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Texas Proposition 13 (2025): S.J.R. 2

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

texasconstitutional-amendment

What does this mean?

Official ballot language

The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.

Plain summary

The constitutional amendment proposed by S.J.R. 2 amends the Texas Constitution to increase the portion of the market value of a residence homestead that is exempt from ad valorem taxation for public school purposes from $100,000 to $140,000.

Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81, quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “For” vote

Adds this amendment to the Texas Constitution: the constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.

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 increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

What This Measure Would Do

This measure would change the amount of money that can be exempt from property taxes on a person's home. Currently, $100,000 of the value of a home is exempt from these taxes for school district purposes. If this measure passes, the exemption would increase to $140,000.

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

If you vote "For" this measure, it means that the Texas Constitution will be changed to increase the amount of money exempt from property taxes on a home from $100,000 to $140,000. If you vote "Against", nothing in the Texas Constitution related to this issue will change.

Words That May Be Confusing

* "Ad valorem taxation" refers to a type of tax based on the value of something (in this case, property).

* "Residence homesteads" are homes where people live.

* "Market value" is the price that someone would pay for a home in a normal sale.

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 school district residence homestead property tax exemption would provide Texas homeowners with significant new tax relief, as school taxes amount to the largest share of most property owners' increasing tax burden. The tax savings will encourage economic growth.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Taxpayers need additional tax relief since many of the gains from tax relief passed in previous legislative sessions have been lost due to inflation and increases in tax rates by local governments.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

An increase in the homestead exemption would provide broad‑based tax relief to all homeowners and would be a meaningful tax benefit to a large number of Texans, particularly elderly homeowners living on fixed incomes and facing increasing health care expenses and rising insurance rates.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

The proposed amendment would benefit the economy by encouraging home purchases and boosting the real estate market. It would help first-time home buyers who often do not have excess money to spend on taxes and normally have substantial mortgage payments in addition to other home expenses.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

The state would make up any loss of local school district taxes as a result of the higher exemption by using general revenue under state aid formulas provided in current law and the enabling legislation.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

The proposed amendment would provide lasting, meaningful tax relief to a broad cross-section of the tax base while ensuring that funding for important priorities is maintained.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Substantial property tax cuts for homeowners could result in lower rents to maintain market competition between owning and renting.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Arguments against (opponents)

The proposed amendment would substantially reduce the amount of revenue available for funding public services and would exclude renters and commercial property owners from the tax benefits.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

The state would benefit more by investing its current surplus in public services rather than providing more tax cuts.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Public services and school funding could be jeopardized if the state does not have sufficient revenue in future years to continue reimbursing school districts for taxes lost as a result of the increased exemption.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Providing tax relief only to homeowners could shift the tax burden onto renters and commercial property owners. The legislature should pursue a tax relief strategy that targets renters and lower-income individuals, such as a renter's rebate program or an exemption tied to household income.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

An increase in the homestead exemption would also increase the number of homeowners who pay no school property taxes at all. These homeowners could be incentivized to vote for higher local tax rates and more bonds because they would not have to bear the burden of those local property tax increases.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

Increasing the homestead exemption will not provide effective property tax relief without a limit on local government spending and tax increases.

Source: Texas Legislative Council, Analyses of Proposed Constitutional Amendments (Aug 2025), p. 81

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

For2,348,815
Against609,203
Percent for79.41%

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: Bettencourt, Alvarado, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Cook, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, Hancock, Hinojosa, Adam, Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy", Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini · Coauthors: Miles · Sponsors in the other chamber: Meyer, Martinez Fischer, Bonnen, Hunter, Turner

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 (9)
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.
Bond
A way to borrow money. A government sells bonds to raise money now and promises to pay it back with interest over time. Bonds repaid from taxes often need voter approval.
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.
Homestead exemption
A homestead is the home you own and live in as your main residence. A homestead exemption removes part of its value from property tax, so tax is charged on a smaller amount. Texas school districts must offer one; other local governments may offer more. In Florida, the Constitution currently sets a homestead exemption of up to $50,000 (the second $25,000 does not apply to school taxes).
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-13 · catalog st-tx-sos-ballot-measures-2025 · updated 2026-11-02 by builder v002