Texas Campus Ban on Late-Night Expression ‘Vexing’ to Judge

A Texas law limiting the hours college students can participate in otherwise protected forms of expression is likely unconstitutional, a federal judge indicated Thursday.

During a hearing in Austin, US District Judge David Ezra seemed prepared to grant an injunction striking down the statute, which lawmakers passed after more than 150 people were arrested on Texas campuses during pro-Palestinian protests last year.

“This is a very vexing statute to say the least,” Ezra of the Western District of Texas said. “I don’t mean to criticize the state legislature, but this could have been avoided with what I’d call different drafting.” ...