Know Before You Vote:
2025 Texas Constitutional Amendments Explained
Arlington NAACP — Voter Education Hub
Texas Constitutional Amendments • General Election — Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025
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Prop 1
Permanent funds for Texas State Technical College infrastructure
SJR 59
▶
Ballot language: “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 (plain language)
- Creates state funds whose earnings can pay for TSTC capital needs (buildings, equipment, land).
- Aims to support workforce‑oriented programs statewide.
Considerations
- Supporters say: reliable funding for skills training and Texas employers.
- Opponents say: dollars could instead flow to community colleges; private industry could fund training.
Prop 2
Ban state taxes on realized or unrealized capital gains
SJR 18
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Locks into the Constitution that Texas cannot levy a capital‑gains tax on individuals/estates.
Considerations
- Supporters: predictability for investors; signals “no income‑type taxes.”
- Opponents: removes a future budget tool; could shift tax burden elsewhere.
Prop 3
Allow denial of bail for certain serious felonies
SJR 5
▶
Ballot language: “The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”
What it does
- Expands judges’ options to deny bail to high‑risk defendants accused of specified violent felonies.
Considerations
- Supporters: aims to enhance public safety; includes due‑process safeguards.
- Opponents: may increase jail populations/costs; civil‑liberties concerns.
Prop 4
Dedicate a share of sales tax to the Texas Water Fund
HJR 7
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Sets a formula to send top‑line sales‑tax growth into long‑term water supply & infrastructure projects through 2047 (unless changed by a supermajority).
Considerations
- Supporters: funds aging infrastructure, drought resilience, and supply needs.
- Opponents: oversight and environmental‑risk concerns; conservation not central.
Prop 5
Exempt animal feed held for retail sale from property tax
HJR 99
▶
Ballot language: “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 feed inventory sitting on store shelves from business personal‑property tax.
Considerations
- Supporters: relief for ag supply chain; treats feed like other tax‑favored inputs.
- Opponents: narrows tax base; advantage for one industry over others.
Prop 6
Ban a securities‑transactions (stock trades) tax
HJR 4
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Constitutionally blocks a tax on trades of stocks/bonds by covered entities in Texas.
Considerations
- Supporters: protects retirement/investment activity; signals business‑friendly climate.
- Opponents: removes a possible future revenue tool; distributional concerns.
Prop 7
Property‑tax exemption for surviving spouses of certain veterans
HJR 133
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Allows a homestead exemption for eligible surviving spouses; portable to a new home (up to the same amount) if not remarried.
Considerations
- Supporters: targeted relief to military families.
- Opponents: narrows local tax base; potential shifts to other taxpayers.
Prop 8
Ban state‑level estate/inheritance (“death”) taxes
HJR 2
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Constitutionally bars a state estate/inheritance/gift transfer tax.
Considerations
- Supporters: prevents double‑tax concerns; supports family businesses.
- Opponents: removes a progressive revenue option for future budgets.
Prop 9
Raise small‑business personal‑property exemption to $125,000
HJR 1
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Increases statewide exemption (currently $2,500) up to $125,000 and simplifies reporting for many small businesses.
Considerations
- Supporters: reduces compliance and tax burdens for small firms.
- Opponents: cities, counties, colleges may lose revenue or raise rates/cut services.
Prop 10
Temporary tax relief if a homestead is completely destroyed by fire
SJR 84
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Allows a process to adjust property taxes mid‑year when a home is destroyed by fire.
Considerations
- Supporters: aligns tax bill with sudden loss in value.
- Opponents: limited to fires (unless separately covered by disaster provisions).
Prop 11
Increase elderly/disabled school homestead exemption
SJR 85
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Authorizes raising the special school‑district homestead exemption for Texans 65+ or with disabilities.
Considerations
- Supporters: relief for fixed‑income homeowners; state intends to backfill schools.
- Opponents: adds ongoing state costs; uneven benefit by income/home value.
Prop 12
Reconfigure the State Commission on Judicial Conduct & review tribunal
SJR 27
▶
Ballot language: “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 who appoints SCJC members and the review tribunal; updates age/eligibility; pairs with court‑system reforms and pay adjustments.
Considerations
- Supporters: aims to cut backlogs and increase accountability & transparency.
- Opponents: concentrates appointment power; raises separation‑of‑powers concerns; potential cost growth.
Prop 13
Raise base school homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000
SJR 2
▶
Ballot language: “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 statewide school‑district homestead exemption by $40,000; state intends to reimburse districts.
Considerations
- Supporters: lowers many homeowners’ tax bills amid rising appraisals.
- Opponents: could squeeze state finances in a downturn; renters see no direct relief.
Prop 14
Create a $3B Dementia Prevention & Research Institute of Texas
SJR 3
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Launches a new state institute/fund to award research & prevention grants (up to $300M/year) for at least 10 years.
Considerations
- Supporters: addresses a fast‑growing health challenge; could attract research talent.
- Opponents: creates a new bureaucracy; risk of politicized grantmaking.
Prop 15
Affirm parents as primary decision‑makers for their children
SJR 34
▶
Ballot language: “The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”
What it does
- Places parental‑rights language in the state Constitution, alongside existing statutory and case‑law protections.
Considerations
- Supporters: clarifies & strengthens parents’ authority over education and upbringing.
- Opponents: may complicate school operations and child‑protection interventions.
Prop 16
Clarify that only U.S. citizens may vote
SJR 37
▶
Ballot language: “The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”
What it does
- Writes citizenship requirement directly into the Constitution (already required for registration under statute).
Considerations
- Supporters: prevents any locality from allowing non‑citizen voting in local contests.
- Opponents: redundant with current law; non‑citizen voting is already illegal statewide.
Prop 17
Border‑county tax exemption for new border‑security improvements
HJR 34
▶
Ballot language: “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
- Allows a property‑tax exemption for the added value from qualifying border‑security infrastructure on properties in border counties.
Considerations
- Supporters: incentivizes private participation in security projects; offsets added value.
- Opponents: narrows local tax base; details left to later legislation; community impacts debated.
