75R7148 SMH-D                           

         By Turner of Coleman                                  H.B. No. 1610

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1610:

         By Craddick                                       C.S.H.B. No. 1610

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to a requirement of filing of a release of a judgment lien

 1-3     for ad valorem taxes on payment of the amount of the judgment.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 33.53, Tax Code, is amended to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           Sec. 33.53.  ORDER OF SALE; PAYMENT BEFORE SALE.  (a)  If

 1-8     judgment in a suit to collect a delinquent tax is for foreclosure

 1-9     of a tax lien, the court shall order the property sold in

1-10     satisfaction of the amount of the judgment.

1-11           (b)  If the owner pays the amount of the judgment before the

1-12     property is sold, the taxing unit shall:

1-13                 (1)  release the tax lien held by the taxing unit on

1-14     the property; and

1-15                 (2)  file for record with the clerk of the county in

1-16     which the property is located a release of the lien.

1-17           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-18     to a payment by a property owner on or after the effective date of

1-19     this Act.  A payment by a property owner before the effective date

1-20     of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before

1-21     the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect

1-22     for that purpose.

1-23           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-24           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.