Blog Article
What to Know About the Proposed Texas Constitutional Amendments on the November 2025 Ballot
Voters across Texas will have the opportunity this November to approve or reject 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution covering issues ranging from property tax exemptions to bail reform. The propositions were approved during the regular legislative session and now head to the people for final approval, as required for all constitutional amendments in Texas.
Below is a summary of each proposition, and our recommendation:
Proposition 1: Creates a permanent infrastructure fund and workforce education fund to support capital needs at Texas State Technical College. Vote AGAINST. We support the purpose, but the structure creates a separate entity outside of the control of the Legislature & the People.
Proposition 2: Prohibits any state-imposed tax on realized or unrealized capital gains of individuals, families, estates, or trusts. Vote FOR
Proposition 3: Allows judges to deny bail in certain felony cases under specific conditions. Vote FOR
Proposition 4: Dedicates a portion of sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund for long-term water infrastructure needs. Vote FOR
Proposition 5: Exempts animal feed held for retail sale from ad valorem (property) taxes. Vote AGAINST. This would help ranchers, but anytime we 'carve out' an item or a group from having to pay sales tax we are playing favorites and leaving the rest of us 'regular folks' to carry the burden for everyone. Plus, if we do switch from a property tax to a higher sales tax the cost of approving this will be higher than is now realized.
Proposition 6: Bans the legislature from taxing transactions involving securities or imposing certain occupation taxes. Vote AGAINST. The movement of brokerage & securities companies to Texas is in the beginning stages so this may not seem like a big deal. But the expectation is that more—perhaps most—of the industry will move here. This is a clandestine give-away that will forgo BILLIONS in tax receipts; business taxes that could replace property taxes on residential homes.
Proposition 7: Provides a property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a service-related condition or disease. Vote AGAINST. Again, carve outs--no matter how well intentioned or the emotions we feel toward the recipients--harm the large group of regular citizens that desire & deserve property tax relief. This is a ‘divide & conquer’ tactic: the more special groups that ‘get theirs’ the less there are to stand together for relief for everyone.
Proposition 8: Prohibits the legislature from imposing “death taxes” such as inheritance, estate, or gift taxes. Vote FOR. Death tax is a double-taxation.
Proposition 9: Allows an exemption from property tax on personal property used to produce income. Vote AGAINST. This shifts the burden even more to regular citizens. “No carve-outs for some; Tax relief FOR ALL.”
Proposition 10: Offers a temporary tax exemption on homestead improvements damaged or destroyed by fire. Vote FOR.
Proposition 11: Increases the property tax exemption for elderly or disabled Texans by school districts. Vote FOR.
Proposition 12: Reforms the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, including how the Texas Supreme Court reviews its recommendations. Vote FOR.
Proposition 13: Raises the school district homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. Vote FOR.
Proposition 14: Creates a new Dementia Prevention and Research Institute and Fund, dedicating $3 billion from general revenue. Vote AGAINST. Creates a 'fund' that has its own tax mechanism that allows this to bypass the regular appropriation process. Duplicates research nationwide that’s already in place.
Proposition 15: Affirms that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children. Vote FOR!
Proposition 16: Clarifies that only U.S. citizens may vote in Texas elections. Vote FOR!
Proposition 17: Provides a property tax exemption for border-area land improved for border security infrastructure. Vote FOR.
Texans will vote on these propositions on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. A simple majority vote is required for each measure to pass. Early voting begins on October 20 and runs through October 31.
