Email: Learning Journey: Texas 2019 ballot measures; Day 1

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Ready to learn about the measures on your ballot this year? Let's get started!   Overview of the Texas State Constitution The Texas Constitution has been amended 498 times since the current constitution was adopted 143 years ago in 1876. In November 2019, voters will get to decide on 10 proposals in a statewide constitutional amendment election. This five-day Learning Journey provides an overview of the Texas 2019 constitutional amendments and their political context. » Day 1 What’s the lineup? Day 2: We’ll take a look at HJR 13, the Prohibit State Income Tax on Individuals Amendment, which passed with 122 votes in the legislature (121 were required)—one of the narrowest margins in the past 25 years. Day 3: Increasing the funding for the state Cancer Prevention and Research Institute and the permanent fund-based education account are also on the ballot this fall. We’ll review what’s at stake in their approval or defeat.   Day 4: The legislature is asking voters to address several constitutional amendments related to water and natural disasters—HJR 4, the Flood Infrastructure Fund Amendment; HJR 34, the Property Tax Exemption for Disaster Areas Amendment; and SJR 79, the Water Development Board Bonds Amendment. Join us in learning more about these ballot measures! Day 5: We’ll round out the Learning Journey with the final four ballot measures, addressing a range of topics, including law enforcement animals, municipal judges, taxes on precious metals, and spending sales tax revenue on sporting goods. How does a constitutional amendment make the ballot? Except in Delaware, voter approval is required for the ratification of a state constitutional amendment. Texas is one of 16 states that requires a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 100 votes in the Texas House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Texas Senate, assuming no vacancies. Unlike a state statute in Texas, constitutional amendments do not require the governor’s signature. In Texas, citizens do not have the power to initiate constitutional amendments; therefore, the legislature is responsible for proposing changes to the constitution. Voters rejected a constitutional amendment to provide for the initiative and referendum process in 1914. Read on: Amending state constitutions and Legislatively referred constitutional Impact of 2018 state legislative election In 2019, Republicans controlled both chambers of the state legislature, as well as the governor's office, making Texas a Republican trifecta. At the general election on November 6, 2018, Republicans retained control of the House and Senate but lost seats in both chambers. In the House, Republicans lost 10 seats, reducing the party's seats from 93 to 83. Changes in the state Senate could have had an impact on the prospects of constitutional amendments making the ballot. Republicans held 21 seats in the state Senate in 2018, which was enough to pass a constitutional amendment without support from Democrats. In 2019, Republicans held 19 seats, meaning at least two Democrats were needed to pass a constitutional amendment in the state Senate. In 2017, the last election in Texas featuring constitutional amendments, each of the seven amendments received unanimous support from Senate Democrats. In 2015 and 2017, none of the constitutional amendments were referred to the ballot along partisan lines. Partisan breakdown of the Texas House            Partisan breakdown of the Texas Senate Review: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2018 and Texas State Senate elections, 2018 The 2019 legislative session saw one constitutional amendment, which we’ll be reviewing tomorrow, that passed by one of the narrowest margins in recent state history.