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Texas Proposition 4 (2025): H.J.R. 7

Texas constitutional amendment · voted on 2025-11-04 · Result: Passed

texasconstitutional-amendment

What does this mean?

Official ballot language

The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.

Plain summary

H.J.R. 7, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution directing the comptroller of public accounts to deposit $1 billion of state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas water fund each state fiscal year, to the extent the state collects more than $46.5 billion of that tax revenue during the fiscal year. The proposed amendment prohibits tax revenue deposited to the Texas water fund under the amendment from being used to construct infrastructure to transport fresh (non-brackish) groundwater and further provides that, notwithstanding any other law, tax revenue deposited to the Texas water fund must be maintained in a separate account in the fund and may not be transferred from the fund except by legislative appropriation. The legislature is authorized by the proposed amendment to prescribe the manner in which all or a portion of the tax revenue deposited to the Texas water fund is allocated to certain other funds and accounts administered by the Texas Water Development Board. Any allocation prescribed by the legislature may not be changed during the first 10 years for which the money is allocated, except that the allocation may be temporarily suspended during a declared state of disaster. The duty of the comptroller to deposit tax revenue to the Texas water fund expires after 20 years, as do the provisions restricting the use of that revenue for certain purposes, requiring that revenue to be deposited into a separate account in the Texas water fund, and authorizing the legislature to allocate all or a portion of that revenue.

Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29, quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “For” vote

Adds this amendment to the Texas Constitution: the constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.

A “Against” vote

The Texas Constitution is not changed by this proposition; current provisions stay as they are.

Ballot language as certified (Texas Legislative Council analysis). A constitutional amendment takes effect only if a majority of voters approve it.

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

What This Measure Would Do

This measure would change the Texas Constitution. It would direct a certain amount of money from state sales and use taxes to be put into the Texas water fund each year. The amount of money would be $1 billion, but only if the state collects more than $46.5 billion in those taxes during the fiscal year.

The money in the Texas water fund could not be used for a specific type of project: building infrastructure to transport fresh groundwater. Also, this money must stay in a separate account within the fund and can't be transferred out except by the legislature's approval.

What a 'For' Vote Means and What a 'Against' Vote Means

If you vote "For" this measure, it would add this change to the Texas Constitution. This means that the state sales and use taxes would have to put $1 billion into the Texas water fund each year under certain conditions.

If you vote "Against", nothing in the Texas Constitution would be changed by this proposition. The current rules about how money is used from state sales and use taxes would stay the same.

Words That May Be Confusing, Explained

The term "fiscal year" refers to a 12-month period used for budgeting and financial planning. It's unclear what "brackish" water means in this context.

Written by a computer model (llama3.1:8b, run on our own server) on Tue Nov 3 from the official text and nonpartisan summary only. It is not a source and takes no side. If it differs from the official text, the official text is right.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Studies have suggested that $154 billion will be needed over the next 50 years to fully address water infrastructure concerns as the state's population and water demand continue to grow, and the proposed amendment would help provide a sustainable funding mechanism to help address that funding deficit and meet the state's pressing water needs.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Dedicated funding for water infrastructure would provide a predictable funding stream to improve water planning efforts, promote confidence in the state's ability to tackle its water challenges in the eyes of businesses, and ensure that infrastructure can keep up with demands without increasing pressure on ratepayers. Other types of infrastructure, like transportation, have dedicated funding and are a model for how the state should address water funding.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Without significant investment in water resources, the risk of shortages could negatively impact quality of life for Texas residents, drive up costs for businesses, and stall economic development, as businesses may choose to establish themselves elsewhere due to concerns about access to water in Texas.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Because water costs are increasing and water infrastructure projects can be expensive, be complex, and take a long time to complete, it is critical that investment in water infrastructure happen now to help ensure the state's water security into the future.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Texas is the eighth-largest economy in the world, there have been multibillion-dollar state surpluses in recent legislative sessions, and 1,600 people a day are moving to Texas. As Texas continues to experience rapid population and economic growth, the state's water infrastructure investment strategy must keep pace. Strengthening water infrastructure would fuel economic development, support population growth, create jobs, and attract new investments.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

With uncertainty regarding federal funding for the state's water infrastructure needs, Texas water and wastewater projects require significant investment, and a dedicated revenue source at the state level is a great way to accomplish that.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Arguments against (opponents)

While no opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment was expressed during legislative consideration of the proposal, it was noted that the proposed amendment would not provide sufficient funding to secure the state's water future given the size of projected water funding needs or address what priority should be given specifically to new water supply development.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 29

Summary of comments made in committee, floor debate, or the House Research Organization analysis, as published by the Texas Legislative Council. Shown in the order published, not ranked by us.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Result

For2,077,449
Against872,670
Percent for70.42%

Source: Texas Secretary of State results as reported by Texas Policy Research (confirm at the SOS results site) · official canvass: Texas SOS results

Officials and money

Authors: Harris, Hunter, Martinez, Kitzman, Metcalf · Coauthors: Alders, Ashby, Barry, Bell, Cecil, Bonnen, Buckley, Cain, DeAyala, Fairly, Gámez, Garcia, Josey, Gerdes, González, Mary, Guillen, Hickland, Isaac, Leo Wilson, Lopez, Janie, McLaughlin, Morales, Eddie, Noble, Orr, Plesa, Raymond, Romero, Spiller, Vasut, Villalobos, Wharton, Zwiener · Sponsors in the other chamber: Perry

Texas legislators are not yet linked to official pages. Bill history and votes on Texas Legislature Online.

Money: Legislative Budget Board fiscal note No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Words on this page, explained (7)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Constitutional amendment
A change to a constitution. In Texas the Legislature proposes an amendment with a joint resolution passed by two-thirds of the members of each chamber. It takes effect only if a majority of the people voting on it approve it. In Florida, an amendment needs at least 60% of the votes cast on it to pass.
Joint resolution
In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Legislature
The elected body that makes laws. In Texas it has a House of Representatives (150 members) and a Senate (31 members). In Florida it has a House of Representatives (120 members) and a Senate (40 members).
Proposition
The name for a measure on a Texas ballot, numbered Proposition 1, 2, and so on. A "For" vote supports the measure; an "Against" vote opposes it.
Sales tax
A tax added to the price of goods and some services when they are bought.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record st-tx-2025-prop-04 · catalog st-tx-sos-ballot-measures-2025 · updated 2026-11-02 by builder v002