Your Guide to the November 2019 Constitutional Amendment Election
In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed 10 joint resolutions proposing amendments to the state constitution, and these proposed amendments will be offered for approval by the voters of Texas on the November 5, 2019, election ballot.
Article 17 of the Texas Constitution provides that the legislature, by a two-thirds vote of all members of each house, may propose amendments revising the constitution and that proposed amendments must then be submitted for approval to the qualified voters of the state. A proposed amendment becomes a part of the constitution if a majority of the votes cast in an election on the proposition are cast in its favor. Now it is up to you.
The 2019 Texas Constitutional Amendment Election is Tuesday, November 5th. Here’s what you need to know:
Important Dates
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2019
First Day of Early Voting
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019
Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Last Day of Early Voting
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019
Election Day
Last Day to Receive Ballot by Mail
Ballot Language
(Explanatory statements provided by the Texas Secretary of State)
PROPOSITION 1 (HJR 72)
Texas House Vote: 140 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 72 proposes a constitutional amendment permitting an elected municipal judge to serve as a municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time. Unlike an appointed municipal judge, an elected municipal judge may not concurrently hold another municipal judge office. This amendment would allow an elected municipal judge to serve as a municipal judge in more than one municipality at the same time, in the same manner as appointed municipal judges.
PROPOSITION 2 (SJR 79)
Texas House Vote: 114 Yeas, 27 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.”
Explanatory Statement:
SJR 79 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the Texas Water Development Board to issue additional general obligation bonds, in an amount that does not exceed $200 million, for the economically distressed areas program. These bonds can only be used to provide financing for the development of water supply and sewer service projects in those economically distressed areas as defined by law.
PROPOSITION 3 (HJR 34)
Texas House Vote: 144 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 34 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to temporarily exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of certain property located in an area covered by a disaster declaration of the governor. The proposed amendment would allow the legislature to prescribe the method of determining the amount of the tax exemption and the duration of the exemption and also would allow the legislature to create any additional eligibility requirements for the tax exemption.
PROPOSITION 4 (HJR 38)
Texas House Vote: 100 Yeas, 42 Nays, 3 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 38 proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting the state from imposing or collecting an individual income tax, including an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income. There is no current constitutional bar on imposing or collecting an individual income tax.
PROPOSITION 5 (SJR 24)
Texas House Vote: 143 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”
Explanatory Statement:
SJR 24 proposes a constitutional amendment that would automatically appropriate the net revenue received from the portion of the state’s tax revenue received on sales of sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The legislature would maintain the authority to determine the specific uses of the funds and their allocation between TPWD and THC.
PROPOSITION 6 (HJR 12)
Texas House Vote: 130 Yeas, 15 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 12 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the maximum bond amount for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) from $3 billion to $6 billion to be issued by the Texas Public Finance Authority. CPRIT was created in 2007 to promote and fund cancer research in Texas. CPRIT uses bond proceeds to award grants for cancer research and prevention.
PROPOSITION 7 (HJR 151)
Texas House Vote: 139 Yeas, 4 Nays, 1 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 151 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions from $300 million per year to $600 million per year to the available school fund and also allowing the State Board of Education, the General Land Office, and other entities that manage revenue from land or other properties held in the permanent school fund to distribute certain revenue to the available school fund.
PROPOSITION 8 (HJR 4)
Texas House Vote: 140 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 4 proposes a constitutional amendment creating the flood infrastructure fund as a special fund in the state treasury, using money appropriated from the economic stabilization fund. The flood infrastructure fund would provide additional resources to implement plans to mitigate flood damage. The proposed amendment would authorize the Texas Water Development Board to use money in the flood infrastructure fund for drainage, flood mitigation, or flood control projects. The proposed amendment also would authorize the creation of separate accounts in the flood infrastructure fund as necessary to administer the fund or authorized projects.
PROPOSITION 9 (HJR 95)
Texas House Vote: 140 Yeas, 5 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”
Explanatory Statement:
HJR 95 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to create a property tax exemption for precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.
PROPOSITION 10 (SJR 32)
Texas House Vote: 145 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting
“The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.”
Explanatory Statement:
SJR 32 proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to allow a state agency or political subdivision to transfer a law enforcement animal to the animal’s handler or another qualified caretaker in certain circumstances. Currently, the Texas Constitution prevents the transfer of certain public property, such as law enforcement animals, to a private person or organization at no cost. This amendment authorizes the legislature to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to the animal’s handler or another qualified caretaker at no cost, upon the animal’s retirement or at another time if the transfer is determined to be in the animal’s best interest.
For more information, please read the “Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments, Nov. 5, 2019, Election” published by the Texas Legislative Council.
Other Items on the Ballot
In addition to the constitutional amendments, November 5th is also the uniform election date for local and special elections. To see what other items will appear on your specific ballot, visit HarrisVotes.com or contact your local county Elections Administrator if you are outside of Harris County.
Additional Information
HARRISVOTES.COM
Your source for early voting and Election Day polling locations, voting by mail, updating your voter registration, sample ballots and more for Harris County voters.
VOTETEXAS.GOV
Statewide voting information from the Texas Secretary of State.