The Texas Legislature agreed and voted to send a constitutional amendment to prohibit any future legislation from passing a wealth or net worth tax.

The Texas Legislature favors a Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth or net worth tax. (Photo: Ballotpedia)

Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Wealth or Net Wort Tax

On March 13, 2023, ​​this Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth or net worth tax was introduced as House Joint Resolution 132 authored by State Rep. Cole Hefner (R-5).

On May 2, the state House passed House Joint Resolution 132 by a vote of 101-45 with only four not voting. All Republicans in the state House and 16 Democrats voted in favor of the Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth.

On May 19, the state Senate passed and approved House Joint Resolution 132. It gained a vote of 22-9, with three Democrats joining the Republican Senate majority.

According to Ballotpedia News, in the statement of purpose for the Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth, the author Rep. Hefner said, “[The amendment] would allow the people of Texas to decide whether or not they want a direct say in the possibility of a net worth tax being imposed by the legislature.”

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Oppositions of Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Wealth

Texans and the Texas American Federation of Teachers are not in favor of the Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth. They registered in opposition to the amendment and No organizations registered in support of the Constitutional amendment to prohibit wealth.

According to Business Insider, eight states had introduced some form of wealth tax legislation during their respective 2023 legislative sessions. These states include — California, Connecticut, Illinois, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, and Washington.

In 2019, Texans approved and favored Proposition 4, which added a provision to the state constitution forbidding the state from levying a personal income tax. It was approved with 74.4% of the vote.

With the passage of a constitutional amendment in 1993, Texans had also previously banned the state from levying a personal income tax without voter approval.

A total of 297 constitutional amendments were filed during the Texas 2023 legislative session.

As of May 21, there are eight amendments that were certified to appear on statewide ballots in November.

A total of 47 amendments received a vote by at least one chamber, including the eight certified measures. Between 1985 and 2021, an average of 14 measures appeared on statewide ballots in odd-numbered years.

The state legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 29.

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