Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens 

Monday, October 18, 2021
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Early Voting Begins

• While attention is beginning to grow on the elections in 2022, early voting starts today for the special statewide election in which voters will approve—or reject—several proposed amendments to the Texas constitution.
   

• In order for a constitutional amendment to be proposed to the public, it must first be approved by two-thirds of both the Texas House and Senate. The following 8 propositions are currently set to be on the ballot:

• Proposition 1: Charitable Raffles at Rodeo Venues [HJR 143]

  WHAT IT DOES: Designates sanctioned rodeos as professional sports teams and authorizes professional sports team charitable organizations to conduct raffles at rodeo venues.

• Proposition 2: County Infrastructure Bonds in Blighted Areas [HJR 99]
  
  WHAT IT DOES: Authorizes counties to issue bonds (debt) to fund infrastructure and transportation projects in underdeveloped, unproductive, or blighted areas.

• Proposition 3: Prohibition on Limiting Religious Services [SJR 27]
     
  WHAT IT DOES: State and local governments may not enact any rules that prohibit or limit religious services by religious organizations.

• Proposition 4: Authority of State Commission on Judicial Conduct [HJR 165]
    
  WHAT IT DOES: Authorizes the Commission to investigate complaints and reports against candidates for state judicial office, in the same manner it does judicial officeholders.

• Proposition 5: Eligibility Requirements for Certain Judicial Offices [SJR 47]
       
  WHAT IT DOES: Adds that state supreme court and court of appeals justices, and court of criminal appeals judges, must be Texas residents at the time of electionwho have been practicing lawyers licensed in the state of Texas and/or Texas state or county court judges for at least 10 years (the current amount of experience), with no suspensions of their licenses. Requires district court judges to have eight years of Texas law practice and/or court judge experience, with no suspensions—twice the current requirement of four years of combined experience.

• Proposition 6: Right to Designated Essential Caregiver [SJR 19]
     
  WHAT IT DOES: Residents of nursing, assisted living, and similar residential facilities have the right to designate an essential caregiver who may not be denied in-person visitation.

• Proposition 7: Homestead Tax Limit for Surviving Spouses of Disabled [HJR 125]
     
  WHAT IT DOES: Extends the current homestead school tax limit for disabled individuals to surviving spouses who are at least 55 years old and reside at the home.

• Proposition 8: Homestead Tax Exemption for Surviving Military Spouses [SJR 35]
      
  WHAT IT DOES: Expands the current homestead tax exemption to include surviving spouses of service members fatally injured in the line of duty, along with those killed outright.

History of Constitutional Amendments

• Since being adopted in February of 1876, the current Texas Constitution has been amended more than 500 times. Since 1876, the Legislature has proposed more than 690 constitutional amendments; of those, 687 have gone before Texas voters. Only 180 proposed amendments have ever been defeated.
   
• Early voting will continue through Friday, October 29. Election Day is November 2.

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

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