HOUSTON – Voters in Texas will find 10 propositions on their ballots when they head to the polls for Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Each proposition is a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution.
Here's a breakdown of each proposition:
Proposition 1 (HJR 72): Allowed to Serve as Multiple Municipal Judges Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow appointed and elected municipal judges to serve multiple offices at the same time.
Currently, only appointed municipal judges are allowed to serve multiple offices at the same time.
How it's worded: “The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”
Proposition 2 (SJR 79): Water Development Board Bonds Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue general obligation bonds for water supply and sewer service to areas described as economically distressed.
The bonds would be issued on a continuing basis to the Economically Distressed Areas Program and would not exceed $200 million in total principle at any time.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 3 (HJR 34): Temporary Property Tax Exemption for Disaster Areas Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would provide temporary property tax exemptions for properties located in governor-declared disaster areas.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 4 (HJR 38): Prohibit State Income Tax on Individuals Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would prohibit Texas from imposing an income tax on individuals.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 5 (SJR 24): Sales Tax on Sporting Goods Dedicated to Parks, Wildlife, and Historical Agencies Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow a portion of sales tax revenue obtained from sporting goods to be exclusively used for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission.
Currently, the law allows the legislature to distribute the sales tax revenue for other uses.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 6 (HJR 12): Cancer Prevention and Research Institute Bonds Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow the Texas State Legislature to increase the maximum amount of funds for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from $3 billion to $6 billion.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 7 (HJR 151): Increase Distributions to School Fund Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow the General Land Office and the State Board of Education to increase the annual funding for Texas school's from $300 million to $600 million.
How it's worded: “The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”
Proposition 8 (HJR 4): Flood Infrastructure Fund Amendment
What it means: If passed, this proposition would create a fund for flooding projects such as drainage, mitigation and control.
How it's worded: “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.”
Proposition 9 (HJR 95): Precious Metals in Depositories Exempt from Property Tax Amendment
How it's worded: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow precious metals held in depositories to be exempt from property taxation.
Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium.
Proposition 10 (SJR 32): Transfer of Care of Law Enforcement Animals Amendment
How it's worded: “The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.”
What it means: If passed, this proposition would allow retired law enforcement animals, such as a police K9s or horses, to be transferred to their handler or a qualified caretaker if its in the animal's best interest.
The highest-ranking officer at a law enforcement agency would determine who the animal is transferred to.