The Texas Constitution is the longest in the nation. That’s because every few years, voters are asked to consider additions to it, or propositions.
This week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has called a special election on Nov. 2 to decide on eight additions to the Texas Constitution.
For the most part, some propositions build on existing law, says Charles “Rocky” Rhodes, a professor of law at South Texas College of Law in Houston, who specializes in state and federal constitutional law.
“Some of them are clean-up language,” Rhodes told Texas Standard.
One of the eight propositions before voters this fall will be to extend a preexisting ability of charities associated with professional sports teams to conduct raffles. That right, if approved this fall, would be extended to charities of professional rodeo associations because, after all, this is Texas.
But other amendments are a reaction to the existing pandemic. One would allow family members to designate a person to visit someone in an elder living facility even when visitation is shut down for health reasons.
Another proposition would bar state and local government entities from barring worship services during a pandemic.
A total list of the propositions can be found here.
