Texas Proposition 8, Mode of Amending the Constitution Amendment (1975)

Texas Proposition 8
Election date November 4, 1975
Topic Administration of government and Constitutional wording changes
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Texas Proposition 8 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Texas on November 4, 1975. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported the amendment to incorporate a single subject provision to the constitutional amendment process, limiting potential amendments to focus on a single article except when portions of another article are germane (substantially related) to the main article being amended.

A "no" vote opposed the amendment to incorporate a single subject provision to the constitutional amendment process, limiting potential amendments to focus on a single article except when portions of another article are germane (substantially related) to the main article being amended.

Election results

Texas Proposition 8
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		318,180	27.40%
No		842,935	72.60%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 8 was as follows:

“

The constitutional amendment revising the mode of amending provisions of the Texas Constitution.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Supporters

Individuals

• Michael El-Attrache - Professor at McMurry College

Arguments

• Michael El-Attrache: "Under the present Article, the people in 2006 would be required to convince the legislature to submit a convention call. If Proposition 8 is approved by the voters on November 4, the new mode of amending the constitution begins September 1, 1976. I feel on the whole that this is a positive improvement over the present constitution."

Opposition

Opponents

Candidates

• Stan Brown - Candidate for state house

Arguments

• Stan Brown, State House Candidate: "proposition 8 would allow the legislature to limit the scope of any constitutional convention called by it."

Media editorials

See also: 2023 ballot measure media endorsements

Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on the proposition.

Ballotpedia lists the positions of media editorial boards that support or oppose ballot measures. This does not include opinion pieces from individuals or groups that do not represent the official position of a newspaper or media outlet. Ballotpedia includes editorials from newspapers and outlets based on circulation and readership, political coverage within a state, and length of publication. You can share media editorial board endorsements with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Support

• Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board: "Under this provision we wouldn't have to wait another 100 years to make needed changes in the basic document of state law."

Opposition

• Corpus Christi Caller Editorial Board: "Result of passage of Proposition 8 would seem to be to limit the access of the people to the constitutional convention process because of the restrictions placed on it."

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Texas Constitution

A two-thirds vote was needed in each chamber of the Texas State Legislature to refer the constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.

The constitutional amendment was introduced into the Texas State Legislature as Senate Joint Resolution 11 during the 64th regular legislative session in 1975.

See also

1975 Measures

• 1975 Measures
• Administration of government on the ballot
• Constitutional wording changes on the ballot
• 1975 legislative sessions

Texas

• Texas ballot measures
• Texas ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Legislative Reference Library of Texas, Constitutional Amendments