Tex. Const. art. III, § 49 · Article 3. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE DEBTS.
Text — Current through the amendments approved by voters in November 2025
(a) No debt shall be created by or on behalf of the State, except:
(1) to supply casual deficiencies of revenue, not to exceed in the aggregate at any one time two hundred thousand dollars;
(2) to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend the State in war;
(3) as otherwise authorized by this constitution; or
(4) as authorized by Subsections (b) through (f) of this section.
(b) The legislature, by joint resolution approved by at least two-thirds of the members of each house, may from time to time call an election and submit to the eligible voters of this State one or more propositions that, if approved by a majority of those voting on the question, authorize the legislature to create State debt for the purposes and subject to the limitations stated in the applicable proposition. Each election and proposition must conform to the requirements of Subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
(c) The legislature may call an election during any regular session of the legislature or during any special session of the legislature in which the subject of the election is designated in the governor's proclamation for that special session. The election may be held on any date, and notice of the election shall be given for the period and in the manner required for amending this constitution. The election shall be held in each county in the manner provided by law for other statewide elections.
(d) A proposition must clearly describe the amount and purpose for which debt is to be created and must describe the source of payment for the debt. Except as provided by law under Subsection (f) of this section, the amount of debt stated in the proposition may not be exceeded and may not be renewed after the debt has been created unless the right to exceed or renew is stated in the proposition.
(e) The legislature may enact all laws necessary or appropriate to implement the authority granted by a proposition that is approved as provided by Subsection (b) of this section. A law enacted in anticipation of the election is valid if, by its terms, it is subject to the approval of the related proposition.
(f) State debt that is created or issued as provided by Subsection (b) of this section may be refunded in the manner and amount and subject to the conditions provided by law.
(g) State debt that is created or issued as provided by Subsections (b) through (f) of this section and that is approved by the attorney general in accordance with applicable law is incontestable for any reason.
Notes and commentary — not constitutional text
History
(Feb. 15, 1876. Subsec. (a) amended and (b)-(g) added Nov. 5, 1991.)
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the amendments approved by voters in November 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CN/htm/CN.3.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 49d8253b896ea9ce14b9bb6360ccaa7a5e4a46b52e905229c9af12107425574c
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Cited by 6 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Const. art. III, § 49. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
The Texas Constitution
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 49-bVETERANS' LAND BOARD; BOND ISSUES; VETERANS' LAND AND HOUSING FUNDS.Printed as Section 49 of this article
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 49-cTEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD; BOND ISSUE; TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT FUND.Printed as Section 49 of this article
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 49-d-1ADDITIONAL TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BONDS.Printed as Section 49 of this article
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 49-eTEXAS PARK DEVELOPMENT FUND; BONDS.Printed as Section 49 of this article
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 49-hBOND ISSUANCE FOR CORRECTIONAL AND STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES AND FOR INSTITUTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.Printed as Section 49 of this article
- Tex. Const. art. III, § 50b-4ADDITIONAL STUDENT LOANS.Printed as Section 49 of this article
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.