Election Information 2023

Proposition 1 - "The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management."

What it means: Prop 1 establishes a constitutional right for people and businesses to farm, ranch, produce timber, or manage wildlife on property they own or lease. The state of Texas could still allow state agencies or local governments to regulate these practices if there is evidence the regulation is needed to protect public health from imminent danger; to prevent danger to animal health or crop production; or to conserve the state’s natural resources.

Proposition 2 – "The constitutional amendment 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 child-care facility."

What it means: This resolution would allow cities and counties to exempt some child care providers from property taxes. Those child care centers would have to have at least 20% of children enrolled who receive subsidized child-care services.

Proposition 3 – "The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family."

What it means: Prop 3 would prohibit a wealth tax. A wealth or net worth tax is a tax on the value of a person’s assets less liabilities. Assets may include cash, bank deposits, shares of stock, equipment, real estate, pension plans, money funds and trusts. This amendment would require lawmakers to ask voters for authorization before they could impose any new state taxes based on net worth.

Proposition 4 – "The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to 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."

What it means: Proposition 4 would amend the Texas Constitution to allow tax cuts that were approved by the Legislature in the 2023 special session to take effect this year. Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers approved a $12.7 billion package of property tax cuts that needs voter approval in order to take effect.

The package would send $7.1 billion to school districts so they can lower their property tax rates. The amendment would also raise the state's school district homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000, at a cost of $5.6 billion.

The amendment includes other tax reforms, including a temporary limit on appraisals for commercial, mineral and residential properties that don't receive a homestead exemption that are worth less than $5 million. If voters approve the idea, appraisal districts could not raise the taxable value of those properties by more than 20% each year for the next three years. The limit would expire in 2026 unless lawmakers and voters decide to extend it.

The amendment would also expand the pool of businesses that don't have to pay the state's franchise tax — and allow voters to elect three members to their local appraisal district's board of directors, which are currently appointed.

Proposition 5 – "The constitutional amendment 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."

What it means: If passed, the amendment would rename the National Research University Fund to the Texas University Fund. 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 moved to the university fund in the 2024 fiscal year would be limited to $100 million. The annual amount may be adjusted for inflation and is limited to a 2% growth rate. 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.

Proposition 6 – "The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state."

What it means: This resolution creates a new special fund that would provide grants and low interest loans for water projects in the state. The fund would be administered by the Texas Water Development Board to support a wide range of projects including fixing Texas’ aging, deteriorating pipes, acquiring more water sources and mitigating water loss.

Proposition 7 – "The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities."

What it means: This resolution would create a state fund allowing officials to distribute loans and grants to companies with the aim of building new natural gas-fueled power plants. This would include 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 – "The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects."

What it means: Proposition 8 allows Texas to create a $5 billion fund to expand high speed internet throughout the state. Money in the fund, along with money from the federal government broadband program and other resources, would provide grants and other support for investments in high-speed internet projects. These dollars would help pay to develop and finance broadband and telecommunications services as well as 911 services. The fund would end in ten years.

Proposition 9 – "The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas."

What it means: During the regular session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 10, which would provide some retired Texas teachers with cost-of-living raises to their monthly pension checks. The cost-of-living adjustments would start January 2024. For some, this is the first raise they will see in almost 20 years.

Proposition 10 – "The constitutional amendment to 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."

What it means: Proposition 10 would remove property taxes on equipment or inventory belonging to manufacturers of medical or biomedical products. Texas is one of only a few states that applies a property tax on the equipment and inventory of medical and biomedical companies.

Proposition 11 – "The constitutional amendment 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."

What it means: Eleven counties’ conservation and reclamation districts are currently permitted to issue bonds supported by property taxes to fund recreational development and improvement. This proposed amendment would add El Paso County to the list.

In 2003, the Texas Constitution was amended to give conservation and reclamation districts (such as municipal utility districts, known as “MUDs”) in eleven counties across Texas the ability to issue bonds to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreation facilities. El Paso County was not included in the list of counties, so it currently does not have this ability, resulting in an underfunded parks system across the county.

Proposition 12 – "The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County."

What it means: If passed by a majority of Texans and Galveston County residents, this amendment would abolish Galveston County’s office of the county treasurer, an office that exists in other counties. The members of the Commissioners Court of Galveston County would assign the duties of the treasurer’s office to individuals in other county offices (such as, auditors, chief financial officer, county clerk) or would contract the work out to other individuals. Nine other counties in Texas have eliminated the treasurer’s office. The current county treasurer, elected in 2022, ran on a platform to abolish the county treasurer’s position.

Proposition 13 – "The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges."

What it means: Proposition 13 would raise the mandatory retirement age for a state judge to 79 instead of the current 75 years of age. Proposition 13 also increase the minimum retirement age from 70 to 75 for state judges.

Proposition 14 – "The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks."

What it means: Proposition 14 directs up to $1 billion from the current budget surplus and other sources to create the centennial parks conservation fund, a dedicated pool of money to buy land for the creation and improvement of state parks.