On November 4, 2025, Texans went to the polls for what many are now calling a historic vote: the approval of Proposition 15, the Parental Rights Amendment. The measure, which passed with overwhelming support, enshrines the fundamental authority of parents over their children’s upbringing directly into the Texas Constitution—a first for any state in the U.S., according to reporting from the Associated Press and other major outlets.
By 10:31 p.m. EST, the Associated Press had called the race, confirming that the amendment had passed. The final tally showed more than 72% of voters in favor, with support in the majority of Texas’s 254 counties. Only Travis County, home to Austin, bucked the trend, with 57% of its voters casting ballots against the measure. In total, about 2.9 million Texans participated in the election, representing roughly 15.8% of the state’s 18.4 million registered voters. While this was a slight increase from the previous year’s constitutional amendment election, turnout remained low compared to presidential cycles—a point not lost on political observers.
The ballot language was direct: "The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children." With this vote, the state constitution now states that parents have the right "to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing," and the responsibility "to nurture and protect the parent’s child." The amendment is expected to take effect immediately upon certification by the Texas secretary of state, which is anticipated within weeks.
This move builds on existing state law. In 2023, Texas enacted a Parents’ Bill of Rights, granting parents access to "full information" about their child’s school activities, student records, state assessments, and teaching materials. But supporters of Proposition 15 argued that a constitutional amendment provides a far stronger, more permanent safeguard. According to Houston attorney Marcella Burke, quoted in CNA, "while these rights to nurture and protect children are currently safeguarded thanks to existing Supreme Court case law, there is no federal constitutional amendment protecting these rights." She added, "The amendment’s addition to the state constitution will make governments think twice and carefully consider any actions affecting child-rearing. Keep in mind that no rights are absolute, so in this context, parents don’t have the right to abuse their kids—and that’s the sort of exception the amendment reads in."
Indeed, the U.S. Supreme Court, in cases like Troxel v. Granville (2000), has recognized parental rights, but the absence of explicit federal legislative protection has left many feeling that state-level action is necessary. For Texas, this amendment is seen as an "ironclad shield against potential future encroachments," as proponents described it. The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, for example, voiced its support in October, stating that the measure "recognizes the natural right of parents to direct their children’s upbringing."
The path to passage was not without opposition, though. Two dozen Democrats in the Texas House, many from the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus, voted against the measure, warning it could sideline children’s needs and government protections against parental abuse. Some conservative factions also expressed misgivings. The True Texas Project, a group with roots in the Tea Party movement, decried the language as too vague and unnecessary, arguing it implies the state confers a right that "God has already ordained. ... And we know that what the state can give, the state can take away."
Despite these concerns, bipartisan rural support pushed the amendment across the finish line. According to the Texas secretary of state’s office, the amendment garnered more than 70% support in many rural counties, with some reporting as much as 89% in favor. This broad coalition, cutting across traditional party lines, underscores how the issue of parental rights resonates with voters in diverse communities.
Election night in Texas was busy. Voters were asked to decide on 17 constitutional amendments, all of which passed. More than half of these measures dealt with taxes, including six that lowered property taxes for groups like senior citizens and those with disabilities. The amendments had been passed by the Texas Legislature earlier in the year alongside the new state budget, and the constitutional changes were just one part of a packed ballot that included local races and a special election to fill the congressional seat of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner.
Proposition 15’s passage is being watched closely beyond Texas. As the first explicit parental rights protection of its kind in a state constitution, it could serve as a model for other states considering similar measures. Advocates say it sends a clear signal about the primacy of parents in making decisions for their children, while critics caution that it may complicate the state’s ability to intervene in cases of neglect or abuse. The debate, in many ways, echoes national conversations about the balance between parental rights, children’s welfare, and the proper role of government.
For now, Texas parents have a new constitutional guarantee. The amendment’s supporters hope it will provide clarity and reassurance in an era of heated debates over education, health care, and family autonomy. As Marcella Burke put it, "no rights are absolute," but for many Texans, the right to raise their children as they see fit has never been more firmly protected in law.
As the dust settles on the 2025 constitutional amendment election, Texas stands at the forefront of a national conversation about the role of parents, the reach of government, and the enduring question of who knows best when it comes to raising children.
