Constitutional Amendments October 15, 2021

It is difficult to get the necessary votes to get an amendment on the ballot. As such, most (but certainly not all) amendments are fairly non-controversial and easily approved by voters. While they are all important, Proposition 6 has a special place for me as it is the result of a ton of hard work by my staff and individuals across the state to ensure that nursing home residents are never again denied their right to in-person visitation by a loved one. In addition to Prop 6, I will be voting in support of 7 of the 8 amendments.

The proposed amendments are as follows:

Proposition 1: Allows charitable foundations linked to professional rodeo associations to conduct raffles.

Proposition 2: Provides municipalities the authority to finance infrastructure in underdeveloped areas.

Proposition 3: Prohibits the state from limiting religious services.

Proposition 4: Raises the qualifications to serve as a judge or justice on certain courts.

Proposition 5: Allows the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate and take action against judicial candidates in the same manner as they do for sitting judges.

Proposition 6: Establishes the right of individuals in long-term care facilities to designate an individual as an essential caregiver for in-person visitation.

Proposition 7: Places a tax freeze on school district taxes on the homesteads of eligible surviving spouses of disabled individuals.

Proposition 8: Creates a property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a servicemember killed in the line of duty.

We’ve included a more in-depth explainer on each proposition below. The Texas House Research Organization also has produced a good non-partisan briefing on the amendments that you can read here. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.