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November 4th Constitutional Amendment & Joint Elections

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By dptstaff
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The Texas Legislature passed 17 joint resolutions proposing amendments to the Texas Constitution. Texans will have the opportunity to vote on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to decide on whether to approve the proposed constitutional amendments. In addition to proposed amendments, several cities and school districts in Dallas County will also be holding local elections.   Following is the wording of the proposed amendments as they will appear on the ballot and my position for each amendment. Regardless of your views on the issues, I encourage you to participate in the process and exercise your right and vote.   Remember, only with your participation can our great democracy work!                                    
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would establish the Permanent Technical Institution Fund and the Available Workforce Education Fund, providing essential funding for Texas State Technical College to expand programs and facilities, address local workforce shortages, improve access to technical education, and strengthen the state’s economy.  
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.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition would limit the ability of future legislatures to decide whether to impose a capital gains tax during economic circumstances that current legislators cannot foresee. It could also reduce tax revenue and encourage business entities to organize as business trusts to avoid paying franchise taxes. The current franchise tax on business trusts that sell assets for a gain could be considered a prohibited capital gains tax that could no longer be collected.
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.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition requires judges to deny pretrial bail for certain serious offenses if the offense is “clear and convincing evidence” or a “preponderance of the evidence” that bail would not reasonably ensure the safety of the community, law enforcement, or the victim. This would lead to longer pretrial detentions for individuals who have yet to be convicted of a crime, increasing the financial and personal burdens of detention on these defendants and undermining the presumption of innocence.  
Proposition 4 (HJR 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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would direct the comptroller of public accounts to deposit $1 billion of the state sales and use tax revenue into the Texas water fund each state fiscal year. Dedicated funding for water infrastructure will provide a predictable funding stream to improve water planning efforts, promote confidence in the state’s ability to tackle its water challenges in the eyes of businesses, and ensure that infrastructure can keep up with demands without increasing pressure on ratepayers.
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.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition would exempt animal feed inventory from local business personal property taxes, further eroding local fiscal flexibility with no guarantee that savings will reach consumers. Livestock feed is already exempt from the state sales tax and is generally untaxed throughout its production and consumption lifecycle, making this exemption an unnecessary carveout for agricultural retail stores, including large chains.
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.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition would ban a tax that Texas does not impose. More importantly, banning possible revenue streams before they exist means that the bulk of local revenue will need to continue coming from property taxes, which burden working-class individuals.  
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would update state law to align with the PACT Act, ensuring surviving spouses of these veterans finally receive the same property tax relief granted to other veterans and their families.
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would ban estate and inheritance taxes. The money that a person leaves at their death has already been taxed, and the government should be limited in the number of times it may tax the same assets. Additionally, banning such a tax could promote economic growth and job creation, ultimately generating revenue for the state. 
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would deliver property tax relief by exempting up to $125,000 of business personal property from taxation, helping small businesses reinvest and grow. It would strengthen Texas’s pro-business climate while keeping the measure fiscally responsible.     
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would allow a temporary property tax exemption for residential homeowners whose property was completely destroyed by a fire. This will provide relief for homeowners experiencing the tragic loss of their homes.
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would increase the homestead exemption for Texas homeowners who are 65 years of age or older or disabled to $60,000, providing greater support for older and disabled residents on fixed incomes. The state will provide funds to offset the revenue loss to school districts from the increased exemption. 
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.”   Oppose – This proposition expands and restructures the State Commission on Judicial Conduct by granting it new powers and altering the disciplinary process. While it may appear to improve accountability, in practice, it risks politicizing judicial discipline and weakening effective oversight. Given Texas’s history of partisan influence, the measure could be weaponized against progressive judges while shielding those in positions of power.
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would increase the homestead to $140,000, providing additional tax relief to homeowners. The State would provide the funds to offset the revenue loss to school districts from the increased exemption. The bill also adjusts the property tax freeze for Texans who are over 65 or disabled to ensure these groups also benefit from the increased exemption. 
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.”   Support – Passage of this proposition would create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, along with a corresponding Fund, and allocate $3 billion from the state to support research on preventing and treating dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders.
Proposition 15 (SJR 34)   “The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition to amend the state constitution is unnecessary. The question of parental rights of parents regarding the care and custody of their children is already addressed and protected under state law and through federal case rulings.     
Proposition 16 (SJR 37)   “The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition would add language to the Texas Constitution stating that only U.S. citizens may vote, but Texas law already requires citizenship to register and cast a ballot. It could confuse or discourage participation among eligible voters, contribute to anti-immigrant rhetoric, and set a precedent for using constitutional amendments for symbolic reasons rather than essential needs. 
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.”   Oppose – Passage of this proposition would exempt from taxation the added value of property used for border security infrastructure in counties along the Texas-Mexico border. The exemption would narrow the tax base, potentially shift the burden to other property owners, and could force local governments to raise tax rates, making broad-based tax relief a better approach.                            
November 4th Constitutional Amendment & Joint Elections Early Voting Schedule   Monday, October 20th – Friday, October 24th 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM  
Saturday, October 25th 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM  
Sunday, October 26th 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM  
Monday, October 27th – Friday, October 31st 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

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