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Senate Bill 1273 |
Senate Author: Jackson, Mike |
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Effective: 9-1-05 |
House Sponsor: Geren |
Senate Bill 1273 creates the Texas farm and ranch lands conservation program, administered by the General Land Office, and the Texas farm and ranch lands conservation fund in the Natural Resources Code to enable and facilitate the purchase and donation of agricultural conservation easements. The bill also creates the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Council to advise the commissioner of the General Land Office on the program, administer the fund, and select applicants to receive grants from the fund. The bill includes provisions relating to the terms of an agricultural conservation easement, termination of an easement and repurchase by a landowner, protected land and notice of taking, criteria for awarding grants, the effect of an easement on tax appraisal, and reporting a purchase of an easement to the Texas Department of Transportation.