This November’s Quiet Election Could Shape Texas for Decades

17 proposed constitutional amendments. Low turnout. Big consequences.

I know everyone’s focused on Texas’ redistricting right now, and I love seeing us engaged in state politics, connecting those dots to national politics, and realizing how a ripple here can turn into a wave.

But I also want you to start thinking about this November’s ballot. It’s not midterms. It’s not the presidential election. But Texans will have 17 proposed constitutional amendments to vote on in November of 2025.

In 2023, only about 2.5 million people decided the fate of similar measures. Compare that to 11.3 million Texans who voted in the 2020 presidential election, out of nearly 22.94 million voting-age residents. That’s a massive drop, and it’s why voter apathy plays such a big role in where we are today.

Whether you vote or not, these amendments will affect you. I’ve broken down each proposition in plain language below so you can understand what’s at stake.

Most importantly: show up to vote. Voter apathy is how we got here. Voting is how we get out.

Bonus: print out my Texas Voter 2025 Prep Sheet, and bring it with your ID to the polls in November.

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.”

What it does: Creates two permanent funds to help Texas State Technical Colleges pay for buildings, labs, and equipment.

• YES: You want to create long-term funding for technical college facilities, supporting career and workforce training.
• NO: You do not want to dedicate these funds, leaving future funding to regular budget cycles.

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.”

What it does: Bans a state tax on realized or unrealized capital gains (profits from selling or even just holding investments).

• YES: You want to ensure Texas can never tax capital gains for individuals, families, estates, or trusts.
• NO: You want to keep the option open for future lawmakers to impose such a tax if needed.

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.”

What it does: Requires judges to deny bail for certain felony charges under certain circumstances.

• YES: You want to limit bail availability for people accused of specific serious crimes.
• NO: You want judges to retain more discretion on granting bail in felony cases.

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.”

What it does: Permanently dedicates part of state sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund for infrastructure and water supply projects.

• YES: You want to secure a dedicated funding stream for state water projects.
• NO: You want that sales tax money to remain available for other state budget needs.

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.”

What it does: Lets lawmakers exempt retail animal feed from property taxes when it’s in inventory.

• YES: You want animal feed held for sale to be exempt from local property taxes, potentially lowering costs for feed stores.
• NO: You want feed inventory to continue being taxed like other goods in inventory.

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.”

What it does: Prevents lawmakers from creating a tax on securities transactions (like buying or selling stocks).

• YES: You want to permanently block a state tax on securities trades.
• NO: You want to keep the option for the state to consider such a tax 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.”

What it does: Lets lawmakers create a property tax exemption for surviving spouses of veterans who died from certain service-connected conditions.

• YES: You want to give these surviving spouses a property tax break.
• NO: You do not want to expand property tax exemptions in this way.

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.”

What it does: Bans “death taxes” (estate, inheritance, gift taxes) at the state level.

• YES: You want to prohibit Texas from ever imposing these taxes.
• NO: You want to leave the door open for such taxes if lawmakers decide 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.”

What it does: Lets lawmakers exempt part of the value of income-producing personal property (like business equipment) from property taxes.

• YES: You want to lower property taxes on certain business-related items.
• NO: You want to keep taxing these items at their current rates.

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.”

What it does: Lets lawmakers give a temporary property tax break if your home is completely destroyed by fire.

• YES: You want homeowners to get a tax exemption in that situation.
• NO: You want property taxes to continue as usual until the home is rebuilt.

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.”

What it does: Raises the school district property tax exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners.

• YES: You want to increase property tax relief for seniors and disabled homeowners.
• NO: You want to keep the current exemption level.
  

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.”

What it does: Changes how judicial misconduct cases are handled, adjusting who reviews them and how judges can be sanctioned.

• YES: You want to update the system for holding judges accountable.
• NO: You want to keep the current process for judicial discipline.
  

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.”

What it does: Increases the general school district homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000.

• YES: You want to raise the property tax break for most homeowners.
• NO: You want to keep the exemption 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.”

What it does: Creates a Dementia Prevention and Research Institute and funds it with $3 billion for research and treatment.

• YES: You want to create and fund a large-scale state effort to fight dementia and related diseases.
• NO: You do not want to dedicate $3 billion in state funds to this purpose.

Proposition 15 – SJR 34
“The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”

What it does: Declares parents as the primary decision-makers for their children.

• YES: You want the state constitution to explicitly state parental primacy in decision-making for children.
• NO: You don’t want to enshrine that language, possibly leaving more flexibility for state or local policy on children’s welfare.

Proposition 16 – SJR 37
“The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”

What it does: States that voters must be U.S. citizens (already current law, but adds it to the constitution).

• YES: You want this requirement explicitly in the constitution.
• NO: You think it’s unnecessary to restate existing law in the constitution.

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.”

What it does: Lets lawmakers exempt property taxes for improvements in border counties related to border security infrastructure.

• YES: You want property owners in border counties to get a tax break for building border security projects.
• NO: You don’t want this special exemption, keeping current tax rules.