By Haggerty                                           H.J.R. No. 68
       74R4419 JD-D
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment to raise the limits of the
    1-2  exemption from ad valorem taxation of property owned by disabled
    1-3  veterans or by the surviving spouses and surviving minor children
    1-4  of disabled veterans.
    1-5        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 2(b), Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
    1-7  is amended to read as follows:
    1-8        (b)  The Legislature may, by general law, exempt property
    1-9  owned by a disabled veteran or by the surviving spouse and
   1-10  surviving minor children of a disabled veteran.  A disabled veteran
   1-11  is a veteran of the armed services of the United States who is
   1-12  classified as disabled by the Veterans' Administration or by a
   1-13  successor to that agency; or the military service in which he
   1-14  served.  A veteran who is certified as having a disability of less
   1-15  than 10 percent is not entitled to an exemption.  A veteran having
   1-16  a disability rating of not less than 10 percent nor more than 30
   1-17  percent may be granted an exemption from taxation for property
   1-18  valued at up to $5,000 <$1,500>.  A veteran having a disability
   1-19  rating of more than 30 percent but not more than 50 percent may be
   1-20  granted an exemption from taxation for property valued at up to
   1-21  $10,000 <$2,000>.  A veteran having a disability rating of more
   1-22  than 50 percent but not more than 70 percent may be granted an
   1-23  exemption from taxation for property valued at up to $15,000
   1-24  <$2,500>.  A veteran who has a disability rating of more than 70
    2-1  percent, or a veteran who has a disability rating of not less than
    2-2  10 percent and has attained the age of 65, or a disabled veteran
    2-3  whose disability consists of the loss or loss of use of one or more
    2-4  limbs, total blindness in one or both eyes, or paraplegia, may be
    2-5  granted an exemption from taxation for property valued at up to
    2-6  $15,000 <$3,000>.  The spouse and children of any member of the
    2-7  United States Armed Forces who dies <loses his life> while on
    2-8  active duty may <will> be granted an exemption from taxation for
    2-9  property valued at up to $5,000 <$2,500>.  A deceased disabled
   2-10  veteran's surviving spouse and children may be granted an exemption
   2-11  which in the aggregate is equal to the exemption to which the
   2-12  veteran <decedent> was entitled when <at> the veteran <time he>
   2-13  died.
   2-14        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-15  submitted to the voters at an election to be held on November 7,
   2-16  1995.  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against
   2-17  the proposition:  "The constitutional amendment relating to raising
   2-18  the limits of the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property
   2-19  owned by disabled veterans or by the surviving spouses or surviving
   2-20  minor children of disabled veterans."