1-1     By:  Turner of Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Carona)      H.B. No. 1610

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 1997;

 1-3     May 12, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; May 15, 1997, reported favorably by

 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 15, 1997, sent to

 1-6     printer.)

 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-8                                   AN ACT

 1-9     relating to a requirement of filing of a release of a judgment lien

1-10     for ad valorem taxes on payment of the amount of the judgment.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 33.53, Tax Code, is amended to read as

1-13     follows:

1-14           Sec. 33.53.  ORDER OF SALE; PAYMENT BEFORE SALE.  (a)  If

1-15     judgment in a suit to collect a delinquent tax is for foreclosure

1-16     of a tax lien, the court shall order the property sold in

1-17     satisfaction of the amount of the judgment.

1-18           (b)  If the owner pays the amount of the judgment before the

1-19     property is sold, the taxing unit shall:

1-20                 (1)  release the tax lien held by the taxing unit on

1-21     the property; and

1-22                 (2)  file for record with the clerk of the court in

1-23     which the judgment was rendered a release of the lien.

1-24           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-25     to a payment by a property owner on or after the effective date of

1-26     this Act.  A payment by a property owner before the effective date

1-27     of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before

1-28     the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect

1-29     for that purpose.

1-30           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-31           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-32     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-33     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-34     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-35     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-36                                  * * * * *