Follow-up on Texas Prop #3

I wrote on October 11 about the ballot propositions, based on what information I had available to me, and limited by the time I had to study the issues. After that, I learned that my good friend Mark Ramsey is adamantly against Prop 3, which I had indicated I was for.

So I thought I’d do some more study, just to understand the issue better. Some people think aloud; I think by writing. So, as I begin, I’m not sure whether I’ll change my mind, or even reach a final decision by the end of this piece.

One thing I’ve found is that good conservatives can disagree on issues. Hopefully, we’re all keeping in mind foundational principles as we think things through and make our decisions.

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Texas Ballot Propositions 2025

Compared to the US Constitution, the Texas Constitution is long and convoluted. There’s more a state should do than a federal government. And the amendment process is much easier to accomplish than a US constitutional amendment. A joint resolution passes out of both legislative chambers, and then appears on the following November ballot. If it receives a majority of votes, it becomes part of the Texas Constitution.

Proposed amendments are more likely to pass than not. Since 1876, there have been 714 proposed constitutional amendments; 530 were approved, and only 181 were not. (If you’re keeping track, there were also 3 that came out of the legislature and never made it to the ballot, for reasons somewhat lost to history.) My math shows a 75% pass rate. Maybe it’s because many people trust the legislature—maybe more than they should. But this year my recommendations for the 17 proposed amendments are just over ¾ in favor, with 13 for and 4 against.

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