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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SJR 28

Legislative bill overview

SJR 28 proposes a constitutional amendment to Texas's state constitution explicitly requiring that qualified voters be United States citizens. The amendment would add clarifying language to the state's voting eligibility provisions, making citizenship a constitutional requirement rather than relying solely on statutory law.

Why is this important

Voting eligibility requirements are foundational to electoral law and representation. While federal law already prohibits non-citizen voting in federal elections, and Texas statutory law requires citizenship for voter registration, placing this requirement in the state constitution creates a higher legal barrier and reflects ongoing national debate about immigration and electoral access. A constitutional amendment requires voter approval via referendum, making this a significant policy decision.

Potential points of contention

  • Redundancy vs. reinforcement: Critics may argue this is unnecessary since federal law and state statute already require citizenship, while proponents contend constitutional placement provides stronger legal protection against future legislative changes
  • Symbolic vs. substantive: Debate exists over whether this addresses a real problem (non-citizen voting) or primarily serves as a political statement, given extremely low documented cases of non-citizen voting attempts
  • Election administration costs: Implementing voter verification systems to enforce such requirements carries administrative and compliance expenses that municipalities must absorb

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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