Legislative Services

The Texas Secretary of State's Office reported voter turnout for the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election was the highest since 2005, totaling 14.4% of registered voters. These 2.5 million Texans approved 13 of the 14 amendments proposed by the Legislature.

Proposition 13 was the only amendment to fail, with 63% of voters rejecting it. The amendment would have increased the mandatory retirement age for state justices and judges from 75 to 79. Depending on the results of the 2024 elections, the state judiciary may see several high-profile midterm departures of justices or judges who reach the unchanged mandatory retirement age of 75 during their terms.

Only two other proposed amendments passed with less than 60% of voter support. Proposition 12, which abolished the office of County Treasurer in Galveston County, passed both locally and statewide with a margin of 53%. Proposition 10, which authorizes the Legislature to provide a property tax exemption for equipment or inventory of medical or biomedical manufacturers, passed with 55% of votes cast.

This month, the Secretary of State's Office declared the approved amendments officially part of the Texas Constitution, rendering them now effective unless otherwise specified by the amendment. This means that homeowners will receive the property tax relief approved by Proposition 4, which temporarily limited appraisal increases and increased the homestead exemption during this tax year.

Several other voter-approved propositions will be funded by the state's 2024-2025 budget previously passed by the Legislature during the regular session. Among them: Proposition 5 (Texas University Fund), Proposition 6 (Texas Water Fund), Proposition 7 (Texas Energy Fund), Proposition 8 (Broadband Infrastructure Fund) and Proposition 14 (Centennial Parks Conservation Fund).

Additional details relating to these propositions can be found below or by visiting the Secretary of State's explanatory statements.

Proposition 1 (HJR 126): Protects the right to engage in agricultural, timber and wildlife management practices on privately owned or leased land, while allowing the Legislature to regulate such practices when necessary for public safety, animal health, crop production or conservation purposes.

Proposition 2 (SJR 64): Authorizes counties and municipalities to exempt from ad valorem taxation all or part of the appraised value of real property used for child-care facilities.

Proposition 3 (HJR 132): Prohibits the Legislature from imposing a tax on individual wealth or net worth.

Proposition 4 (HJR 2, second special session): Allows the Legislature to limit until December 2026 the maximum appraised value of real property for ad valorem tax purposes and increases the residence homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000, or $110,000 for residents over 65 or who are disabled.

Proposition 5 (HJR 3): Sets aside a portion of the Economic Stabilization Fund and redesignates existing national research university funds to create the Texas University Fund to support selected higher education institutions in becoming major research universities.

Proposition 6 (SJR 75): Authorizes the creation of the Texas Water Fund to finance water projects, to be administered by the Texas Water Development Board.

Proposition 7 (SJR 93): Establishes the Texas Energy Fund to provide loans and grants to support electric generating facilities, to be administered by the Public Utility Commission.

Proposition 8 (HJR 125): Creates the Broadband Infrastructure Fund to expand high-speed internet access, to be administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

Proposition 9 (HJR 2): Authorizes the Legislature to provide cost-of-living adjustments to eligible annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

Proposition 10 (SJR 87): Allows the Legislature to exempt equipment or inventory of medical or biomedical manufacturers from property taxation.

Proposition 11 (SJR 32): Permits conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund park and recreational facilities.

Proposition 12 (HJR 134): Abolishes the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.

Proposition 13 (HJR 107): Would have increased the mandatory retirement age for state justices and judges from 75 to 79 if it had passed.

Proposition 14 (SJR 74): Establishes the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund for the creation and improvement of state parks.

For more information about this article, please contact Elizabeth Choate.