Government and Politics

Tomorrow is Election Day in Texas, with voters deciding on 17 proposed constitutional amendments. Our Brad Burt reports that Lubbock County saw unusually high early voting turnout for this type of election — more than 13,000 ballots cast — though that’s still just 6.7% of registered voters. Statewide turnout remains low, with fewer than a million Texans voting early. The amendments cover issues from tax cuts to a multibillion-dollar state water fund.

Two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funding to provide SNAP benefits. But it's unclear how much, or when, those funds would be provided before the funding runs dry.

The Texas Restaurant Association says it’s “sounding the alarm” about an economic slump for eateries across the state. Tariffs and a crackdown on immigration are contributing.

Texas Senator Charles Perry talked to a crowd at the Abilene Country Club about the proposals on the November ballot.

Some students and professors say recent changes and scandals chill speech at universities. Others argue that conservative opinions can now be shared more freely.

If passed, the proposition would dedicate $1 billion a year to water projects.

Judges who decline to perform weddings based on their religious beliefs won't be violating state rules on judicial impartiality, the Texas Supreme Court said in a comment added to the state judicial conduct code Friday.

Shortly after the updated false alarm ordinance took effect on Oct. 1, concerns from the public began to circulate. Lubbock police say similar ordinances are used in other Texas cities, but whether the systems have reduced the problem of false alarms for those cities remains unclear. Now, the council is repealing the ordinance, with apologies for the procedure that many felt was not transparent.

Tax reform, along with bail practices, dementia research and the state's water supply, are on a ballot that includes 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Early voting starts Monday. Election Day is Nov. 4.

Fewer Texas teachers are considering leaving the classroom compared to last year, but Houston Public Media’s Michael Adkison reports the vast majority are still thinking about it. The Supreme Court will consider whether regular marijuana users can legally own guns after a request from the Justice Department. KERA’s Toluwani Osibamowo explains the court is reviving a Texas man's felony gun charge to consider the issue.