKED, AND SOME WERE ANSWERED, AND THE ONES THAT WEREN'T ANSWERED WERE LARGELY DUE TO WAYMO BEING MIA.

UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AS AB COMPANIES CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN AUSTIN, OUR OUR AND OUR CITY HAS BECOME A TEST AND GROUND.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH DEBATE ON THAT.

I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, UH, AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF NAVIGATE THIS COMPLEX AND INVOLVING LANDSCAPE, UM, AND POSITION AUSTIN AS NATIONAL LEADERS AND HOW CITIES RESPOND TO TECHNOLOGY.

UH, AND, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, UH, THE CONVERSATION ISN'T JUST

[01:50:01]

ABOUT LIMO.

UH, WAYMO IS SIMPLY THE FIRST TO SCALE IN AUSTIN, AND IN MANY WAYS IS A CANARY IN THE COAL MINE FOR BROADER CHALLENGES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE FACING WITH LIMITED TOOLS AND RESOURCES.

UH, LAST WEEK, UM, WE REACHED OUT TO, UM, UH, OTHER AV COMPANIES, UH, TESTING OR OPERATING IN AUSTIN TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THIS COMMITTEE MEETING.

EVERY COMPANY RESPONDED AND CONFIRMED THEIR, AT THE VERY LEAST, WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM TODAY.

SO, HI, UM, I HOPE THEY TAKE THE LESSONS LEARNED HERE AND CHOOSE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS AS THEY CONTINUE TESTING AND DEPLOYMENT IN AUSTIN.

NOT BECAUSE SIMPLY THEY'RE REQUIRED TO, UH, BUT BECAUSE TOO MANY PEOPLE COUNT ON THEM DOING THIS, RIGHT? SO, UH, THANK Y'ALL.

ANY OTHER CLOSING REMARKS AND COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, I WANNA THANK OUR STAFF BOTH IN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF, GARY ROGERS.

UM, MY PRIMARY TAKEAWAY FROM THIS DISCUSSION AS IT RELATES TO A V VEHICLES IS THAT IT IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AROUND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.

AND I ABSOLUTELY SEE THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT OUR CITY HAS PUT TOWARDS, UM, THAT INITIATIVE AND, AND BEING EFFECTIVE IN THAT WAY.

HOWEVER, WHAT I SEE RIGHT NOW IS THAT OUR CITY IS ABSORBING OUTSIZED, OUTSIZED COSTS RELATIVE TO THIS TECHNOLOGY, BOTH COSTS IN TERMS OF THE SAFETY, THE PHYSICAL SAFETY OF THOSE WHO ARE IN OUR CITY, AND ALSO FINANCIAL RESOURCES, DOLLARS AND CENTS.

AND SO I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THE ANTICIPATED CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL WILL BEGIN TO SHIFT THAT BALANCE.

BUT IT IS VERY TROUBLING WHEN WE HAVE A MANDATE TO HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN OUR CITY THAT IS CLEARLY HAVING SAFETY IMPACTS AND IT IS PROLIFERATING AT A VERY RAPID RATE.

AND THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OF A BALANCE THAT WE EVEN HAVE THE COMPANIES COMING TO THE TABLE IN THE DISCUSSION.

THAT IS TROUBLING FOR ME.

AND SO I HOPE THAT WE, WE SEE ENOUGH ACTION AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND I AM CONCERNED, UM, BECAUSE SO FAR WE HAVEN'T BEEN MOVING VERY FAST IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND, UM, I KNOW THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS, IS TO OPPOSE PREEMPTION AT MORE LOCAL LEVELS.

BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN IMBALANCED FOR SOME TIME.

SO I WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UH, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR, FOR THE IGRO TEAM, WHICH IS AFTER EVERYTHING WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY AND FROM STAFF AND YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL, WHAT DO YOU SENSE THE OPPORTUNITY IS FOR COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A CHANGES IN THIS SPACE? KNOWING HOW MUCH, KNOWING ALL OF THE LANDSCAPE YOU JUST SHARED AND HOW, HOW, UH, HOW LIMITED OUR APPARENTLY CONTROL AND INFLUENCES TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE VENDOR TO BE PRESENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER.

AND I WILL SAY, FIRST WE ARE NOT ENGAGED WITH THE VENDORS TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS IS DOING THAT, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WOULD WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LURE THEM IN.

UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, AND THIS IS ACROSS ALL THE ISSUES TALKED ABOUT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, ONCE THE COUNCIL ADOPTS THOSE AND GIVES US OUR MARCHING ORDERS, WE WILL THEN MOVE FORWARD IN HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEGISLATURE IN A MORE OFFICIAL CAPACITY, UH, ABOUT WHAT OUR CONCERNS ARE.

OF COURSE, WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGHOUT THE INTERIM, WE'RE CONVERSING NOW, AS ALLISON MENTIONED, WE'VE MET WITH CHAIRMAN PARKER, THE NEW, UH, SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR.

UM, I THINK TOO, AND AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON SOME LEVEL WITH A BUNCH OF ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, YOU KNOW, REINVIGORATION, IF YOU WILL, OF THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS SHOP THAT JUST ONLY TOOK PLACE RIGHT BEFORE THE LAST SESSION.

WE NOW HAVE HAD THE ENTIRE RUNWAY BETWEEN LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND GOING INTO 2027 TO GO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE OUR CASE ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

SO IN, IN MY, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL OPINION, I FEEL AS THOUGH THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY AND MORE OF AN OPEN EAR TO ADDRESS THE CITY'S CONCERNS.

UM, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING MANY TIMES ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, WE ARE THE SPACE, WE ARE THE SPACE WHERE IT IS HAPPENING AND GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF INSIGHT THAT CAN IMPART SOME WISDOM BOTH TO THE STATE, BUT ALSO TO OUR PEERS, UM,

[01:55:01]

WHO ARE NEW, NEW TO HAVING THIS, UM, INDUSTRY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO I WOULD SEE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A LEADER IN THIS AND, AND YOU ALL KNOW, AND, AND I HOPE YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PULL YOU IN AND YOUR NAMES AND YOUR INFLUENCE, UM, TO MAKE SOME CALLS AND VISITS AND, AND SEND LETTERS AND THOSE THINGS, YOU WILL MOST CERTAINLY HEAR FROM US TO DO THAT.

UM, ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, I KNOW AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS IS ON THAT HEARING THAT'S COMING UP AT THE END OF JULY.

AND WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE TESTIFYING AT THAT COMMITTEE IN ADVANCE OF THE COMMITTEE.

WE WILL GO MEET ONE-ON-ONE WITH EACH OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING OUR LIMITED TIME AT THE DAIS, IF YOU WILL, EDUCATING.

WE'RE DOING THE EDUCATING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THEN USING THE COMMITTEE MEETING AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO AIR THOSE NUGGETS TO THAT TO THE LARGER UNIVERSE.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

IT DOES ALWAYS.

I'M HAPPY TO, TO TALK OFFLINE.