BPI November 2025 Texas Voter’s Guide

BPI November 2025 Texas Voter’s Guide
BPI Detailed Voter Guide (PDF)
BPI Short Votor Guide (PDF)
Proposition 1Higher Education FundingSJR 59✅ Yes
Summary:  This amendment would create two new state funds to help Texas colleges and technical schools pay for things like: building and fixing classrooms, buying land or equipment, and making repairs and improvements. One fund would specifically help Texas State Technical College with its buildings and equipment.

Rationale:  Aligns with public investment in education, supporting and equipping Texans with skills and knowledge for well-paying and essential jobs.  It also helps rural and underserved areas, giving more people a fair chance to succeed. Some worry that these funds would be managed without enough oversight from the legislature, but I believe the benefits to students and communities are worth moving forward.
Proposition 2Capital Gains Tax BanSJR 18❌ No
Summary:  This amendment would change the Texas Constitution to ban the legislature from ever creating a tax on someone’s wealth or net worth. That means no taxes on things like personal assets, investments, or total wealth.

Rationale:  I’m against this because it’s unfair. It would make it harder to tax the very wealthy to help pay for things we all use, like healthcare, schools, and roads. It gives a big benefit to the richest Texans while doing little or nothing for regular working people. This change is designed to protect the wealthy and give them even more power to shape future legislation in their favor.
Proposition 3Bail ReformSJR 5❌ No
Summary:  This amendment would allow judges in Texas to deny bail under specific circumstances, including violent offenses, sexual offenses, and human trafficking.

Rationale:  On the surface this amendment aims to protect public safety, but also poses risk, as it can be seen as a pretrial justice and a judge’s discretion could be subjective and could marginalize some groups. This amendment would effectively be risking a citizen’s due process and could ultimate disproportionately affects marginalized groups.
Proposition 4Water InfrastructureHJR 7✅ Yes
Summary:  Constitutional amendment to secure funding for water infrastructure through the Texas Water Fund by dedicating state sales tax revenue to support water access, economic growth and sustainability.

Rationale:  Texas faces a significant shortage in funding over the next several decades and this amendment will provide funds until 2035, unless extended. Overall this amendment would strengthen our water system, protect public health, and help communities handle climates challenges.
Proposition 5Feed Tax ExemptionHJR 99❌ No
Summary:  Proposition would allow the legislature to exempt animal feed held for retail sale from property taxation.

Rationale:  This amendment primarily benefits feed stores, agricultural supply chains and corporate retailers, regardless of income or size. This provides no relief for farmers or workers in the agricultural sector and removes valuable tax-funded services in local communities.  The amendment is effectively creating wealth inequality by transferring public funds from the community infrastructure and education to the wealthy in the form of tax relief.
Proposition 6Securities Tax BanHJR 4❌ No
Summary:  Amendment seeks to ban new taxes on securities transactions and securities market operators, specifically prohibiting any future law from imposing an occupation tax on securities market operators or taxing securities transactions. 

Rationale:  Shields financial elites from taxation, favoring larger financial firms, wealthy and institutional investors who rely heavily on the stock market and trading. This is an egregious constitutional amendment that further creates wealth inequality within the state of Texas. 
Proposition 7Veteran Spouse Tax ReliefHJR 133✅ Yes
Summary:  Amendment authorizes Texas Legislature to grant property tax exemption to surviving spouses of veterans who have died from conditions presumed to be service-connected under federal law.

Rationale:  Current law only provides tax exemptions to disabled veterans, but this legislation fills the gap by extending the exemptions to a surviving spouse.  This is a no-brainer legislation that honors and supports military families by reducing financial burdens on vulnerable families.  Yes, there is a risk of tax base erosion, but this tax relief is extended to those in need.
Proposition 8Death Tax BanHJR 2❌ No
Summary:  This amendment is proposing to permanently prohibit the state of Texas from imposing taxes on property transfers such as estate taxes, inheritances  taxes, death taxes, give taxes and generation-skipping transfer taxes.  

Rationale:  Texas currently does not currently have any form of taxation on the transfer of wealth between individuals or across generations, but this amendment would solidify banning any future legislation from attempting to introduce such tax reform. The bill would limit progressive tax reform that could fund public services such as education, infrastructure, or healthcare.  This legislation is specifically targeted at benefiting and securing the wealth of affluent Texans with large estates, trusts and significant wealth that would otherwise be subject to estate or inheritance taxes.  Typically, estate taxes only apply to wealth valued in the millions, so this legislation preserves wealth inequality and the political power of those with the wealth.
Proposition 9Business Property Tax ReliefHJR 1❌ No
Summary:  Amendment to exempt property taxation on up to $250,000 of tangible personal property used for income production.

Rationale:  Intended to provide property tax relief for small businesses, but there is no restrictions on business size.  This amendment prioritizes tax relief for businesses of all sizes over the working-class people. This will further create wealth inequality between everyday people that need tax relief and the wealthy that will benefit from this tax relief.  This loss in local revenue will also strain funds for existing critical infrastructure such as schools, libraries, and emergency response services.
Proposition 10Disaster ReliefSJR 84✅ Yes
Summary:  Proposes to allow Texas Legislature to grant temporary property tax exemption for residence homesteads that are destroyed by fire.  Exempts property taxes on disaster-damaged homes.

Rationale:  The scope of this amendment is very narrow and limited but should help to protect working class people.  The amendment seeks to offer financial relief to homeowners recovering from fire damage only, excluding floods, hurricanes and other disasters. Amendment empowers lawmakers to define both the duration of tax relief and eligibility.
Proposition 11Senior/Disabled Tax ReliefSJR 85✅ Yes
Summary:  Amendment proposal that would allow legislature to raise the current additional homestead tax exemption from $10,000 to up to $60,000 for the elderly and disabled homeowners.

Rationale:  This amendment provides tax relief for a vulnerable population that are often on fixed incomes and aligns with goal of reducing wealth inequality.  The loss in school tax revenue attributed to this amendment will be compensated for by the state taxpayers.
Proposition 12Judicial OversightSJR 27✅ Yes
Summary:  The amendment aims to reforms the State Commission on Judicial Conduct by adding more citizen oversight, strengthening power to discipline judges, and promoting transparency and fairness.

Rationale:  This amendment is closing gaps in weak oversight of judges, helping to hold partisan judges accountable for politically biased ruling. It also provides for citizen members to be appointed along with judges to provide transparency, balance and fairness in judicial discipline system. This proposal ultimately brings us closer to a judicial system accountable to the people and not just the powerful.
Proposition 13Homestead ExemptionSJR 2✅ Yes
Summary:  Texas constitutional amendment proposal to raise the residence homestead exemption for school district property taxes from $100,000 to $140,000 in taxable market value.

Rationale:  This amendment does help to uplift the lower class by providing immediate tax relief with reduced tax bills.  The scope of the tax relief is limited though only to homeowners and does not provide relief for renters.  Additionally, this provision only applies for 2025 and 2026.  The state will reimburse the lost tax revenue to the school districts, which could strain or compromise the general state revenue and funds for other public services and programs. 
Proposition 14Dementia ResearchSJR 3✅ Yes
Summary:  Constitutional amendment to establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and a corresponding Dementia Prevention and Research Fund.  The initiative would allocate $3B for research, prevention and treatment for dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders.  Capped at no more the $3M per fiscal year.

Rationale:  This proposition is a proactive investment in the health and well-being of Texans. With dementia-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s on the rise, establishing a publicly funded institute ensures that Texas leads in prevention, treatment, and scientific breakthroughs, without relying on profit-driven pharmaceutical interests. This supports families, reduces long-term healthcare costs, and fosters innovation in a sector that affects millions. This is a compassionate move toward a healthier, more equitable future for all Texans.
Proposition 15Parental RightsSJR 34❌ No
Summary:  This proposition aims to codify that parents have an inherent right to raise their children, including decisions about care, custody, and upbringing. It restricts government interference unless there’s a compelling governmental interest.

Rationale:  Currently, the US Constitution does not explicitly state parental rights, but rather they have been recognized through Supreme Court precedence. The risk of codifying parental rights in the Texas Constitution is that it could compromise child protection, public health and inclusive education.  This would limit state intervention in child abuse or neglect conditions, used to compromise science-based vaccine mandates, and challenge inclusive curriculum or mental health services.  This would effectively shift decision making from democratically accountable institutions to individual parents which could impact broader community.
Proposition 16Citizenship VotingSJR 37❌ No
Summary:  Amends the Texas Constitution to explicitly state that only U.S. citizens may vote in any Texas election, including state, local, and municipal.

Rationale:  Reinforces exclusion rather than expanding civic participation. Already covered by law, meaning this bill is redundant and potentially xenophobic. May be used to fuel anti-immigrant narratives and distract from real electoral issues.
Proposition 17Border InfrastructureHJR 34❌ No
Summary:  Amendment to exempt property in counties bordering Mexico from taxation that has increased in value due to border security infrastructure.

Rationale:  Amendment prioritizes border security over proper immigration reform.  Rewards landowners who align with state-led border efforts, effectively supporting future border projects.  The loss in tax revenue will impact effected counties and local budgets.