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Ballot Order Set For Constitutional Amendments Election
During odd-numbered years, Texas voters have the opportunity to accept or reject amendments to the Texas Constitution that are proposed and passed by the Texas Legislature during that year's legislative session. The election is held on the regular November election date, which is November 8 this year. Unlike a regular bill, which becomes law when both the House of Representatives and the Senate pass it and the governor either signs it or allows it to become law without his signature, a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution does not go into effect until it is ratified by the citizens of Texas. This process helps assure that the basic core principles of the state which are laid out in its Constitution remain in the hands of those who choose to be governed by those principles. The Texas Constitution is one of the longest in the nation and is still growing. As of 2003, the Texas Legislature has passed a total of 606 amendments. Of these, 432 have been adopted and 174 have been defeated by Texas voters. Thus, the Texas Constitution has been amended 432 times since its adoption in 1876.
Following the passage of constitutional amendments by the legislature, the Texas Secretary of State is responsible for selecting the order that the proposed amendments will appear on the ballot. Last week, our current Secretary of State, Roger Williams, announced the order for this year's election. There are nine proposed constitutional amendments this year. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will discuss each amendment, listing both the proponents' and opponents' views on each so that you may make your own decision on each prior to heading to the polls to vote.
The following is the order in which the amendments will appear on the ballot and in which I will discuss them in the following weeks:
Proposition 1 – HJR 54 “The constitutional amendment creating the Texas rail relocation and improvement fund and authorizing grants of money and issuance of obligations for financing the relocation, rehabilitation and expansion of rail facilities.”
Proposition 2 - HJR 6 "The constitutional amendment providing that marriage in this state consists only of the union of one man and one woman and prohibiting this state or a political subdivision of this state from creating or recognizing any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
Proposition 3 - HJR 80 "The constitutional amendment clarifying that certain economic development programs do not constitute a debt."
Proposition 4 - SJR 17 "The constitutional amendment authorizing the denial of bail to a criminal defendant who violates a condition of the defendant's release pending trial."
Proposition 5 - SJR 21 "The constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to define rates of interest for commercial loans."
Proposition 6 - HJR 87 "The constitutional amendment to include one additional public member and a constitutional county court judge in the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct."
Proposition 7 - SJR 7 "The constitutional amendment authorizing line-of-credit advances under a reverse mortgage."
Proposition 8 - SJR 40 "The constitutional amendment providing for the clearing of land titles by relinquishing and releasing any state claim to sovereign ownership or title to interest in certain land in Upshur County and in Smith County."
Proposition 9 - HJR 79 "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a six-year term for a board member of a regional mobility authority."
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