Propositions for 2023 Election

What You Need to Know

Election Day: November 7, 2023

Although this is an off-year election, there are 14 constitutional amendments that must be approved (or rejected) by the people of Texas. Below is a list of the propositions with the title or description of the amendment as it appears on the ballot in italics along with a brief explanation of what each means. There is a link to the full text of each amendment in parentheses.

Proposition 1: protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management. (HJR 126)

This amendment would establish a constitutional right for people and businesses to farm. In essence, this amendment requires state and local governments to provide evidence that a

regulation is needed to protect the public from danger.

Proposition 2: authorizing a local option 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 childcare facility. (SJR 64)

This amendment would allow counties and cities to exempt child-care providers from property taxes for any facilities used to run a child-care facility. The value of the exemption would be at least 50% of the property’s appraised value.

Proposition 3: prohibiting the imposition of an individual net worth or wealth tax, including a tax on the difference between assets and liabilities on an individual family. (HJR 132)

This amendment forces lawmakers to ask voters for authorization before imposing any new state taxes based on net worth since Texas does not have such a tax in place at this time.

Proposition 4: 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 a member of the board of directors of certain

appraisal districts. (HJR 2)

This amendment reduces property taxes in various ways including raising the state’s school district homestead exemption, not raising the taxable value of commercial, mineral, and

residential properties without a homestead exemption by more than 20% a year for the next three years and expanding the pool of businesses that do not have to pay the state’s franchise tax.

        
Additionally, voters will elect three members to the local appraisal district’s board of directors, which are currently appointed.

Proposition 5: 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. (HJR 3)

The amendment renames the National Research University Fund to the Texas University Fund, managed by the comptroller and the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company. The university fund would gain the annual interest income, dividends and investment earnings from

Texas’ rainy day fund to support research at state universities. Total money the university fund could receive is $100 million in the 2024 fiscal year and may be adjusted for inflation yearly.

The Texas A&M and University of Texas systems will not receive money from the fund as they receive research funds from a separate Permanent University Fund. Additionally, if passed, House Bill 1595 takes effect requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to determine which universities are eligible and the size of each deposit.

Proposition 6: creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.

(SJR 75)

The amendment creates a new special fund in the state treasury outside of the general revenue fund, endowed with a $1 billion down payment administered by the Texas Water Development Board. The fund supports a wide range of projects including repairing Texas’ aging, deteriorating pipes, acquiring more water sources, and mitigating water loss.

Part of the fund must be used for water infrastructure projects in rural areas as well as for water conservation strategies and water loss projects. At least 25% of the fund will be used for the New Water Supply Fund for Texas, supporting projects to increase the state’s water supply.

Proposition 7: providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities. (SJR 93)

The amendment creates a state fund allowing officials to distribute loans and grants to companies with the aim of building new natural gas-fueled power plants including giving a 3% interest loan for the construction of or upgrades to gas-fueled power plants on the state’s main electric grid and paying a bonus for getting new plants connected by June 2029.

Proposition 8: creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects. (HJR 125)

The amendment creates a $1.5 billion fund to expand internet availability in Texas. At this time 7 million Texans lack internet access. The fund helps pay to develop and finance broadband and telecommunications services as well as 911 services as well as provide matching funds with federal money from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program.

Proposition 9: authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. (HJR 2)

The amendment is needed to allow lawmakers to use $3.3 billion from the general revenue fund and move it to the retired teachers fund to provide some retired Texas teachers with a cost-of- living adjustment (COLA) to their monthly pension checks.

Proposition 10: authorize the legislature to exempt from 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. (SJR 87)

The amendment would exempt the value of equipment and inventory held by manufacturers of medical or biomedical products from the facilities overall school district, city, and county taxes.

Proposition 11: authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities. (SJR 32)

The amendment adds El Paso County to the list of eleven counties’ conservation and reclamation districts currently permitted to issue bonds supported by property taxes to fund recreational development and improvement. Conservation and reclamation districts aid in managing stormwater storage, land irrigation and the conservation and development of forests within their designated boundaries.

Proposition 12: providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.

(HJR 134)

The amendment abolishes Galveston County’s office of the county treasurer, an office that exists in other counties. The office’s role is to oversee county investments, maintain records of deposits and withdrawals and ensure the safety of county funds. The Commissioner’s Court of Galveston County would be allowed to employ or contract an existing county official or other qualified person to complete tasks previously under the office. This amendment will only take effect if the amendment is approved in the statewide election and a majority of voters in Galveston County vote in favor of the amendment.

Proposition 13: increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.

(HJR 107)

The amendment allows state judges to retire at 79, instead of the current mandatory retirement age of 75. It would also increase the minimum retirement age from 70 to 75 for state judges.

Proposition 14: providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks. (SJR 74)

The amendment provides more than $1 billion for state parks to buy more land for the state parks system, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.