Among the 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot for Texas voters this November is an amendment to dedicate a portion of sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund, which voters authorized in 2023 with the passage of Proposition 6. It was approved with 77.7% of voters supporting it. The 2025 amendment, Proposition 4, would…
Consumers’ Research (CR), a nonprofit critical of ESG investing, and the American Energy Institute (AEI), an energy advocacy group, released a report arguing BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is still boycotting Texas energy. The report contradicts BlackRock’s claims and those made by former Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R), who earlier this summer removed the…
After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) called a special legislative session to revise the state’s congressional districts, among other issues, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) responded, “Well, two can play that game.” President Donald Trump (R) stated that a mid-decade redistricting effort in Texas could net Republicans five seats and “there could be some other…
The Texas State Legislature is sending three constitutional amendments to voters this November that would prohibit several types of taxes—Proposition 2, Proposition 6, and Proposition 8. Proposition 2 would prohibit realized or unrealized capital gains taxes and add language stating that the prohibition would not apply to ad valorem taxes on property, sales taxes on…
Texas will head to the polls in November to decide on 17 ballot measures, including Proposition 12, which will be the eighth amendment related to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC), which was established in the constitution in 1965. Proposition 12 would amend the Texas Constitution to change the composition of the SCJC by…
On June 22, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed SB 1326 into law, banning the enactment or enforcement of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) — also known as red flag laws — in the state. The bill explicitly applies to any state agency or authority, university systems, municipalities, counties, special districts and authorities, and district attorneys…
The Texas legislature passed a bill on June 2 requiring proxy advisory firms to disclose when their shareholder vote recommendations at Texas-based companies incorporate ESG or other non-financial considerations. If Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs the bill, it would become the first law of its kind and give Texas companies new legal recourse when proxy…
What’s the story? Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced last week that his office removed BlackRock from the state’s list of firms barred from managing public investment funds over their treatment of fossil fuel companies. Hegar said BlackRock’s recent shift away from public ESG support made the firm eligible to do business with the state again.…
The number of certified statewide ballot measures for both 2025 and 2026 is trending above average compared to previous election cycles as of June 10. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, 27 statewide ballot measures have been certified in seven states—Colorado, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is seven more than the average…
Gina Ortiz Jones defeated Rolando Pablos 54.3% to 45.7% in the June 7, runoff election for mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Ortiz Jones and Pablos advanced to the runoff from the nonpartisan general election on May 3. Ortiz Jones received 27.2% of the vote and Pablos received 16.6%. The two advanced to a runoff because…