More than 2.5 million Texans took to the polls on Tuesday, approving all but one of 14 constitutional amendments on the state ballot.
The greatest support went to Prop. 4, the $18 billion property tax relief package, with approval from 84 percent of voters.
Voters also passed a dozen other ballot measures, including protecting the right to farm, providing cost-of-living raises for retired teachers, and allocating funds to expand internet availability and more. (pdf)
The ballot included two single county issues that would abolish the office of treasurer in Galveston County, and the other would allow for land conservation in El Paso County.
Prop. 13—the only measure rejected by voters—would have increased the mandatory age of retirement for judges.
Here is a breakdown of all the results from the 14 propositions on the Nov. 7 ballot:
Proposition 1: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.”
For: 2,022,396 (79 percent) Against: 536,734 (21 percent)
What it means: The proposition will enshrine the right to farm, protecting farmers and ranchers to engage in certain generally accepted agriculture practices on their own property. (pdf)
Proposition 2: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment authorizing a local exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility.”For: 1,626,303 (65 percent) Against: 884,196 (35 percent)
What it means: This will exempt 50 percent of the value of a childcare facility from property taxes. (pdf)
Proposition 3: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family.”For: 1,709,653 (68 percent) Against: 809,980 (32 percent)
What it means: The amendment prohibits state or net worth taxes on individuals or families. (pdf)
Proposition 4: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term of office for member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.”For: 2,118,086 (83 percent) Against: 420,537 (17 percent)
What it means: The homestead exemption for school district taxes will increase from $40,000 to $100,000 on primary residences. It will also place four-year term limits on appraisal board members serving in counties with populations of 75,000 or more. (pdf)
Proposition 5: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy.”For: 1,619,618 (64 percent) Against: 897,405 (36 percent)
What it means: It creates the Texas University Fund to be used for research at the University of North Texas, the University of Houston, Texas State University, and the University of North Texas. The University of Texas and Texas A&M Systems would not be eligible because they receive money from the Permanent University Fund. (pdf)
Proposition 6: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.”For: 1,966,508 (78 percent) Against: 566,241 (22 percent)
What it means: It creates a special fund outside the general revenue fund to finance water projects across the state. (pdf)
Proposition 7: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment providing the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.”For: 1,641,453 (65 percent) Against: 886,991 (35 percent)
What it means: It creates a special fund outside the general revenue fund to provide low-interest loans for the construction or upgrade of power plants. (pdf)
Proposition 8: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects.”For: 1,747,713 (69 percent) Against: 768,928 (31 percent)
What it means: Special funds will be allocated to expand high-speed broadband access across the state. (pdf)
Proposition 9: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.”For: 2,141,913 (84 percent) Against: 416,191 (16 percent)
What it means: Money from the general revenue fund will be appropriated to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas to provide cost-of-living raises to some teachers. (pdf)
Proposition 10: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain.”For: 1,368,072 (55 percent) Against: 1,119,878 (45 percent)
What it means: Medical and biomedical companies will be exempt from taxes on equipment and inventory. (pdf)
Proposition 11: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts on El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities.”For: 1,524,137 (63 percent) Against: 882,008 (37 percent)
What it means: The amendment will allow the county to use property tax funds to develop and maintain parks in El Paso County. (pdf)
Proposition 12: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment providing for the ablation of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.”For: 1,210,650 (53 percent) Against: 1,076,247 (47 percent)
What it means: The amendment will eliminate the Galveston County Treasure’s Office following a majority vote across the state and in Galveston County. Galveston County Treasurer Hank Dugie ran and won office in November 2022, arguing that the job was wasteful and that he would push to eliminate his job. (pdf)
Proposition 13: Rejected ✕
“The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.”For: 931,115 (37 percent) Against: 1,564,688 (63 percent)
What it means: The mandatory retirement age for state judges will remain at 75 since voters rejected increasing the retirement age to 79. (pdf)
Proposition 14: Approved ✓
“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks.”For: 1,925,767 (77 percent) Against: 591,128 (23 percent)
What it means: It creates a special fund outside the general revenue fund to be administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The fund “will be used for the creation and improvement of state and local parks and the conservation of land, water, and soil in this state.” (pdf)
