School spending. Comptroller Don Huffines on Monday selected Austin ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, El Paso ISD and Prosper ISD for performance reviews that will test whether their spending complies with state law and goes to students, classrooms and teachers rather than administrative growth, according to his office. A final report is due December 31. Gov. Greg Abbott requested the review in August, the Texas Tribune reported.
Medical records. Huffines signed an order Tuesday directing his agency to publish a proposed amendment to Rule 3.342, which governs the taxation of information services, to stop collecting sales tax on electronic health record systems, patient portals and related software, his office announced. The proposal goes to the Texas Register for a 30-day public comment period. “No Texan should have to pay a tax to see their own medical records,” Huffines said.
STAAR. School districts asked the Texas Education Agency to rescore 64,489 STAAR answers after the spring 2026 tests, up from 21,620 a year earlier and 2,758 in spring 2024, the Texas Tribune reported from agency figures. The agency began using computer scoring on open-ended reading questions in December 2023. Human reviewers handle every rescore.
Attorney General. Paxton issued Civil Investigative Demands to Hanes and Fruit of the Loom on Tuesday as part of an investigation into whether children’s undergarments contain toxic chemicals, according to his office. The release names bisphenols, phthalates, PFAS and parabens among the substances under scrutiny.
Alberta. Voters returned more than 3,000 mail-in ballots in Alberta’s October 19 referendum with missing declaration forms, errors or identification problems, Elections Alberta said Tuesday, the Canadian Press reported. The agency has verified about 221,000 completed ballots out of more than 652,000 packages sent, and voters can still correct their information by email.
Quebec. Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Tuesday that his Parti Québécois minority government will spend its first months on homelessness, government spending, the cost of living and trade with the United States, Global News reported. He still pledges an independence referendum during his first term. The party won 59 seats, five short of a majority in the National Assembly.
TNM calendar. TNM’s Smith County team holds an information table at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, October 10, in Lindale, according to the TNM calendar. The Bexar County team’s Alamo Memorial March starts at the Alamo in San Antonio at 6:30 p.m. the same day. On Tuesday, October 13, the Brazoria County team holds a meet and greet and Texian App workshop at Smithhart’s Texas Grill in Angleton, according to the TNM calendar.
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