• By katyjax
• Constitutional Amendments

Reference documents first.

Sample ballot for residents of Aransas County and Rockport-Fulton ISD https://www.aransascountytx.gov/electionadmin/e-docs/November%202025%20Sample%20Ballot%20All%20Precincts%20WITH%20RFISD.pdf

Sample ballot for residents of Aransas County and Aransas Pass ISD https://www.aransascountytx.gov/electionadmin/e-docs/November%202025%20Sample%20Ballot%20All%20Precincts%20WITH%20APISD.pdf

Non-Partisan information on all Constitutional Amendments https://tlc.texas.gov/docs/amendments/analyses25_condensed.pdf

The links for the True Texas Project, Texas Fiscal Responsibility and Texas Public Policy recommendations are shown in Proposition 1 discussion.

First and foremost – vote NO on the request from the Rockport-Fulton ISD or the Aransas Pass ISD property tax increase over the rate allowed by law!  This is the last item on the ballot butthe most important in my opinion.

Proposition 1:  “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.”

While the need to provide education and training to the workforce for the advanced needs of the industries of Texas is necessary, automatic funding outside the standard budgetary process for capital acquisition and improvements are not a good use of taxpayer money.  With this amendment, the TSTC system would receive the funding but not need to show any return on investment.  The TSTC System would also receive the funds whether they needed them or not.

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR), True Texas Project (TTP) and Texas Policy Research (TPR) are against this proposition.

I am also recommending no on proposition one because there is no oversight.  This funding should remain as part of the budgetary process.

Proposition 2 – “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate or trust.”

Currently, Texas does not explicitly tax realized or unrealized capital gains.  This amendment will codify this stance.

I will be voting YES on proposition two.  TPR, TFR and TTP also recommend YES.  This amendment will protect against future legislatures taxing realized or unrealized capital gains without the consent of the people.

Proposition 3 – “The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to person accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”

This amendment gives magistrates the ability to deny bail to individuals accused of committing sexual offenses of the first degree, violent offenses as defined by the Texas Constitution or continuous trafficking of persons.  This will require a preponderance of evidence the accused would flee or commit another offense.

The recommendations are mixed on this amendment.  TFR is neutral, TTP is in support and TPR is against.  TPR is against because they see this amendment as a denial of individual liberty and denial of judicial discretion.

I would recommend voting yes on this amendment.  We have all seen the headlines of violent offenders out on bail committing new violent offenses.  In my opinion, this amendment requires magistrates and judges to be more thoughtful about approving or denying bail.

Proposition 4:  “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.”

This amendment would require the Comptroller to deposit the first $1B after the first $46.5B of tax revenue received be transferred to the Texas Water Fund.  The only chance to change this in the first ten years is by the adoption of a concurrent resolution in case of a disaster.  These funds cannot be transferred further by the Texas Water Fund to the New Water Supply Fund.  This funding would have no legislative oversight.

Water availability is a huge concern in Texas.  People need water to survive and thrive.  Water is a necessity for farming and ranching.  Data centers need incredible amount of water for cooling of systems.

Several questions come to mind but I will only discuss one here.  Why is the Texas Water Fund more important than any other fund?  It seems the State’s budget gets funded and then the Water Fund gets it $1B and then everyone else can fight over the scraps.  With this being put into the Constitution, there is no oversight as part of the budget process, no return on investment statements.

I will be voting no on this amendment.  This amendment is enabled by SB7 which makes massive changes to Texas Water Board Development.  With $5B already given to the Texas Water Fund in the 88^th Legislature, I say let SB7 changes become effective and then review its progress.

TTP, TFR and TPR are all opposed to Proposition 4.

Proposition 5:  “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.”

Animal feed is not taxed except when it is in stock at a retailer as part of tangible personal property.  This causes an increase in animal feed prices.

I say YES to proposition 5.  Our farmers and ranchers need help in reducing operating costs and this exemption for retailers is a simple one.  TPR, TTP and TFR all support this proposition.

Proposition 6:  “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 security transactions.”

This proposition codifies a ban on a tax which is currently not imposed.  Proposition 6 is pro-business and pro-investment.  It ensure the people must consent to institute the tax.

TTP, TFR, TPR and I support this proposition.

Proposition 7:  “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.”

The surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, by current law, retains the exemption from the disabled veteran’s disability if the surviving spouse does not remarry and remains in the residence.  This proposition adds veterans disabled by conditions related to the PACT Act of 2022 to the eligible conditions.

TPR and TFR support this proposition while TTP opposes.  TTP opposes as another carve out instead of the complete elimination of property taxes.  I support this proposition.

Proposition 8:  “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.”

Texas currently does not have estate or inheritance taxes.  This amendment codifies this and binds future legislatures to not impose this tax.

Supported by TTP, TPR, TFR and me.

Proposition 9:  “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.”

The amendment enables HB9 which exempts up to $250,000 of market value of income generating property (equipment, tools, machines, etc.) for businesses.  The current exemption of $2,500.  As with other property tax exemptions, this does not affect State revenue.

TFR, TTP, and TPR support this proposition as do I.

Proposition 10:  “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.”

A temporary exemption while the residence is being repaired/replaced is common sense.  The owner should have tax relief during recovery.

TTP, TPR, TFR and I support this proposition.

Proposition 11:  “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.”

This proposition would increase the additional homestead exemption for school district property tax for disabled and seniors from $10,000 to $60,000.  This will require a negative impact to State general revenue of $1.2B.

I oppose this proposition as do TTP and TPR.  TFR is neutral.  TFR believes there are older and disabled homeowners living on fixed incomes and need the assistance but the measure falls short of being meaningful.

Proposition 12:  “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.”

The proposition’s enabling legislation, SB293, expands the Commission to include more citizens than judges.  It also provides for more transparency.

TFR is neutral while TPR, TTP and I are in favor.

Proposition 13:  “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.”

This proposition will raise the basic homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 with a negative impact to the general revenue of the state of $2.7B.

TTP “reluctantly” supports while TPR, TFR and I support this proposition.  With the general revenue taking the offset, this should provide some tax relief.  It could have been so much more.

Proposition 14:  “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.”

Creating a new state-run research institute, this proposition requires $3B from State revenues to start and $300M per year thereafter.  Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other related diseases and disorders need research into causes, treatments and cures.  The enabling legislation, SB5, does not provide for any oversight including return on investment.

TFR, TTP, TFR and I are against this proposition.  The enabling legislation requires more bureaucracy and political appointees than the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.  Private industry, non-profits and universities are better funded and staffed for this endeavor.

Proposition 15:  “The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”

TFR, TPR and I support this while TTP opposes.  TTP states “Prop 15 would simply declare that parents have the inherent right to make decisions for their children. We should not have to put this into the State Constitution!”  I would argue that the natural rights guaranteed by the US Constitution did not need to be codified because we received them from God.  Thank you to the Founders for writing them into the Constitution so we still have them today!

Proposition 16:  “The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”

This one is a no-brainer.  The US and Texas Constitution state voters must be citizens.  The proposition simply states it must be proven.

Everyone supports this except Democrats.

Proposition 17:  “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.”

In the simplest terms, the enabling legislation (HB247) allows for property tax exemptions for landowners on the US-Mexico border for land granted for easements to the US government for border security improvements.

TFR, TTP, TPR and I support this proposition.  Landowners are given funds with the initial easement, but this ensures the landowners continue to receive benefits.

Some statements I feel I need to make.

In general, I support property tax exemptions but would prefer we do away with them starting with School District Maintenance and Operating taxes.

The true issue here is there must be some kind of revenue to replace property taxes.  While all additional available funds after funding the budget should go to buying down the M&O taxes, a bad year on state income means these taxes would shoot back up.

It seems the leading concept on eliminating property taxes if value-added taxes.  In short, these would need to double the current sales tax.  I wait for smarter people than me to figure this all out.

“Bail Reform” is not difficult in my opinion.  There are arguments about unfair restriction of liberty and the like.  I think most people are more concerned about their own safety and that of their friends and family.  We have too many stories in the news about people released without bail for a violent offense who commit another while awaiting trial.

Finally – Early voting has begun and continues through October 31.  Election Day is November 4.  Please see below graphic for more information on when and where to vote.