1-1  By:  Craddick (Senate Sponsor - Lucio)                H.B. No. 2609
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 1995;
    1-3  May 1, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
    1-4  May 25, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
    1-5  Nays 0; May 25, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-6                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-7                                AN ACT
    1-8  relating to real property valuations for certain governmental
    1-9  purposes.
   1-10        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-11        SECTION 1.  Section 23.01(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as
   1-12  follows:
   1-13        (b)  The market value of property shall be determined by the
   1-14  application of generally accepted appraisal techniques, and the
   1-15  same or similar appraisal techniques shall be used in appraising
   1-16  the same or similar kinds of property.  However, each property
   1-17  shall be appraised based upon the individual characteristics that
   1-18  affect the property's market value, including the property's
   1-19  location, visibility, and highest and best use and the access to
   1-20  and from the property.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  Section 21.041, Property Code, is amended to read
   1-22  as follows:
   1-23        Sec. 21.041.  Evidence.  As the basis for assessing actual
   1-24  damages to a property owner from a condemnation, the special
   1-25  commissioners shall admit evidence on:
   1-26              (1)  the value of the property being condemned;
   1-27              (2)  the individual characteristics that affect the
   1-28  property's value, including the property's location, visibility,
   1-29  and highest and best use and the access to and from the property;
   1-30              (3)  the injury to the property owner;
   1-31              (4) <(3)>  the benefit to the property owner's
   1-32  remaining property; and
   1-33              (5) <(4)>  the use of the property for the purpose of
   1-34  the condemnation.
   1-35        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-36        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-37  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-38  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-39  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-40  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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