Texas voters will face 17 proposed constitutional amendments on their ballots this November 4, covering a wide range of tax, immigration, education, and public safety issues. These measures, passed by a two-thirds legislative majority, reflect a major policy push by Texas lawmakers to shape the future of the state through its foundational legal document.
Key conservative priorities are on the ballot:
- Proposition 2 would ban any future state capital gains tax.
- Proposition 6 would prohibit occupation or securities transaction taxes.
- Proposition 8 would permanently ban death taxes on estates and gifts.
- Proposition 16 would explicitly clarify in the state constitution that only U.S. citizens may vote.
- Proposition 15 affirms that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children, codifying federal precedent in the Texas Constitution.
- Proposition 17 exempts property taxes on private land improved for border security infrastructure.
Tax relief also features prominently:
- Proposition 5 eliminates property taxes on animal feed sold at retail.
- Proposition 9 raises and locks in a $250,000 exemption for small business personal property.
- Proposition 10 creates a temporary property tax exemption for homes destroyed by fire.
- Propositions 11 and 13 increase school tax exemptions for the elderly, disabled, and all homeowners, respectively.
Public safety and judicial reform also appear:
- Proposition 3 allows denial of bail for violent felons.
- Proposition 12 reforms oversight of judicial misconduct.
Other major proposals include:
- Proposition 1 and 4 which commit state funds to technical education and water infrastructure, respectively.
- Proposition 14, which creates a taxpayer-funded Dementia Research Institute with an initial $3 billion commitment and $300 million annually.
- Proposition 7 provides a homestead tax exemption to surviving spouses of deceased veterans.
