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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature |
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to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation of |
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property owned by certain disabled veterans and the surviving |
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spouses and children of certain veterans. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2(b), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The legislature by general law [Legislature] may[, by |
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general law,] exempt property owned by a disabled veteran or by the |
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surviving spouse and surviving minor children of a disabled |
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veteran. A disabled veteran is a veteran of the armed services of |
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the United States who is classified as disabled by the United States |
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Department of Veterans Affairs [Veterans' Administration] or by a |
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successor to that agency or by the military service in which the |
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veteran served. A veteran who is certified as having a disability |
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of less than 10 percent is not entitled to an exemption. A veteran |
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having a disability rating of not less than 10 percent but less than |
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30 percent may be granted an exemption from taxation for property |
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valued at up to $20,000 [$5,000]. A veteran having a disability |
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rating of not less than 30 percent but less than 50 percent may be |
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granted an exemption from taxation for property valued at up to |
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$30,000 [$7,500]. A veteran having a disability rating of not less |
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than 50 percent but less than 70 percent may be granted an exemption |
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from taxation for property valued at up to $40,000 [$10,000]. A |
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veteran who has a disability rating of 70 percent or more, or a |
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veteran who has a disability rating of not less than 10 percent and |
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has attained the age of 65, or a disabled veteran whose disability |
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consists of the loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, total |
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blindness in one or both eyes, or paraplegia, may be granted an |
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exemption from taxation for property valued at up to $48,000 |
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[$12,000]. The spouse and children of any member of the United |
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States Armed Forces who dies while on active duty may be granted an |
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exemption from taxation for property valued at up to $20,000 |
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[$5,000]. A deceased disabled veteran's surviving spouse and |
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children may be granted an exemption which in the aggregate is equal |
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to the dollar amount of the exemption to which the veteran was |
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entitled when the veteran died. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2(d), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 2021. |
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The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem |
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taxation of property owned by certain disabled veterans and the |
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surviving spouses and children of certain veterans." |