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AUSTIN – Texans will have the chance to decide on 17 constitutional amendments in the Nov. 4 election. 

The propositions were passed by the Texas Legislature earlier this year alongside the new state budget. 

The amendments largely deal with tax reductions for select members of the state population, prevention of additional taxes, and funding for certain institutions and infrastructure. Other propositions deal with specifying language concerning certain rights and privileges. 

Summaries and ballot language for all 17 propositions can be read below.

Proposition 1: Texas State Technical College System funds

SJR 59 would create two new funds designed to support the Texas State Technical College System: the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund and the Available Workforce Education Fund.

The funds would be designed to provide consistent funding for acquiring land, construction for buildings, repairs, library books and acquiring capital equipment for TSTC campuses.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.”

Proposition 2: Ban on unrealized capital gains tax

SJR 18 would prevent the Texas state legislature from imposing a tax on unrealized capital gains of individuals, families, estates or trusts.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.”

Proposition 3: Denying bail for certain offenses

SJR 5 would lay out scenarios for suspects charged with murder, capital murder or certain aggravated assault, kidnapping, robbery, sexual assault, indecency with a child and human trafficking to be denied bail.

Judges that grant bail to those suspects must prepare a written order explaining the justification. 

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”

Proposition 4: Dedicating revenue from sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund

HJR 7 would allocate the first $1 billion of sales tax revenue for each fiscal year to the state water fund, after collections exceed $46.5 billion.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.”

Proposition 5: Personal property tax exemptions

HJR 99 would exempt animal feed held by an owner for retail from tangible personal property taxes.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.”

Proposition 6: Taxation

HJR 4 would prohibit an occupation tax on registered securities market operators or a tax on securities transactions.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.”

Proposition 7: Homestead Tax Exemptions

HJR 133 would allow the legislature to create a homestead tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a service-connected illness.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected.”

Proposition 8: Ban on certain taxes

HJR 2 would prohibit state taxes on certain financial assets, transactions or occupations.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.”

Proposition 9: Property tax exemption for income-producing property

HJR 1 would allow the legislature to exempt up to $125,000 of the market value of income-producing personal property from property taxes.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.”

Proposition 10: Property tax exemption for improvements to homes destroyed in fire

SJR 84 would allow for a temporary tax exemption for improvements made to homes that were destroyed in a fire.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.”

Proposition 11: School district taxes

SJR 85 would increase the homestead property tax exemption for school district taxes from $10,000 to $60,000 for people who are disabled or 65 years old or older.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.”

Proposition 12: State Commission on Judicial Conduct changes

SJR 27 would increase the number of governor appointees to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from five members to seven members. There are 13 members on the commission.

It also adds and changes other rules and restrictions for members of the council and the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”

Proposition 13: Homestead Tax Exemption Increase

SJR 2 would increase the homestead property tax exemption for school district taxes from $100,000 to $140,000.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.”

Proposition 14: Dementia Prevention

SJR 3 would establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue.”

Proposition 15: Parental Rights

SJR 34 would add language to the Texas Constitution about parental rights. 

The amended article says the people of Texas affirm that “a parent has the responsibility to nurture and protect the parent’s child and the corresponding fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing.”

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”

Proposition 16: Requires US citizenship to vote

SJR 37 would add noncitizens to the list of people who are prohibited from voting in the state.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”

Proposition 17: Property tax exemptions for border security

HJR 34 would allow the legislature to exempt increases in a property’s value if the property is located in a county along the Mexican border and that the added value comes as a result of the construction or installation of border security infrastructure.

Ballot language:

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.”

The Source: Information in this report came from Texas Legislature Online.

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