This November, Texans will be asked to vote on 14 amendments to the Texas Constitution. You can learn more about each proposition as well as Rep. Bucy’s vote recommendation below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Click here to download this guide as a pdf.
Proposition 1: Agricultural Practices
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management. |
| Explanation | Protects the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber, horticulture, and wildlife management. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 2: Childcare Tax Exemption
| Ballot Language | The 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 child-care facility. |
| Explanation | Allows cities and counties to exempt certain childcare facilities from paying property taxes, with a minimum exemption of 50 percent. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 3: Net Worth Taxation
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family. |
| Explanation | Prohibits individual wealth or net worth tax on individuals or families from being imposed. This does not exist and has not been proposed in Texas. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | NAY |
Proposition 4: Property Tax Relief
| Ballot Language | The 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 from $40,000 to $100,000; 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 board of directors of certain appraisal districts. |
| Explanation | Increases the homestead exemption from $40k to $100K, compresses the M&O Tax Rate by 10.7 cents, adds a 3-year, 20 percent “circuit breaker” style appraisal cap on the taxable value of non-homesteaded properties under $5M in value, and creates 3 elected positions on appraisal boards in counties over 75,000 in population. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 5: Texas University Fund
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy. |
| Explanation | Creates the Texas University Fund to support Texas State, Texas Tech, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas. This will be similar to the Permanent University Fund, which benefits the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems. It will begin with a balance of $3.6 billion. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 6: Texas Water Fund
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state. |
| Explanation | Creates the Texas Water Fund to support the financing of water projects in the State. The fund will begin with a balance of $1 billion to help address infrastructure (e.g. replacing leaking pipes) and new water supply projects. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 7: Texas Energy Fund
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities. |
| Explanation | Creates the Texas Energy Fund to support construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generation facilities by making loans and grants available. Electric generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. The fund will begin with a balance of $5 billion. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 8: Texas Broadband Fund
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects. |
| Explanation | Creates the Broadband Infrastructure Fund to expand broadband access and connectivity. This is part of facilitating the draw down of federal funds and resources. The fund will begin with a balance of $1.5 billion. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 9: Retired Teacher COLA
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. |
| Explanation | Provides a cost of living adjustment for retired teachers based on their date of retirement as well as a 13th check for certain annuitants. COLA is 2 percent if retired Sept. 1, 2013 to Aug. 31 2020, 4 percent if retired Sept. 1, 2001 to Aug. 31, 2013, and 6 percent if retired on or before Aug. 31, 2001. Retirees aged 70 to 74 will receive $2,400, and those aged 75 or older will receive $7,500 as a 13th check. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 10: Medical Tax Exemption
| Ballot Language | The constitutional 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. |
| Explanation | Allows the legislature to exempt medical personal property from ad valorem taxation. In Texas, all real or personal property is taxed unless exempted by the Texas Constitution. This exemption would include personal property held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products as a finished good or used in the manufacturing or processing of medical or biomedical products. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 11: Conservation Permits
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment authorizing 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. |
| Explanation | Allows the legislature to permit conservation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds for park development or to support recreational facilities. Certain other counties already have this authority. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 12: Abolish County Treasurer
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County. |
| Explanation | Allows for the abolition of the office of County Treasurer in Galveston County, with duties transferred by the commissioners court to a county employee or contractor or other elected official. Abolishing the office would require an additional vote by citizens of Galveston County. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 13: Judicial Retirement
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges. |
| Explanation | Increases the mandatory retirement window for state justices and judges from 70-75 to 75-79. Rural counties, especially, are struggling to fill judicial positions and this could help ease that burden. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |
Proposition 14: Texas Parks Fund
| Ballot Language | The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks. |
| Explanation | Creates the Texas Centennial Parks Conservation Fund to support Texas State Parks. The fund will begin with a balance of $1 billion. |
| Rep. Bucy’s Recommendation | AYE |