Texas voters have passed eight amendments to their state Constitution to deal with questions of religious freedom, court experience, and nursing home access.
Texas’s 2021 ballot on Tuesday saw residents voting on eight new amendments to the state Constitution. All of these amendments were approved by the Texas Legislature before they were presented to the voters.
As of Wednesday morning, with 100% of counties reporting, all eight amendments have passed.
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The most notable amendment to arise from Tuesday’s vote would be Proposition 3. This amendment would change Article 1 of the state Constitution by adding a section that prohibits Texas or a “political subdivision” in Texas from “prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.” This would bar the state from enacting a law, rule, order, or proclamation limiting religious gatherings or organizations at any time.
Proposition 6 would give residents of nursing facilities or assisted living facilities the right to designate an essential caregiver that may not be prohibited from visiting the resident. The Texas Legislature filed this legal change in response to Texas Health and Human Services ordering nursing facilities to deny non-essential visitors in March 2020.
Two of the propositions would directly affect the legal system in Texas. Proposition 4 requires candidates for district courts to have eight years practicing law in Texas and candidates for the Texas Supreme Court to have ten years. This doubles the time required practicing law in Texas to become a district judge and prevents lawyers from counting years practicing out-of-state toward their credentials.
Proposition 5 would allow the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to oversee candidates running for judicial office by accepting complaints or reports and reprimanding them. The Commission currently has oversight over current judicial officeholders.
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Other amendments in the vote dealt with several logistical or state-specific affairs within Texas. For example, Proposition 1 would allow charitable raffles at rodeo events. Proposition 2 will allow counties to issue bonds or notes to raise funds for infrastructure in underdeveloped areas.
Proposition 7 limits school district property taxes incurred by the surviving spouse of a person with disabilities who is older than 65 and has died. Proposition 8 would expand residential homestead property tax exemptions to spouses of military members who were fatally injured or died.
Texas did not have any state-elected seats on the ballot in 2021. However, many local elections had votes on area-specific positions.
