Texas Propositions
Texas propositions shape our laws, budgets, and communities — know what’s coming and make your voice count this November.
The 2025 Amendments Explained: Serious Reforms and Political Theater
This November, Texans will vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Most of these amendments are serious and will affect our everyday lives—covering issues like water supply, bail reform, property tax exemptions, and judicial oversight.
But three of the propositions are unnecessary and amount to political posturing:
Proposition 2 would ban a state capital gains tax. Texas doesn’t have a capital gains tax now, and with Republicans in control, there’s no chance one would be passed anytime soon. What this amendment really does is take away the ability of future generations to decide how Texas raises revenue.
Proposition 15 says parents have the right to make decisions about their children. Parents already do. This amendment doesn’t change anything—it’s political theater.
Proposition 16 says only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections. That’s already the law. Non-citizens cannot legally vote, so this amendment solves a problem that doesn’t exist.
Why does this matter?
The Texas Constitution is more than just a legal document—it’s where our fundamental rights and responsibilities are enshrined. Anytime the legislature wants to change those rights, they must bring it to you, the voters. That’s why we have a constitutional election. With so much at stake, it’s important to understand what each amendment really does—and what it doesn’t. On this site, you’ll find summaries, bill analyses, and resources to help you cut through the noise and make an informed decision at the ballot box.
WHAT’S IN THE PROPOSITIONS?
PROPOSITION 1: Building Texas’ Workforce Future
This November 2025, Texans will vote on Proposition 1 (SJR 59), a bipartisan constitutional amendment that would create a permanent funding stream for the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC). At its core, Prop 1 is about whether we invest in Texans who want the training and tools they need for good-paying jobs.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 59 (Prop 1): 89(R) SJR 59 - Enrolled Version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
Technical colleges train the welders, electricians, medical technicians, and IT specialists who keep our economy strong—but this kind of training requires expensive equipment and modern facilities. Prop 1 ensures TSTC has a constitutionally protected source of funding to meet these needs, while prohibiting spending on athletics or other non-academic projects.
👉 Want to know why this bipartisan amendment is sparking pushback from “limited government” groups—and why we think it’s a powerful step toward opportunity and fairness in Texas? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what Prop 1 really does, why it matters, and how investing in technical training strengthens freedom for working Texans.
Continue reading on Substack → Proposition 1: Investing in Texas Jobs and Skills
SJR 59 TESTIMONIES
Proposition 2: Protecting Wealthy Donors, Not Everyday Texans
This November 2025, Texans will vote on Proposition 2 (SJR 18), a constitutional amendment that would permanently ban the state from ever adopting a capital gains tax. On the surface, it sounds like a simple “no new taxes” measure. In reality, Prop 2 is about shielding wealth while leaving working Texans with the heavy load of property and sales taxes.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 18 (Prop 2): 89(R) SJR 18 - Enrolled Version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
Capital gains are profits from selling stocks, real estate, or other investments—and they’re how the wealthiest Texans make much of their money. Texas doesn’t currently tax capital gains, and there are no serious proposals to start. But by locking this ban into the constitution, Prop 2 would tie the state’s hands in the future, even if schools, healthcare, or infrastructure desperately need funding.
If lawmakers truly cared about lowering taxes for everyday Texans, they would fix the broken property tax system or reduce sales taxes that hit working families hardest. Instead, this amendment protects billionaire investors while keeping the tax system tilted against ordinary people.
👉 Want to know why Prop 2 is more about politics than policy—and why we think it locks in inequity for future generations? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what it really does, why it matters, and how Texans could be left paying the price.
Continue reading on Substack → Proposition 2: Protecting Wealthy Donors, Not Everyday Texans
Proposition 3: Bail Reform or Political Theater?
When Texans head to the polls this November, they’ll be asked to vote on Proposition 3 (SJR 5), a constitutional amendment that would require judges to deny bail under certain circumstances to people accused of serious felonies. At first glance, this may sound like common sense. But the reality is far more complicated—and troubling.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 5 (Prop 3): 89(R) SJR 5 - Enrolled Version
📖 Read the full text of Enabling Legislation – SB9: 89(R) SB 9 - Enrolled
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
Both progressives and conservative think tanks argue that Proposition 3 is the wrong direction for Texas. Instead of strengthening public safety, it risks undermining constitutional rights, increasing pretrial incarceration, and making an unequal justice system even less fair.
👉 Want to know why groups from across the political spectrum are urging a No vote? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what Prop 3 really does, why it matters, and how it fits into a larger pattern of fear-based politics in Texas.
Continue reading on Substack → Proposition 3: Why Both Progressives and Conservatives Oppose It
SJR 5 TESTIMONIES
Proposition 4: Securing Texas’ Water Future
This November 2025, Texans will vote on Proposition 4 (HJR 7), a bipartisan constitutional amendment that would dedicate part of the state’s sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund. At its core, Prop 4 is about whether we make a long-term investment in protecting the most basic resource we all depend on: water.
📖 Read the full text of HJR 7 (Prop 4): 89(R) HJR 7 Enrolled Version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
Starting in 2027, the first $1 billion of state sales tax revenue collected above $46.5 billion each year would be automatically deposited into the Texas Water Fund. The money could be used for water infrastructure repairs and upgrades, developing new water supplies, conservation projects, and transfers to the New Water Supply for Texas Fund — with at least 25% earmarked for new water development. Importantly, the amendment prohibits using these funds to build pipelines that siphon fresh groundwater out of rural aquifers.
Texans across the political spectrum know water is life. Rural communities, farmers, and towns hit hardest by drought or industry overuse will benefit from stronger infrastructure and protections for their water supply. Prop 4 is about planning for climate change, ensuring equity for vulnerable communities, and making sure our economy has the water it needs to thrive.
But here’s the BIGGER issue…while Prop 4 dedicates money, it avoids tackling the root causes of water stress. Massive industries like oil, gas, and data centers consume millions of gallons of water each day, often competing with local communities. Without stronger rules to ensure conservation and accountability, Texans will keep footing the bill while industries drain our public resources.
👉 Want to know why conservatives call this “big government overreach,” and why progressives see it as common-sense planning for Texas’ future? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what Prop 4 really does, why it matters, and how Texans can push for stronger accountability from industries that use so much of our water.
Continue reading on Substack → Proposition 4: Securing Texas’ Water Future.
HJR 7 TESTIMONIES
SIX PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS: WHY THEY KEEP COMING BACK
If you feel like there’s always another property tax exemption on the ballot, you’re right. This November, Texans will be asked to approve six more. On the surface, they look like acts of compassion — help for farmers, veterans’ spouses, disaster survivors, small businesses, and elderly homeowners.
But exemptions aren’t solutions. They’re workarounds. Every time one group gets relief, the responsibility shifts to someone else — usually younger families, renters, or working Texans who don’t qualify for carve-outs. And because these amendments get written into the Constitution, they’re almost impossible to undo.
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 99 (Prop 5): 89(R) HJR 99 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation HB 1399: 89(R) HB 1399 - Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 5
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 133 (Prop 7): 89(R) HJR 133 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation HB 2508: 89(R) HB 2508 - Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 7
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 1 (Prop 9): 89(R) HJR 1 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation HB 9: 89(R) HB 9 - Enrolled version
📜Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 9
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📖 Read the full text of SJR 84 (Prop 10): 89(R) SJR 84 - Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 10
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📖 Read the full text of SJR 85 (Prop 11): 89(R) SJR 85 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation SB 23: 89(R) SB 23 - Enrolled version
📜Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 11
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 34 (Prop 17): (R) HJR 34 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation HB 247: 89(R) HB 247 - Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis for Prop 17
THE TRUTH about these exemptions is that they are the band-aids for Texas tax policy. They cover wounds but don’t heal them. Decades of carve-outs have left us with a system where corporations often avoid their fair share while ordinary Texans pay some of the highest property and sales taxes in the nation.
👉Want to see how these exemptions fit into the bigger picture of Texas’ broken tax system? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what it really does and why it matters.
Continue reading on Substack → Six Tax Exemptions on the Ballot: What They Really Tell Us About Texas Taxes
Propositions 6 & 8: Locking in Privilege, Locking Out the Future
Two amendments on the 2025 ballot are being sold as protection for ordinary Texans. In reality, they lock in permanent privileges for the wealthiest players in finance and the heirs of billionaires. Both tax bans would take away tools future generations could use to balance the tax system, while guaranteeing the wealthy are shielded from ever paying their fair share.
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 4 (Prop 6) 89(R) HJR 4 - Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analyses for Prop 6
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📖 Read the full text of HJR 2 (Prop 8) 89(R) HJR 2 -Enrolled version
📜 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analyses for Prop 8
👉Want to know who really benefits, why some Democrats joined Republicans in voting yes, and how misleading language like “death tax” erodes trust? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what it really does and why it matters.
Continue reading on Substack → Propositions 6 & 8: Locking in Privilege, Locking Out the Future
Proposition 12: Judicial Oversight or Political Weapon?
Texans are being told that Proposition 12 will bring more transparency to the way judgesare disciplined. But hidden in the fine print is a major power shift: the Governor would appoint the majority of the Commission that oversees judges. That raises serious questions about whether this “reform” is really about accountability — or about giving partisan appointees a new way to intimidate the courts.
Prop 12 (SJR 27) would dissolve the current Commission on Judicial Conduct and rebuild it in 2026 with 6 judges appointed by the Texas Supreme Court and 7 public members appointed directly by the Governor. For the first time, the Governor’s appointees would hold the majority.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 27 (Prop 12): 89(R) SJR 27 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation (SB 293): 89(R) SB 293 - Enrolled version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
👉 Want to understand the criticisms of the current Commission, what changes Prop 1 would actually make, and how it fits into a larger pattern of “citizen enforcement” laws in Texas? Read our full breakdown on Substack, where we explain what it really does and why it matters.
Continue reading on Substack → Proposition 12: Judicial Oversight or Political Weapon
Proposition 13: A Short-Term Fix With Long-Term Costs
Texans are being told Proposition 13 is about relief — but the fine print tells a different story.
Prop 13 raises the homestead exemption again, promising that the state will make up the money schools lose. That sounds fair enough, until you realize we’ve heard this promise before — and we’re still paying the price.
In 2011, a similar “tax cut and replace” plan led to billions in cuts to public education and essential community services. Even today, school funding still hasn’t caught up to inflation. Now lawmakers are setting us up for another shortfall — one that could force even deeper cuts the next time the economy slows.
At Wake Up Texas, we believe in affordable homes and strong public schools. Prop 13 may feel like a win, but history shows it’s a ticking clock — one that runs out the moment the state runs out of money.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 2 (Prop 13): 89(R) SJR 2 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation (SB 4): 89(R) SB 4 - Enrolled version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analyses
👉 Prop 13 promises relief for homeowners — and for many families, it will help. But history shows those savings can come at a steep cost to our schools and our future. Read our full breakdown on Substack to learn what this amendment really means for Texas.
Continue reading on Substack → Prop 13: A Short-Term Fix with Long-Term Costs
PROP 14: FUND DEMENTIA RESEARCH—BUT DON’T HAND THE KEYS TO A POLITICAL BOARD
Texans deserve bold investment in brain health. Prop 14 does that the wrong way. It moves $3 billion of public money into a constitutional lockbox and hands control to a nine-member board appointed entirely by the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker. That board can override outside scientists’ rankings and much of the decision detail stays confidential until after the fact. Add a 50% matching rule that favors the biggest institutions, and you’ve built a process that puts insider advantage ahead of the public interest.
We don’t need a constitutional amendment to fund cures. Lawmakers could do this through the regular budget—with annual hearings, published reviewer scores, and real-time accountability. Prop 14 asks you to trade compassion for patients for concentrated power. That’s why we recommend a NO vote.
📖 Read the full text of SJR 3 (Prop 14): 89(R) SJR 3 - Enrolled version
📖 Read the enabling legislation (SB 5): 89(R) SB 5 - Enrolled version
📑 Read the Senate Research Center’s Bill Analysis
👉 Prop 14 funds dementia research — but by locking $3 billion into a constitutional fund and handing control to a political board, it risks insider advantage and weak oversight. Read our full breakdown on Substack to see what this amendment really means for Texas.
Continue reading on Substack → Prop 14: Fund Dementia Research—But Don’t Hand the Keys to a Political Board.
Between now and November 4th, we’ll be adding clear explanations of all 17 amendments. Stay updated so you’re ready to make your voice count!