By Hochberg                                           H.B. No. 2383

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the qualification of a nonprofit charitable or

 1-3     religious organization, school, or youth association for an

 1-4     exemption from ad valorem taxation.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 11.18(f), Tax Code, is amended to read as

 1-7     follows:

 1-8           (f)  A charitable organization must:

 1-9                 (1)  use its assets in performing the organization's

1-10     charitable functions or the charitable functions of another

1-11     charitable organization; and

1-12                 (2)  [,] by charter, bylaw, or other regulation adopted

1-13     by the organization to govern its affairs[:]

1-14                 [(1)  pledge its assets for use in performing the

1-15     organization's charitable functions; and]

1-16                 [(2)]  direct that on discontinuance of the

1-17     organization by dissolution or otherwise:

1-18                       (A)  the assets are to be transferred to this

1-19     state, the United States, or [to] an educational, religious,

1-20     charitable, or other similar organization that is qualified as a

1-21     charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue

1-22     Code of 1986, as amended; or

1-23                       (B)  if required for the organization to qualify

1-24     as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(12), Internal

 2-1     Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the assets are to be transferred

 2-2     directly to the organization's members, each of whom, by

 2-3     application for an acceptance of membership in the organization,

 2-4     has agreed to immediately transfer those assets to this state or to

 2-5     an educational, religious, charitable, or other similar

 2-6     organization that is qualified as a charitable organization under

 2-7     Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as

 2-8     designated in the bylaws, charter, or regulation adopted by the

 2-9     organization.

2-10           SECTION 2.  Section 11.19(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as

2-11     follows:

2-12           (d)  To qualify as a youth development association for the

2-13     purposes of this section, an association must:

2-14                 (1)  be organized and operated [engage] primarily for

2-15     the purpose of [in] promoting the threefold spiritual, mental, and

2-16     physical development of boys, girls, young men, or young women;

2-17                 (2)  be operated in a way that does not result in

2-18     accrual of distributable profits, realization of private gain

2-19     resulting from payment of compensation in excess of a reasonable

2-20     allowance for salary or other compensation for services rendered,

2-21     or realization of any other form of private gain;

2-22                 (3)  operate in conjunction with a state or national

2-23     organization that is organized and operated for the same purpose as

2-24     the association; [and]

2-25                 (4)  use its assets in performing the association's

2-26     youth development functions or the youth development functions of

2-27     another youth development association; and

 3-1                 (5)  by charter, bylaw, or other regulation adopted by

 3-2     the association to govern its affairs[:]

 3-3                       [(A)  pledge its assets for use in performing the

 3-4     association's youth development functions; and]

 3-5                       [(B)]  direct that on discontinuance of the

 3-6     association by dissolution or otherwise the assets are to be

 3-7     transferred to this state, the United States, or [to] a charitable,

 3-8     educational, religious, or other similar organization that is

 3-9     qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3),

3-10     Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

3-11           SECTION 3.  Section 11.20(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as

3-12     follows:

3-13           (c)  To qualify as a religious organization for the purposes

3-14     of this section, an organization (whether operated by an

3-15     individual, as a corporation, or as an association) must:

3-16                 (1)  be organized and operated primarily for the

3-17     purpose of engaging in religious worship or promoting the spiritual

3-18     development or well-being of individuals;

3-19                 (2)  be operated in a way that does not result in

3-20     accrual of distributable profits, realization of private gain

3-21     resulting from payment of compensation in excess of a reasonable

3-22     allowance for salary or other compensation for services rendered,

3-23     or realization of any other form of private gain; [and]

3-24                 (3)  use its assets in performing the organization's

3-25     religious functions or the religious functions of another religious

3-26     organization; and

3-27                 (4)  by charter, bylaw, or other regulation adopted by

 4-1     the organization to govern its affairs[:]

 4-2                       [(A)  pledge its assets for use in performing the

 4-3     organization's religious functions; and]

 4-4                       [(B)]  direct that on discontinuance of the

 4-5     organization by dissolution or otherwise the assets are to be

 4-6     transferred to this state, the United States, or [to] a charitable,

 4-7     educational, religious, or other similar organization that is

 4-8     qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3),

 4-9     Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

4-10           SECTION 4.  Section 11.21(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as

4-11     follows:

4-12           (d)  To qualify as a school for the purposes of this section,

4-13     an organization (whether operated by an individual, as a

4-14     corporation, or as an association) must:

4-15                 (1)  be organized and operated primarily for the

4-16     purpose of engaging in educational functions;

4-17                 (2)  normally maintain a regular faculty and curriculum

4-18     and normally have a regularly organized body of students in

4-19     attendance at the place where its educational functions are carried

4-20     on;

4-21                 (3) [(2)]  be operated in a way that does not result in

4-22     accrual of distributable profits, realization of private gain

4-23     resulting from payment of compensation in excess of a reasonable

4-24     allowance for salary or other compensation for services rendered,

4-25     or realization of any other form of private gain and, if the

4-26     organization is a corporation, be organized as a nonprofit

4-27     corporation as defined by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act;

 5-1     [and]

 5-2                 (4)  use its assets in performing the organization's

 5-3     educational functions or the educational functions of another

 5-4     educational organization; and

 5-5                 (5) [(3)]  by charter, bylaw, or other regulation

 5-6     adopted by the organization to govern its affairs[:]

 5-7                       [(A)  pledge its assets for use in performing the

 5-8     organization's educational functions; and]

 5-9                       [(B)]  direct that on discontinuance of the

5-10     organization by dissolution or otherwise the assets are to be

5-11     transferred to this state, the United States, or [to] an

5-12     educational, charitable, religious, or other similar organization

5-13     that is qualified as a charitable organization under Section

5-14     501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

5-15           SECTION 5.  Sections 11.421 and 11.422, Tax Code, are amended

5-16     to read as follows:

5-17           Sec. 11.421.  QUALIFICATION OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION.

5-18     (a)  If the chief appraiser denies a timely filed application for

5-19     an exemption under Section 11.20 [of this code] for an organization

5-20     that otherwise qualified for the exemption on January 1 of the year

5-21     but that did not satisfy the requirements of Subsection (c)(4)

5-22     [(c)(3)] of that section on that date, the organization is eligible

5-23     for the exemption for the tax year if the organization:

5-24                 (1)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.20(c)(4)

5-25     [11.20(c)(3) of this code] before the later of [the following

5-26     dates]:

5-27                       (A)  June 1 of the year to which the exemption

 6-1     applies; or

 6-2                       (B)  the 60th [30th] day after the date the chief

 6-3     appraiser notifies the organization of its failure to comply with

 6-4     those requirements; and

 6-5                 (2)  within the time provided by Subdivision (1) [of

 6-6     this subsection] files with the chief appraiser a new completed

 6-7     application for the exemption together with an affidavit stating

 6-8     that the organization has complied with the requirements of Section

 6-9     11.20(c)(4) [11.20(c)(3) of this code].

6-10           (b)  If the chief appraiser cancels an exemption for a

6-11     religious organization under Section 11.20 [of this code] that was

6-12     erroneously allowed in a tax year because he determines that the

6-13     organization did not satisfy the requirements of Section

6-14     11.20(c)(4) [11.20(c)(3)] on January 1 of that year, the

6-15     organization is eligible for the exemption for that tax year if the

6-16     organization:

6-17                 (1)  was otherwise qualified for the exemption;

6-18                 (2)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.20(c)(4)

6-19     [11.20(c)(3) of this code] on or before the 60th [30th] day after

6-20     the date the chief appraiser notifies the organization of the

6-21     cancellation; and

6-22                 (3)  within the time provided by Subdivision (2) [of

6-23     this subsection] files with the chief appraiser a new completed

6-24     application for the exemption together with an affidavit stating

6-25     that the organization has complied with the requirements of Section

6-26     11.20(c)(4) [11.20(c)(3) of this code].

6-27           Sec. 11.422.  QUALIFICATIONS OF A SCHOOL.  (a)  If the chief

 7-1     appraiser denies a timely filed application for an exemption under

 7-2     Section 11.21 [of this code] for a school that otherwise qualified

 7-3     for the exemption on January 1 of the year but that did not satisfy

 7-4     the requirements of Subsection (d)(5) [(d)(3)] of that section on

 7-5     that date, the school is eligible for the exemption for the tax

 7-6     year if the school:

 7-7                 (1)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.21(d)(5)

 7-8     [11.21(d)(3) of this code] before the later of [the following

 7-9     dates]:

7-10                       (A)  July 1 of the year for which the exemption

7-11     applies; or

7-12                       (B)  the 60th [30th] day after the date the chief

7-13     appraiser notifies the school of its failure to comply with those

7-14     requirements; and

7-15                 (2)  within the time provided by Subdivision (1) [of

7-16     this subsection], files with the chief appraiser a new completed

7-17     application for the exemption together with an affidavit stating

7-18     that the school has complied with the requirements of Section

7-19     11.21(d)(5) [11.21(d)(3) of this code].

7-20           (b)  If the chief appraiser cancels an exemption for a school

7-21     under Section 11.21 [of this code] that was erroneously allowed in

7-22     a tax year because the appraiser determines that the school did not

7-23     satisfy the requirements of Section 11.21(d)(5) [11.21(d)(3) of

7-24     this code] on January 1 of that year, the school is eligible for

7-25     the exemption for that tax year if the school:

7-26                 (1)  was otherwise qualified for the exemption;

7-27                 (2)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.21(d)(5)

 8-1     [11.21(d)(3) of this code] on or before the 30th day after the date

 8-2     the chief appraiser notifies the school of the cancellation; and

 8-3                 (3)  in the time provided in Subdivision (2) [of this

 8-4     subsection] files with the chief appraiser a new completed

 8-5     application stating that the school has complied with the

 8-6     requirements of Section 11.21(d)(5) [11.21(d)(3) of this code].

 8-7           SECTION 6.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by

 8-8     adding Sections 11.423 and 11.424 to read as follows:

 8-9           Sec. 11.423.  QUALIFICATION OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION OR

8-10     YOUTH ASSOCIATION.  (a)  If the chief appraiser denies a timely

8-11     filed application for an exemption under Section 11.18 or 11.19 for

8-12     an organization or association that otherwise qualified for the

8-13     exemption on January 1 of the year but that did not satisfy the

8-14     requirements of Section 11.18(f)(2) or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate,

8-15     on that date, the organization or association is eligible for the

8-16     exemption for the tax year if the organization or association:

8-17                 (1)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.18(f)(2)

8-18     or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate, before the later of:

8-19                       (A)  June 1 of the year to which the exemption

8-20     applies; or

8-21                       (B)  the 60th day after the date the chief

8-22     appraiser notifies the organization or association of its failure

8-23     to comply with those requirements; and

8-24                 (2)  within the time provided by Subdivision (1) files

8-25     with the chief appraiser a new completed application for the

8-26     exemption together with an affidavit stating that the organization

8-27     or association has complied with the requirements of Section

 9-1     11.18(f)(2) or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate.

 9-2           (b)  If the chief appraiser cancels an exemption for an

 9-3     organization or association under Section 11.18 or 11.19 that was

 9-4     erroneously allowed in a tax year because the chief appraiser

 9-5     determines that the organization or association did not satisfy the

 9-6     requirements of Section 11.18(f)(2) or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate,

 9-7     on January 1 of that year, the organization or association is

 9-8     eligible for the exemption for that tax year if the organization or

 9-9     association:

9-10                 (1)  was otherwise qualified for the exemption;

9-11                 (2)  satisfies the requirements of Section 11.18(f)(2)

9-12     or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate, on or before the 60th day after the

9-13     date the chief appraiser notifies the organization or association

9-14     of the cancellation; and

9-15                 (3)  within the time provided by Subdivision (2) files

9-16     with the chief appraiser a new completed application for the

9-17     exemption together with an affidavit stating that the organization

9-18     or association has complied with the requirements of Section

9-19     11.18(f)(2) or 11.19(d)(5), as appropriate.

9-20           Sec. 11.424.  CONFLICT BETWEEN GOVERNING REGULATION OF

9-21     NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, ASSOCIATION, OR ENTITY AND CONTRACT WITH

9-22     UNITED STATES.  To the extent of a conflict between a provision in

9-23     a contract entered into by an organization, association, or entity

9-24     with the United States and a provision in the charter, a bylaw, or

9-25     other regulation adopted by the organization or entity to govern

9-26     its affairs in compliance with Section 11.18(f)(2), 11.19(d)(5),

9-27     11.20(c)(4), or 11.21(d)(5), the existence of the contract or the

 10-1    organization's compliance with the contract does not affect the

 10-2    eligibility of the organization, association, or entity to receive

 10-3    an exemption under the applicable section of this code, and the

 10-4    organization, association, or entity may comply with the provision

 10-5    in the contract instead of the conflicting provision in the

 10-6    charter, bylaw, or other regulation.

 10-7          SECTION 7.  Section 11.434(d), Tax Code, is amended to read

 10-8    as follows:

 10-9          (d)  An application may not be filed under this section after

10-10    December 31, 1997 [1992].

10-11          SECTION 8.  Section 23.55(j), Tax Code, as added by Chapter

10-12    471, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, applies

10-13    to a change of use of land:

10-14                (1)  on or after June 12, 1995; or

10-15                (2)  before June 12, 1995, if:

10-16                      (A)  the change of use occurred on or after June

10-17    12, 1990; and

10-18                      (B)  on June 12, 1995, the owner of the land had

10-19    not been determined to be liable for the sanctions provided by

10-20    Section 23.55(a), Tax Code, by a final and nonappealable order or

10-21    judgment.

10-22          SECTION 9.  The importance of this legislation and the

10-23    crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

10-24    emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

10-25    constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

10-26    days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

10-27    and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 11-1    passage, and it is so enacted.