During the 2025 legislative session, a two-thirds majority of the Texas Legislature passed the joint resolutions calling for a statewide election, allowing voters to decide on 17 propositions, which, if passed by a majority of the voters, would amend the Texas Constitution. These propositions address a broad range of issues - including property tax relief, bail reform, bans on new state taxes, parental rights, and investments in Texas’ future. Early voting takes place from Monday, October 20th, to Friday, October 31st, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th. Learn more about each proposition and its impact below.

Proposition 1 (SJR 59)

"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."

Summary: Texas State Technical College System does not have taxing authority to issue bonds like other two-year colleges, meaning it cannot raise bonds to fund new facilities, upgrade equipment, or expand campuses. The amendment would create two dedicated funds, the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund and the Available Workforce Education Fund, to serve as a stable source of funding for the Texas State Technical College System to expand career and technical education programs. If approved, a one-time allocation of $850 million would be allocated from the General Revenue Fund to create the permanent endowment fund. 

A Yes Vote: Supports setting up the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund and the Available Workforce Education Fund so that the Texas State Technical College System can expand career and technical education programs to help meet the growing job demand.

A No Vote: Opposes creating the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund and the Available Workforce Education Fund, leaving current funding levels unchanged.

Proposition 2 (SJR 18)

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

Summary: Proposition 2 would add language to the Texas Constitution prohibiting the Texas Legislature from creating a tax on capital gains. Capital gains are the profit that is made when individuals, families, estates, or trusts sell assets like property, stocks, or businesses, for more than they paid (realized capital gains), or from increases in the value of assets they still hold (unrealized capital gains).

A Yes Vote: Supports a constitutional ban that would prohibit the Texas Legislature from implementing a state capital gains tax.

A No Vote: Opposes a constitutional ban on state capital gains taxes, allowing the state Texas Legislature to implement the tax in the future. 

Proposition 3 (SJR 5)

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

Summary: Currently, a judge or magistrate may deny bail only in very limited circumstances. The amendment would amend the Texas Constitution to require the denial of bail pending trial to a person charged with certain serious felony offenses, including murder, aggravated assault, indecency with a child, and human trafficking - if prosecutors present sufficient evidence that releasing the person would endanger public safety or risk the defendant’s failure to appear in court.

A Yes Vote: Supports amending the constitution to authorize judges or magistrates to deny bail to individuals accused of certain violent offenses that are punishable as a felony. 

A No Vote: Opposes expanding the circumstances under which bail may be denied. 

Proposition 4 (HJR 7)

"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."

Summary: In the November 2023 election, Texas voters passed Proposition 6, creating the Texas Water Fund to assist in financing water projects in Texas. If approved by the voters, this amendment would constitutionally dedicate $1 billion in sales and use tax revenues to the Texas Water Fund each state fiscal year - but only if the state collects more than $46.5 billion in sales tax that year. Over the coming years, our state must meet the increased demand for water. This measure aims to provide a sustainable funding mechanism to help address funding shortfalls and support the long-term expansion and maintenance of Texas’ water supply. The provision would go into effect September 1, 2027, and would expire August 31, 2047. 

A Yes Vote: Supports dedicating up to $1 billion annually from state sales tax revenue to provide a funding source for Texas water projects to help address infrastructure needs, expand water supply, and help meet the state’s growing demand for water.

A No Vote: Opposes dedicating up to $1 billion annually from state sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund, leaving state funding for water projects up to the Texas Legislature’s regular budget process. 

Proposition 5 (HJR 99)

"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."

Summary: Under current law, animal feed is not taxed, except when it is sitting in a store as inventory. This amendment would allow the Texas Legislature to make animal feed held for retail sale by retailers exempt from property taxes.

A Yes Vote: Supports giving the Texas Legislature the authority to pass a property tax exemption on animal feed held by the property owner for retail sale.

A No Vote: Opposes allowing the Texas Legislature to exempt animal feed held for retail sale from property taxes, keeping current taxation rules in place.

Proposition 6 (HJR 4)

"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."

Summary: Concerns over proposed financial transaction taxes in New York and New Jersey led exchanges, including Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange, to explore expanding operations in Texas. While those tax proposals were dropped, the situation contributed to the creation of the Texas Stock Exchange. Proposition 6 would prohibit the Texas Legislature from imposing an occupation tax on securities market operators, such as stock exchanges and brokers. It would also prohibit taxes on securities transactions, including investments such as retirement accounts and pensions.

A Yes Vote: Supports prohibiting the Texas Legislature from imposing an occupation tax or securities transaction tax, giving certainty to financial markets and investors that these taxes won’t be imposed. 

A No Vote: Opposes prohibiting the Texas Legislature from imposing an occupation tax or securities transaction tax, allowing the Texas Legislature the freedom to impose such taxes in the future. 

Proposition 7 (HJR 133)

"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."

Summary: This amendment would allow the Texas Legislature to implement a full or partial homestead property tax exemption to the surviving spouses of U.S. veterans who died from service-connected conditions. The exemption can transfer to a new home if the surviving spouse moves, but the surviving spouse is no longer eligible for the exemption if they remarry. 

A Yes Vote: Supports allowing the Texas Legislature to provide a homestead property tax exemption for eligible surviving spouses of veterans.

A No Vote: Opposes allowing the Texas Legislature to implement a homestead property tax exemption for eligible surviving spouses of veterans, keeping current tax rules in place.

Proposition 8 (HJR 2)

"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."

Summary: This amendment would prohibit the Texas Legislature, now and in the future, from imposing a state tax on estates, inheritances, or transfers of property from one person, family, estate, or trust to another.

A Yes Vote: Supports prohibiting the Texas Legislature from being able to impose a death tax. 

A No Vote: Opposes prohibiting the Texas Legislature from being able to impose a death tax, allowing the Texas Legislature the ability to impose the tax in the future. 

Proposition 9 (HJR 1)

"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."

Summary: The amendment would increase the exemption for tangible personal property that a person or business owns and uses to produce income, like equipment, vehicles, and inventory. This is also known as the business personal property tax.  Under current law, businesses receive an exemption of $2,500 toward the total taxable value of personal property. The amendment would increase the exemption to $125,000 of the market value of tangible personal property that a person or business uses for the production of income.

A Yes Vote: Supports increasing the tangible personal property exemption from $2,500 to $125,000, increasing, providing tax relief for small businesses. 

A No Vote: Opposes increasing the tangible personal property exemption, keeping the current $2,500 exemption in place.

Proposition 10 (SJR 84)

"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."

Summary: This amendment would implement a temporary property tax exemption for a home that is completely destroyed by fire. If a home is uninhabitable for at least 30 days, the home would be exempt from property taxes for the rest of that year. The exemption only applies to a habitable structure, so it would not apply to a garage, barn, or similar building.

A Yes Vote: Supports temporarily exempting an uninhabitable home from property taxes if it is completely destroyed by a fire. 

A No Vote: Opposes providing a temporary property tax exemption for uninhabitable homes completely destroyed by fire. 

Proposition 11 (SJR 85)

"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."

Summary: The amendment would increase the homestead property tax exemption for seniors (65+) and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000. Combined with Proposition 13, these individuals would receive a $200,000 homestead exemption on their property taxes. 

A Yes Vote: Supports increasing the homestead exemption for seniors and disabled residents to $60,000.

A No Vote: Opposes increasing the homestead exemption, keeping the exemption for seniors and disabled residents unchanged at $10,000.

Proposition 12 (SJR 27)

"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."

Summary: This amendment would change how the State Commission on Judicial Conduct is structured, increasing citizen representation, and how it disciplines judges. The 13-member commission would include six judges or justices (only two from trial courts) and seven citizens appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. The amendment would also allow the commission to issue a private sanction to a judge or justice only if they have not been previously sanctioned and the allegations do not involve criminal conduct. It would also clarify the commission’s authority to recommend the removal or retirement of a judge and specify when the commission is allowed or required to suspend a judge or justice from office.

A Yes Vote: Supports reforming the composition and authority of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

A No Vote: Opposes reforming the composition and authority of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, keeping the current commission structure and disciplinary process intact.  

Proposition 13 (SJR 2)

"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."

Summary: The amendment would increase the homestead property tax exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. Combined with Proposition 11, seniors (65+) and disabled homeowners would receive a $200,000 homestead exemption on their property taxes. 

A Yes Vote: Supports increasing the homestead exemption to $140,000. 

A No Vote: Opposes increasing the homestead exemption, keeping the exemption unchanged at  $100,000.

Proposition 14 (SJR 3)

"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."

Summary: The amendment would establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to provide grants and assistance to support research, prevention, and treatment for dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders. If approved, $3 billion from the state’s general revenue would be transferred to the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to establish the institute, and $300 million per year would be allocated in the 2026-2027 biennium to support the institute’s operations and research programs.

A Yes Vote: Supports creating the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, to fund research, prevention, and treatment for dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related brain disorders.

A No Vote: Opposes creating the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and allocating state funding for its research, prevention, and treatment programs.

Proposition 15 (SJR 34)

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

Summary: This amendment codifies the rights of parents as the primary decision-makers for their children in the Texas Constitution. Currently, protection of these rights derives from federal case law, which can change as courts evolve. Placing parental rights in the state constitution is intended to provide clarity and longevity, ensuring parents remain empowered regardless of future federal decisions.

A Yes Vote: Supports constitutional affirmation of parental rights.

A No Vote: Opposes adding language to the Texas Constitution affirming parental rights.

Proposition 16 (SJR 37)

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

Summary:  The amendment would amend Section 1, Article VI, of the Texas Constitution, to expressly state that persons who are not citizens of the United States are prohibited from voting in Texas. Section 2, Article VI, of the Texas Constitution provides that a resident of the state who is a United States citizen is considered a qualified voter unless disqualified under Section 1. Section 2 implies that only a U.S. citizen is qualified to vote, but does not expressly disqualify noncitizens. The proposed amendment to Section 1 would clarify that noncitizens are ineligible to vote.

A Yes Vote: Supports amending the Texas Constitution to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote.

A No Vote: Opposes adding explicit language to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote, leaving the current wording unchanged.

Proposition 17 (HJR 34)

"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."

Summary: Concerns have been raised that border security infrastructure added to private land by the state could increase the property’s appraisal value, putting a financial burden on property owners. The amendment would ensure that property owners are not financially penalized by providing a property tax exemption for the value added to property through the construction or installation of improvements under a qualified border security infrastructure agreement or on land dedicated for that purpose through a recorded easement.

A Yes Vote: Supports implementing a property tax exemption for any increase in a property’s value caused by the construction or installation of border security infrastructure.

A No Vote: Opposes implementing this property tax exemption, meaning that property owners would not be protected from an increase in their property value due to border security infrastructure on their property.