Texas Voters Approve Two Education Amendments

13 of 14 Constitutional Amendments Pass

Texas voters approved two state amendments regarding education in the Lone Star State this week.

Proposition 9 (Prop 9) in the 2023 Election passed with 2,141,913 (83.73%) votes to approve and 416,191 (16.27%) votes to reject.

The amendment of Prop 9 to the Texas Constitution would create $3.45 billion to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) to provide a cost-of-living-adjustment to eligible annuitants within TRS.

Voters also approved to pass Proposition 5 (Prop 5) with 1,619,618 (64.35%) votes to approve and 897,405 (35.65%) votes to reject.

Prop 5 is a constitutional amendment that will create the Texas University Fund (TUF) for tier-two research universities in Texas.

In total, voters approved 13 out of the 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution in the election.

Other amendments that passed included these issues:

A constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.

A 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 childcare facility.

A constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual net worth or wealth tax.

A constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.

A constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.

An 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.

A 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; 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 governing body of certain appraisal entities.

An amendment relating to the authority of 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.

An amendment to abolish the office of county treasurer of Galveston County.

An amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund.

The only one that did not pass was an amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.

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