Below is a detailed breakdown of the 17 Texas constitutional amendments on the November 4, 2025, ballot, including their purposes, legislative support, and relevant details. The information is drawn from reliable sources, including Ballotpedia, Texas Policy Research, and Texas Impact, with legislative voting data and partisan support analyzed where available. Each amendment required a two-thirds vote in both the Texas House (100 of 150 votes) and Senate (21 of 31 votes) to reach the ballot, and Republicans, holding 88 House seats and 20 Senate seats, needed some Democratic support to achieve this. The Partisan Direction Index (PDI) from Ballotpedia measures the difference in Republican and Democratic "yes" vote percentages, indicating leanings (bipartisan: <20% difference; lean Republican: 20–60%; lean Democratic: Democratic support exceeds Republican).1.

 

Proposition 1 (SJR 59): Texas State Technical College System Funds

• Purpose: Creates the Permanent Technical Institution Infrastructure Fund and Available Workforce Education Fund, seeded with $850 million from general revenue, to support Texas State Technical College System infrastructure and equipment outside regular budget oversight.

• Plain English: Sets up permanent funds for technical college buildings and programs, bypassing annual budget approval.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (exact vote counts unavailable, but PDI indicates <20% difference). Originated in the Senate.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Vote No, citing reduced fiscal transparency and legislative oversight.

• Supporters: Likely supported by education-focused legislators; specific sponsors not detailed in sources.

 

2. Proposition 2 (SJR 18): Prohibit Capital Gains Tax

• Purpose: Prohibits taxes on realized or unrealized capital gains for individuals, families, estates, or trusts, codifying Texas’s current no-capital-gains-tax policy.

• Plain English: Prevents future state taxes on investment profits or asset value increases.

• Legislative Support: Lean Republican (PDI: 59.3% difference, highest Republican support). Senate vote: 31-0; House vote: not specified but required 100 votes.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Vote Yes, emphasizing individual liberty and economic competitiveness.

• Supporters: Texas Policy Foundation, economic conservatives; strong Republican backing.

 

3. Proposition 3 (SJR 5): Denial of Bail for Certain Felonies

• Purpose: Allows judges to deny bail for serious felonies (e.g., murder, aggravated assault, human trafficking) if clear evidence shows public danger or flight risk.

• Plain English: Lets judges keep certain accused felons in jail without bail if they’re deemed risky.

• Legislative Support: Lean Republican (PDI: 20–60% difference). Senate and House votes not detailed but passed with supermajority.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Vote No, citing risks to judicial discretion and due process.

• Supporters: Public safety advocates, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (prioritized this measure).

 

4. Proposition 4 (HJR 7): Texas Water Fund Allocation

• Purpose: Dedicates up to $1 billion annually from state sales and use taxes to the Texas Water Fund for water infrastructure projects, administered by the Texas Water Development Board.

• Plain English: Allocates sales tax money to fix and build water systems.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). Originated in the House.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified in sources.

• Supporters: Environmental and infrastructure-focused legislators; broad support due to water issues in Texas.

 

5. Proposition 5 (HJR 1): Property Tax Exemption for Businesses

• Purpose: Authorizes property tax exemptions for businesses, excluding homesteads, to reduce tax burdens.

• Plain English: Gives businesses a break on property taxes.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House vote: passed (exact count unavailable); Senate concurred.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified, but likely supported for economic relief.

• Supporters: Business groups, economic development advocates.

 

6. Proposition 6 (HJR 2): Ban on Estate, Inheritance, or Gift Taxes

• Purpose: Prohibits state taxes on estates, inheritances, or gifts, effective January 1, 2025.

• Plain English: Prevents taxes on inherited wealth or gifts.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House and Senate passed with supermajority.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, aligning with anti-tax stance.

• Supporters: Anti-tax groups, estate planners, conservative legislators.

 

7. Proposition 7 (HJR 4): Ban on Securities Transaction Taxes

• Purpose: Prohibits occupation taxes on securities market operators and taxes on securities transactions.

• Plain English: Stops taxes on stock market activities or brokers.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House vote: passed (postponed briefly due to Democratic strategy); Senate concurred.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, supporting free enterprise.

• Supporters: Financial industry, economic conservatives.

 

8. Proposition 8 (HJR 99): Property Tax Exemption for Animal Feed

• Purpose: Exempts animal feed held for retail sale from property taxes.

• Plain English: Lowers taxes for businesses storing animal feed for sale.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House and Senate passed.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified, but likely supported for agricultural relief.

• Supporters: Agricultural groups, rural legislators.

 

9. Proposition 9 (HJR 133): Homestead Exemption for Veterans’ Spouses

• Purpose: Authorizes property tax exemptions for the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a presumed service-connected condition.

• Plain English: Gives tax breaks to widows/widowers of veterans with service-related deaths.

• Legislative Support: Unanimous bipartisan support (PDI: 0% difference). House and Senate passed unanimously.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, supporting veterans.

• Supporters: Veterans’ organizations, bipartisan legislators.

 

10. Proposition 10 (SJR 2): Increase Homestead Exemption

• Purpose: Increases the school district homestead exemption from ad valorem taxes, adjusting limits for elderly/disabled homeowners.

• Plain English: Raises tax breaks for homeowners, especially seniors and disabled, on school taxes.

• Legislative Support: Unanimous bipartisan support (PDI: 0% difference). House and Senate passed unanimously.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, aligning with property tax relief.

• Supporters: Homeowners, senior advocacy groups.

 

11. Proposition 11 (SJR 84): Homestead Exemption Adjustments

• Purpose: Adjusts homestead exemption amounts to reflect inflation or other factors, focusing on school district taxes.

• Plain English: Updates homeowner tax breaks to keep up with rising costs.

• Legislative Support: Unanimous bipartisan support (PDI: 0% difference). House and Senate passed unanimously.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, supporting tax relief.

• Supporters: Homeowners, bipartisan legislators.

 

12. Proposition 12 (SJR 85): Appraisal District Board Terms

• Purpose: Authorizes four-year terms for appraisal district board members in certain counties.

• Plain English: Extends terms for local tax appraisal board members.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House and Senate passed.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified.

• Supporters: Local government advocates, tax administration officials.

 

13. Proposition 13 (HJR 108): Property Tax Limit for Non-Homesteads

• Purpose: Authorizes temporary limits on appraised value increases for non-homestead properties.

• Plain English: Caps property tax increases for businesses and non-residential properties temporarily.

• Legislative Support: Bipartisan (PDI: <20% difference). House and Senate passed.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, supporting tax relief.

• Supporters: Business owners, economic development groups.

 

14. Proposition 14 (SJR 3): Dementia Prevention and Research Institute

• Purpose: Establishes the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas with $3 billion for dementia research, starting December 2025.

• Plain English: Funds a state institute to study Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.

• Legislative Support: Lean Democratic (PDI: 100% Democratic support, 79.8% Republican support). Senate vote: 31-0; House vote: not specified but passed.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified.

• Supporters: Health advocates, research institutions, bipartisan legislators (stronger Democratic support).

 

15. Proposition 15 (SJR 34): Parental Rights

• Purpose: Affirms parents’ rights to make decisions about their child’s upbringing, care, custody, and control.

• Plain English: Protects parents’ authority over their kids’ education and care in the constitution.

• Legislative Support: Lean Republican (PDI: 20–60% difference). Senate vote: 31-0; House vote: 112-22 (16 absent/not voting).

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Likely Vote Yes, supported by family-focused groups.

• Supporters: Texas Home School Coalition, Texas Right to Life, Family Freedom Project, Texas Eagle Forum, Texans for Vaccine Choice.

 

16. Proposition 16 (SJR 37): Citizenship Voting Requirement

• Purpose: Clarifies that only U.S. citizens may vote, adding noncitizens to the Texas Constitution’s prohibited voter list.

• Plain English: Codifies existing law that only citizens can vote.

• Legislative Support: Lean Republican (PDI: 20–60% difference). Senate and House passed with supermajority.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Not specified, but likely supported for legal clarity.

• Supporters: Election integrity advocates, conservative legislators.

 

17. Proposition 17 (HJR 34): Border Security Infrastructure Tax Exemption

• Purpose: Exempts property value increases in border counties due to border security infrastructure from property taxes.

• Plain English: Lowers taxes for border landowners adding security features like fences.

• Legislative Support: Lean Republican (PDI: 20–60% difference). House and Senate passed.

• Texas Policy Research Recommendation: Vote Yes, supporting property rights and border security.

• Supporters: Border county landowners, security-focused legislators.

 

Legislative Context and Voting Dynamics

• Total Amendments: 288 proposed in the 2025 session (204 House, 84 Senate); 17 certified for the ballot. Republicans filed 62.8%, Democrats 37.2%.

• Partisan Breakdown:

  • Bipartisan (9 amendments): Propositions 4–13 (PDI <20%), including unanimous support for homestead exemptions (Props 9–11).

  • Lean Republican (7 amendments): Propositions 2, 3, 15–17, others not specified (PDI 20–60%).

  • Lean Democratic (1 amendment): Proposition 14 (Dementia Research, PDI: 100% Democratic, 79.8% Republican support).

• Democratic Strategy: House Democrats (62 seats) attempted to block all amendments to force a school voucher vote but ended the standoff, allowing all 17 to proceed.

• Voting Requirements: Each amendment needed 100 House votes and 21 Senate votes. Republicans (88 House, 20 Senate) required Democratic support, especially after losing a Senate supermajority in 2024 (20-11 split).

• Historical Context: Since 1876, Texas voters have approved 530 of 711 amendments (74.6%). The 17 amendments in 2025 are the most since 2003.

 

Notes

• Sources: Information compiled from Ballotpedia, Texas Policy Research, Texas Impact, and Texas Legislative Council. Full amendment texts are available via county clerks or the Texas Secretary of State.

• Voter Information: Vote on November 4, 2025. Polls open 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (Central/Mountain time). Check voter registration at the Texas Secretary of State’s website.

• Critical Note: The Texas Constitution’s frequent amendments (530 adopted since 1876) reflect its detailed nature, but embedding policies like funding or tax exemptions can limit legislative flexibility.