Texas Constitution Amendments
By Thomas Hill; Ettling Center Assistant
Thomas Hill, Ettling Center Host; Casey Ogechi Iwuagwu, UIW Pre-Law Society; Moderator, Celina Montoya; Honorable, Rebeca Martinez; Policy Expert, Marisa Bono
The UIW Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability and the UIW Pre-Law Society co-sponsored a panel on the Texas Constitutional Amendments, which will be voted on November 5th, 2019. The gathering had quality speakers and it gave the general population of San Antonio the opportunity to ask questions and speak their voice about the many different pros and cons of the propositions.
Honorable, Rebeca Martinez; Honorable, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins; Policy Expert, Marisa Bono
This meeting was held at the Grossman International Conference Center Auditorium on October 5, 2019. Casey Ogechi Iwuagwu, UIW Pre-Law Society President, opened the program by welcoming the three panelists (Honorable Rebeca Martinez, Honorable Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, and Policy Expert Marisa Bono). They provided information on the proposed propositions being added to the Texas Constitution.
The ten proposed propositions being introduced to the constitution reads as followed:
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”
- Amendment as it will appear on the ballot: “The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.
Honorable, Rebeca Martinez; Place 7 judge of the Texas Fourth District Court of Appeals
Honorable Rebeca Martinez is the second of five children born to Antonio F. Martinez, a Vietnam War veteran and his wife Manuela of over 55 years. Rebeca Martinez has been a war child for her whole life, living in military bases and moving to different countries, including Corpus Christi, TX. She graduated from the Incarnate Word Academy with prestige honors and she later earned some significance as a University Scholar at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She later went to earn her law degree from Boston University school of Law in Boston.
Honorable, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins; Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 120th District
Honorable Barbara Gervin-Hawkins is one out of six children born to Mrs. Geraldine. She originated from Detroit, Michigan, graduating from Martin Luther King High School and earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration at Eastern Michigan University. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in education at Our Lady of the Lake University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in her leadership studies.
Policy Expert, Marisa Bono; Chief of Policy for San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg
Policy Expert Marisa Bono is a licensed attorney and admitted to practice in U.S Supreme Court, U.S Court of appeals for the fifth and ninth circuit and that State of Texas. She has received her education within political science at Rice University and she has received her education at the University of Michigan Law School. Marisa Bono served as the Southwest regional council for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF). In addition, she became the first Latina to argue a school funding case in the Texas Supreme Court.
People from the community of San Antonio came to this meeting, and this turned out to be an inspiring and special event. Ten new and different propositions were discussed at this meeting. There was so many educational thoughts being spread around from one another. Overall this was a day to remember, and the community were pleased by the ten new and different propositions being discussed at this meeting.
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