Commissioners ratify grant submissions

During Tuesday’s Hays County Commissioners Court meeting, two grant applications were ratified by the court to assist the Texas Veterans Commission. 

Grant applications for $150,000 and $300,000 were submitted with the first going toward Veteran Service County Funding and the second going towards Veterans Court Treatment Program. 

In other business, Hays County Administrator and Voter Registrar, Jennifer Anderson presented the court with the returns from the Nov. 2 election to be canvassed. Commissioners went on to approve the canvassing of the votes from the statewide propositions. 

Proposition 1 passed with 15,756 votes in favor and 2,741 opposed, while proposition 2 passed with 11,466 votes for and 6,905 against.

Propositions 1 allows for charitable raffles to be held at rodeo events by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. Proposition 2 authorizes counties to issue bonds or notes in order to raise funds for transportation and infrastructure in underdeveloped areas. 

Proposition 3 and 4 passed with prop 3 having 10,112 votes for and 8,350 against. Prop 4 passed with 10,047 votes for and 7,621votes against. 

Proposition 3 bans the state from prohibiting or limiting religious services. Proposition 4 requires candidates for Texas Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals or a Texas court of appeals to have 10 years of experience practicing law in Texas to be eligible for election.

Propositions 5 and 6 passed with 10,363 for 5 and 7,267 against it. There were a total of 15,803 in favor of prop 6 and 2,420 votes opposed. 

Proposition 5 allows the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to have oversight of candidates running for judicial office. The commission would be able to accept complaints or reports, conducting investigations and reprimanding them. Prop 6 allows nursing home and assisted living facility residents to designate one essential caregiver who cannot be denied in-person visitation rights. 

Proposition 7 passed with 16150 in favor and 2,199 in opposition. The final proposition, prop 8, received 16,089 votes for and 2,204 against. 

Prop 7 limits school district property taxes from being incurred by the surviving spouse of a person with disabilities who is older than 65 and has died. The proposition states that the surviving spouse must be at least 55 years old at the time of the partner’s death and still live in the home. Prop 8 expands eligibility for residential homestead property tax exemptions to include spouses of military members killed or fatally injured in the line of duty. 

Statewide, all eight propositions were approved by Texas voters. 

At the start of the meeting, the court adopted a proclamation recognizing Texas State University during National First-Gen Week from Nov. 8-13. The proclimation also recognizes the observance of National First Gen Day, to honor and celebrate the signing of the Higher Education Act by Lyndon B. Johnson on the Texas State University campus in November of 1965.

After the citizen comment period, the commissioners went directly to the agenda item regarding  the public hearing related to the redistricting of justice of the peace (and constable) and commissioners precincts within Hays County. 

Several county citizens spoke out against two (CC1 and CC2) maps that were later created and posted on the county Redistricting Advisory Commission (RAC) website on Nov. 4.

Initially, the M9 and SM2 maps were presented to the commissioners by the RAC during the Nov. 2 court meeting.

For updates and results from the court surrounding the final redistricting map passed by the commissioners, visit sanmarcosrecord.com. 

To view the full agenda and meeting, visit hayscountytx.com/commissioners-court/court-video/. 

The Daily Record previsouly published that there was no proclamation made recognizing First-Gen Week at Texas State University during the commissioners court meeting. The information in the article has been corrected and we apologize for this error and any confusion this may have caused.