H.B. No. 5446 amends Section 52.072(e) of the Election Code to establish new requirements for the text of ballot propositions that involve tax changes. The bill mandates that any proposition seeking voter approval for the imposition or increase of a tax must be printed in mixed-case typewritten letters and include specific information. This includes stating the amount or maximum tax rate for which approval is sought and prominently displaying the statement "THIS IS A TAX INCREASE" in capital typewritten letters at the top of the proposition. Additionally, for propositions that seek approval for a tax reduction, the bill requires the statement of the amount of tax rate reduction or the tax rate for which approval is sought.

The changes introduced by this bill will only apply to elections ordered on or after its effective date. The bill is set to take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from all members elected to each house; otherwise, it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 52.072 (Election Code 52)
House Committee Report: Election Code 52.072 (Election Code 52)