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Texas Proposition 9 (2025): H.J.R. 1

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

texasconstitutional-amendment

What does this mean?

Official ballot language

The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

Plain summary

H.J.R. 1, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, proposes to amend Section 1(g), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation $125,000 of the market value of tangible personal property that is held or used for the production of income.

Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57, quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “For” vote

Adds this amendment to the Texas Constitution: the constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

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 authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

What This Measure Would Do

This measure would change the Texas Constitution to allow the state legislature to decide how much of a person's property can be exempt from paying taxes. Specifically, it would let the legislature choose which part of a person's property is tax-exempt if that property is used to make money.

Voting Options

If you vote "For" this measure, it means you want to add this change to the Texas Constitution. This would give the state legislature more power to decide how much property can be exempt from taxes. If you vote "Against", it means you don't want any changes made to the current tax laws in the Texas Constitution.

Unclear Words

The term "ad valorem taxation" refers to a type of tax that is based on the value of something, like property. In this context, it's unclear what exactly "tangible personal property" means. It seems to refer to physical items or goods, but more clarification would be helpful.

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)

Increasing the business personal property tax exemption would provide tax relief for businesses in Texas, particularly small businesses, and allow these businesses to reinvest these savings and expand their operations while limiting price increases, thus resulting in economic growth in the state.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

The proposed amendment would incentivize businesses to move to or remain in Texas to take advantage of the business personal property tax exemption and could reduce the need for businesses to move inventory or equipment out of Texas to avoid paying business personal property taxes on these items.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

The proposed amendment would reduce burdens for appraisal districts in Texas by reducing the number of businesses on their appraisal rolls.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

The impact to state and local tax revenue would be minor since most of the revenue from business personal property taxes comes from a small number of large businesses, which would still be required to pay taxes on all business personal property over the threshold amount. The potential economic benefits would outweigh the minimal tax losses.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

With another budget surplus, it is the state's responsibility to return this surplus money to the taxpayers.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

Paying business personal property taxes can be an onerous process for small businesses since it requires documenting all assets and reporting acquisition prices and dates and depreciation schedules. Tax formulas can be complicated and often overestimate the value of business personal property, and protesting these determinations can be costly and time-consuming. The enabling legislation for the proposed amendment would reduce administrative and compliance burdens for businesses in Texas.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

Arguments against (opponents)

The increased tax exemption would reduce the amount of taxable property value on local tax rolls. Counties, municipalities, and special districts might have to raise tax rates to cover these losses, which could result in a redistribution of the property tax burden to homeowners.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

The increased tax exemption causes a net loss in state general revenue available for other uses by reducing local property tax revenue for school districts, which the state would have to make up from state revenue through the school finance system.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 57

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

For1,896,300
Against1,019,501
Percent for65.04%

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: Meyer, Bonnen, Button, Martinez Fischer, Bernal · Coauthors: Alders, Ashby, Barry, Bell, Cecil, Bell, Keith, Buckley, Bumgarner, Capriglione, Cook, Cortez, Craddick, Cunningham, Curry, Davis, Aicha, Dean, DeAyala, Dorazio, Dyson, Fairly, Frank, Gates, Gerdes, Geren, Guillen, Harless, Harris, Harris Davila, Hefner, Hickland, Hull, Isaac, Kerwin, Kitzman, Lambert, Landgraf, Leach, Leo Wilson, Lopez, Janie, Lopez, Ray, Lujan, Luther, Martinez, McQueeney, Metcalf, Money, Morales, Eddie, Morgan, Muñoz, Noble, Oliverson, Orr, Patterson, Paul, Pierson, Plesa, Raymond, Richardson, Schofield, Shaheen, Shofner, Slawson, Spiller, Swanson, Tepper, Tinderholt, Toth, Troxclair, VanDeaver, Vasut, Wharton · Sponsors in the other chamber: Bettencourt

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 (8)
Ad valorem
Latin for "according to value." An ad valorem tax is a percentage of what something is worth. Texas property taxes are ad valorem taxes: they are based on the appraised value of a home, land or business property. Florida property taxes are ad valorem taxes too.
Appraisal
An estimate of what property is worth. In Texas, county appraisal districts set the value that property taxes are based on.
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.
Exemption
A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
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).
Property tax
A tax on land, buildings and some business property, based on its value. In Texas it is set and collected by local governments (cities, counties, school districts and special districts), not by the state.
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.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record st-tx-2025-prop-09 · catalog st-tx-sos-ballot-measures-2025 · updated 2026-11-02 by builder v002