All State Props Pass

The Texas Constitution may read more like a particularly dry epic poem than a working governing document, but that didn't stop state voters today from adding nine more amendments to the 90 already listed.

The big news of the night was the passage of Prop. 6, which will create a State Water Implementation Fund. The proposition drew a diverse array of supporters including environmental groups, Gov. Rick Perry, Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott, Sen. Wendy Davis, and Shell Oil. Texas voters agreed by wide margins. At the time of this posting, more than 75% of voters were in the yay column.

Wide margins developed for the other eight props early in the night as well. Props. 1 and 4, both dealing with ad valorem tax exemptions related to veterans are both passing by more than 85% at time of posting. Only Props. 3 and 5 could reasonably be called a contest, although both are currently passing with more than 50% support.

Full results:
Proposition 1: APPROVED Grants a homestead property tax exemption to surviving spouses of a veterans killed in action.
Proposition 2: APPROVED Eliminates the State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Edu­ca­tion Fund. The proposition cleans obsolete verbiage from the state constitution since neither entity is operational.
Proposition 3: APPROVED Extends the number of days that aircraft parts are exempt from ad valorem tax before shipping out of state. Proponents argued this will give Texas an edge in the billion dollar aerospace industry.
Proposition 4: APPROVED Partially exempts disabled veterans or their surviving spouses from ad valorem taxation of the residence homestead if the homestead was donated by a charitable organization.
Proposition 5: APPROVED Authorizes the making of a reverse mortgage loan for the purchase of homestead property. Makes it easier for seniors to buy or sell a homestead in a single transaction.
Proposition 6: APPROVED Creates a State Water Implementation Fund, pulling $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
Proposition 7: APPROVED Authorizes a home-rule municipality to provide in its charter the procedure to fill a vacancy on its governing body. Eliminates the expense of short-term elections.
Proposition 8: APPROVED Repeals Section 7, Article IX, Texas Constitution, which relates to the creation of a hospital district in Hidalgo County. Removes the max tax limitation for the county, which may help establish a hospital district and attract federal funds.
Proposition 9: APPROVED Expand potential sanctions that can be assessed against a judge or justice, leading to greater public accountability.