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.