By West                                                S.B. No. 926
       74R4618 SMH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to an exemption of part of the market value of the
    1-3  residence homestead of a disabled or elderly person from ad valorem
    1-4  taxation by a school district.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Section 11.13, Tax Code, is amended by amending
    1-7  Subsection (i) and adding Subsection (q) to read as follows:
    1-8        (i)  The assessor and collector for a taxing unit may
    1-9  disregard the exemptions authorized by Subsection (b), (c), (d),
   1-10  <or> (n), or (q) of this section and assess and collect a tax
   1-11  pledged for payment of debt without deducting the amount of the
   1-12  exemption if:
   1-13              (1)  prior to adoption of the exemption, the unit
   1-14  pledged the taxes for the payment of a debt; and
   1-15              (2)  granting the exemption would impair the obligation
   1-16  of the contract creating the debt.
   1-17        (q)  In addition to the other exemptions provided by this
   1-18  section, a person who is disabled or is at least 65 years of age is
   1-19  entitled to an exemption from taxation by a school district of
   1-20  $10,000 of the market value of the person's residence homestead.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1996, and
   1-22  applies only to taxes imposed for tax years beginning on or after
   1-23  that date, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the
   1-24  74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, to exempt $10,000 of the
    2-1  market value of the residence homestead of a disabled or elderly
    2-2  person from ad valorem taxation by a school district is approved by
    2-3  the voters.   If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this
    2-4  Act has no effect.
    2-5        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-6  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-7  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-8  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-9  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.