There will be 10 ballot proposals put before Texas voters in the November 5 election. Below are the descriptions of each measure according to the House Research Organization.
Proposition 1: Allowing municipal court judges to hold office in more than one municipality.
“Proposition 1 would amend Texas Constitution Art. 3 to allow a person to hold office as municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time, regardless of whether the person was elected or appointed to each office.”
Proposition 2: Allowing TWDB to issue more water development project bonds
“Proposition 2 would add sec. 49-d-14 to Art. 3 of the Texas Constitution to allow the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to issue additional general obligation bonds for the Economically Distressed Areas Program account. The bonds would be used to provide financial assistance for developing water supply and sewer service projects in economically distressed areas of the state. TWDB could issue the bonds in amounts such that the aggregate principal amount of the bonds issued under the amended section that were outstanding at any time did not exceed $200 million.”
Proposition 3: Allowing temporary property tax exemptions after a disaster
“Proposition 3 would amend Texas Constitution Art. 8, sec. 2 to allow the Legislature by general law to provide that a person who owned property in a governor-declared disaster area was entitled to a temporary exemption from property taxes by a political subdivision for a portion of the property’s appraised value. The law could provide that if the disaster was declared on or after the date the political subdivision adopted a tax rate for the year, a person would be entitled to the exemption for that year only if the exemption was adopted by the governing body of the political subdivision. The Legislature could prescribe the method of determining the amount and duration of the exemption, as well as any other eligibility requirements.”
Proposition 4: Prohibiting a state individual income tax
“Proposition 4 would add sec. 24-a to Art. 8 of the Texas Constitution to prohibit the Legislature from imposing a net income tax on individuals, including on individuals’ shares of partnership or unincorporated association income.”
Proposition 5: Dedicating sporting goods sales tax revenue to TPWD and THC
“Proposition 5 would add sec. 7-d to Art. 8 of the Texas Constitution, automatically appropriating the net revenue received each state fiscal year from the collection of the sporting goods sales tax to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The Legislature could by general SJR 24 by Kolkhorst (Cyrier)law limit the use of money appropriated under the proposition. Proposition 5 would prohibit money automatically appropriated to TPWD and THC under the proposal from being considered available for certification of the budget by the comptroller as provided by Texas Constitution Art. 3, sec. 49a(b).”
Proposition 6: Increasing CPRIT’s bond authority from $3 billion to $6 billion
“Proposition 6 would amend Texas Constitution Art. 3, sec. 67(c) to increase from $3 billion to $6 billion the maximum amount of general obligation bonds the Texas Public Finance Authority could provide for, issue, and sell on behalf of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. “
Proposition 7: Allowing increased distributions to the Available School Fund
“Proposition 7 would amend Texas Constitution Art. 7, sec. 5(g) to allow the State Board of Education, the General Land Office, or another entity that had responsibility for the management of revenues derived from Permanent School Fund land or other properties to distribute each year to the Available School Fund revenue derived during that year from the land or properties, up to $600 million by each entity each year.”
Proposition 8: Creating the Flood Infrastructure Fund
“Proposition 8 would add sec. 49-d-14 to Art. 3 of the Texas Constitution to create the Flood Infrastructure Fund as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund. As provided by general law, the fund could be used by the Texas Water Development Board without further appropriation to provide financing for drainage, flood mitigation, or flood control projects, including: planning and design activities; work to obtain related regulatory approval to provide nonstructural and structural flood mitigation and drainage; or construction of flood mitigation and drainage infrastructure. Separate accounts could be established in the Flood Infrastructure Fund.”
Proposition 9: Exempting precious metals held in Texas depositories from property taxes
“Proposition 9 would amend Texas Constitution Art. 8 to authorize the Legislature to exempt from property taxes precious metal held in a precious metal depository in Texas. The Legislature could define “precious metal” and “precious metal depository” for purposes of the exemption.”
Proposition 10: Allowing retired law enforcement animal transfer without fee
“Proposition 10 would add sec. 521 to Art. 3 of the Texas Constitution to allow the Legislature to authorize a state agency or a county, municipality, or other political subdivision to transfer without fee a law enforcement dog, horse, or other animal to the animal’s handler or another qualified caretaker upon the animal’s retirement or at another time if it was in the animal’s best interest.”
Full descriptions, along with noted criticisms of each ballot proposal are available online at https://hro.house.texas.gov/pdf/focus/amend86.pdf.
Early voting continues this week through Friday, Nov. 1. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
