BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1847 By: Black 05-04-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Texas Constitution and Tax Code provide that certain kinds of farm and ranch land be appraised at its productivity value, as opposed to its market value. Productivity value is based on the land's capacity to produce agricultural products. To qualify for agricultural appraisal, the owner must show that the land is devoted principally to an agricultural use. Agricultural use includes, "raising or keeping exotic animals for the production of human food or fiber, leather, pelts, or other tangible products having a commercial value." Exotic animal is defined as "a species of game not indigenous to this state, including axis deer, nilga antelope, red sheep or other cloven-hoofed ruminant mammals, or exotic fowl..." PURPOSE The bill re-classifies ratites (ostrich and emu) as livestock rather than exotic fowl. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 23.51, Tax Code, to correct the spelling of "nilga" to "nilgai." Also re-classifies ratites as livestock rather than exotic fowl. SECTION 2. Effective Date: January 1, 1996. SECTION 3. Emergency Clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to an announcement on the House Floor, the committee met in a formal meeting on April 27, 1995. The chair laid out H.B. 1847. By a record vote of 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting and 5 absent, the committee voted to report H.B. 1847 to the House without amendment with the recommendation that it do pass.