Texas Amendments Up for a Vote on 11/04/25There are 17 propositions on the November 4th, 2025 ballot to amend the Texas State Constitution. The ECDP offers the following insights on the propositions on the ballot.
If you'd like a print-out to take with you into the booth, please feel free to print out the checklist at the right to use; electronic devices are not allowed in the voting booth. |
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Prop 1 - Technical College Infrastructure Fund
YES - Fund state colleges.
What It Does:
Creates funds to upgrade technical college facilities and equipment.
Green Flag:
Supports trades like welding and electrical work.
Red Flag:
No clear plan for distribution or who benefits.
Bottom Line - Support it, but keep your eye on how the money is used.
YES - Fund state colleges.
What It Does:
Creates funds to upgrade technical college facilities and equipment.
Green Flag:
Supports trades like welding and electrical work.
Red Flag:
No clear plan for distribution or who benefits.
Bottom Line - Support it, but keep your eye on how the money is used.
Prop 2 - Ban on Capital Gains Tax
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Bans Texas from creating a capital gains tax.
Green Flag:
Supposedly protects family investments.
Red Flag:
Mostly benefits the wealthy.
Bottom Line - This is a rich person's insurance policy.
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Bans Texas from creating a capital gains tax.
Green Flag:
Supposedly protects family investments.
Red Flag:
Mostly benefits the wealthy.
Bottom Line - This is a rich person's insurance policy.
Prop 3 - Mandatory Bail Denial for Certain Felonies
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does:
Requires judges to deny bail in specific felony cases.
Green Flag:
Could prevent dangerous releases.
Red Flag:
Limits judicial discretion and may target marginalized communities.
Bottom Line - This isn't justice, it's a shortcut to more mass incarceration.
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does:
Requires judges to deny bail in specific felony cases.
Green Flag:
Could prevent dangerous releases.
Red Flag:
Limits judicial discretion and may target marginalized communities.
Bottom Line - This isn't justice, it's a shortcut to more mass incarceration.
Prop 4 - Sales Tax for Water Fund
YES - Support water infrastructure.
What It Does:
Dedicates sales tax money to Texas water infrastructure.
Green Flag:
Water is critical - especially during drought.
Red Flag:
No guarantee of fair allocation or oversight.
Bottom Line - Water funding is great. Corporate giveaways? Not so much.
YES - Support water infrastructure.
What It Does:
Dedicates sales tax money to Texas water infrastructure.
Green Flag:
Water is critical - especially during drought.
Red Flag:
No guarantee of fair allocation or oversight.
Bottom Line - Water funding is great. Corporate giveaways? Not so much.
Prop 5 - Tax Break on Animal Feed Inventory
YES - Exempts tax on feed.
What It Does:
Exempts animal feed for sale from property tax.
Green Flag:
Could help agriculture retailers.
Red Flag:
Benefits retailers, not ranchers nor consumers.
Bottom Line - Feeds the store owners - not the animals. A&M excluded.
YES - Exempts tax on feed.
What It Does:
Exempts animal feed for sale from property tax.
Green Flag:
Could help agriculture retailers.
Red Flag:
Benefits retailers, not ranchers nor consumers.
Bottom Line - Feeds the store owners - not the animals. A&M excluded.
Prop 6 - Ban on Securities Transaction Taxes
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Blocks future taxes on securities trading.
Green Flag:
Prevents new financial taxes.
Red Flag:
Protects Wall Street profits over public revenue.
Bottom Line - If you're not trading stocks, this isn't about you.
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Blocks future taxes on securities trading.
Green Flag:
Prevents new financial taxes.
Red Flag:
Protects Wall Street profits over public revenue.
Bottom Line - If you're not trading stocks, this isn't about you.
Prop 7 - Property Tax Break for Spouses of Deceased Veterans
YES - Tax cut for widows of veterans.
What It Does:
Expands tax relief to surviving spouses of service-connected deaths.
Green Flag:
Offer much-needed support to grieving families.
Red Flag:
Excludes many based on narrow definitions.
Bottom Line - Say yes. But keep fighting for all veteran families.
YES - Tax cut for widows of veterans.
What It Does:
Expands tax relief to surviving spouses of service-connected deaths.
Green Flag:
Offer much-needed support to grieving families.
Red Flag:
Excludes many based on narrow definitions.
Bottom Line - Say yes. But keep fighting for all veteran families.
Prop 8 - Ban on Estate/Inheritance Taxes
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Blocks Texas from ever creating a "death tax".
Green Flag:
Meant to protect family-owned assets.
Red Flag:
Disproportionately benefits the very rich.
Bottom Line - If you're not inheriting a ranch or millions, this isn't about you.
NO - This is a gift to the wealthy.
What It Does:
Blocks Texas from ever creating a "death tax".
Green Flag:
Meant to protect family-owned assets.
Red Flag:
Disproportionately benefits the very rich.
Bottom Line - If you're not inheriting a ranch or millions, this isn't about you.
Prop 9 - Tax Exemption on Business Personal Property
YES - Small Business relief.
What It Does:
Allows tax exemptions on income-producing property.
Green Flag:
May help small business.
Red Flag:
Could be exploited by corporations.
Bottom Line - Could help your side hustle - or be another corporate loophole.
YES - Small Business relief.
What It Does:
Allows tax exemptions on income-producing property.
Green Flag:
May help small business.
Red Flag:
Could be exploited by corporations.
Bottom Line - Could help your side hustle - or be another corporate loophole.
Prop 10 - Tax Break for Fire-Destroyed Homes
YES - Tax break for a destroyed home.
What It Does:
Temporarily exempts destroyed homes from taxes.
Green Flag:
Eases recovery for homeowners after total loss.
Red Flag:
Only applies to fire - not other disasters.
Bottom Line - A yes - but why not all disasters?
YES - Tax break for a destroyed home.
What It Does:
Temporarily exempts destroyed homes from taxes.
Green Flag:
Eases recovery for homeowners after total loss.
Red Flag:
Only applies to fire - not other disasters.
Bottom Line - A yes - but why not all disasters?
Prop 11 - Larger Tax Exemption for Seniors & Disabled Texas
YES - Tax cut for elderly and disabled.
What It Does:
Increases school tax exemption for qualifying homeowners.
Green Flag:
Helps vulnerable groups save money.
Red Flag:
Cuts school revenue with no funding replacement plan.
Bottom Line - Support our elders and disabled - just don't forget the kids.
YES - Tax cut for elderly and disabled.
What It Does:
Increases school tax exemption for qualifying homeowners.
Green Flag:
Helps vulnerable groups save money.
Red Flag:
Cuts school revenue with no funding replacement plan.
Bottom Line - Support our elders and disabled - just don't forget the kids.
Prop 12 - Judicial Conduct Commission Reform
NO - Increases polarized Judicial.
What It Does:
Updates how Texas disciplines judges.
Green Flag:
Strengthens judicial accountability.
Red Flag:
Complex structure - transparency unclear.
Bottom Line - Judges should answer to someone. Vote yes.
NO - Increases polarized Judicial.
What It Does:
Updates how Texas disciplines judges.
Green Flag:
Strengthens judicial accountability.
Red Flag:
Complex structure - transparency unclear.
Bottom Line - Judges should answer to someone. Vote yes.
Prop 13 - Increased Homestead Exemption for All Homeowners
YES - Tax cut for homeowners.
What It Does:
Raises property tax exemption from $100,000 to $140,000.
Green Flag:
Puts money back in homeowners' pockets.
Red Flag:
Risk underfunding schools again.
Bottom Line - Your savings could cost your school.
YES - Tax cut for homeowners.
What It Does:
Raises property tax exemption from $100,000 to $140,000.
Green Flag:
Puts money back in homeowners' pockets.
Red Flag:
Risk underfunding schools again.
Bottom Line - Your savings could cost your school.
Prop 14 - $3 Billion for Dementia Research and Treatment
YES - Fund dementia research.
What It Does:
Creates fund for dementia-related research and care.
Green Flag:
Helps families affected by Alzheimer's and related conditions.
Red Flag:
Huge fund, minimal oversight.
Bottom Line - Vote yes, then demand receipts.
YES - Fund dementia research.
What It Does:
Creates fund for dementia-related research and care.
Green Flag:
Helps families affected by Alzheimer's and related conditions.
Red Flag:
Huge fund, minimal oversight.
Bottom Line - Vote yes, then demand receipts.
Prop 15 - "Parental Rights" Amendment
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does:
Declares parents the primary decision-makers for their kids.
Green Flag:
Sounds like it protects families.
Red Flag:
Could be used to ban books, block health care, or target schools.
Bottom Line - This isn't about parenting, it's about politics.
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does:
Declares parents the primary decision-makers for their kids.
Green Flag:
Sounds like it protects families.
Red Flag:
Could be used to ban books, block health care, or target schools.
Bottom Line - This isn't about parenting, it's about politics.
Prop 16 - Citizenship Requirement for Voting
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does: Says only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas.
Green Flag: Reinforces current law.
Red Flag: Redundant and xenophobic dog whistle.
Bottom Line - This solves a problem that doesn't exist.
NO - Does not change existing law.
What It Does: Says only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas.
Green Flag: Reinforces current law.
Red Flag: Redundant and xenophobic dog whistle.
Bottom Line - This solves a problem that doesn't exist.
Prop 17 - Tax Break for Border Security Infrastructure
NO - Land owners lose their land to build a border wall.
What It Does:
Offers tax exemption for private landowners who install border fencing or surveillance.
Green Flag:
Supports landowners' role in border protection.
Red Flag:
Encourages privatized militarization of the border.
Bottom Line - No to vigilante walls funded by taxpayers.
NO - Land owners lose their land to build a border wall.
What It Does:
Offers tax exemption for private landowners who install border fencing or surveillance.
Green Flag:
Supports landowners' role in border protection.
Red Flag:
Encourages privatized militarization of the border.
Bottom Line - No to vigilante walls funded by taxpayers.