By Marchant                                     H.J.R. No. 67

      75R2190 SMH-D                           

                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION

 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment to increase the residence

 1-2     homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for general elementary

 1-3     and secondary public school purposes.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 1-b(c), Article VIII, Texas Constitution,

 1-6     is amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (c)  Twenty [Five] Thousand Dollars ($20,000) [($5,000)] of

 1-8     the market value of the residence homestead of a married or

 1-9     unmarried adult, including one living alone, is exempt from ad

1-10     valorem taxation for general elementary and secondary public school

1-11     purposes.  In addition to this exemption, the legislature by

1-12     general law may exempt an amount not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars

1-13     ($10,000) of the market value of the residence homestead of a

1-14     person who is disabled as defined in Subsection (b) of this section

1-15     and of a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older from ad

1-16     valorem taxation for general elementary and secondary public school

1-17     purposes.  The legislature by general law may base the amount of

1-18     and condition eligibility for the additional exemption authorized

1-19     by this subsection for disabled persons and for persons sixty-five

1-20     (65) years of age or older on economic need.  An eligible disabled

1-21     person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older may not receive

1-22     both exemptions from a school district but may choose either.  An

1-23     eligible person is entitled to receive both the exemption required

1-24     by this subsection for all residence homesteads and any exemption

 2-1     adopted pursuant to Subsection (b) of this section, but the

 2-2     legislature shall provide by general law whether an eligible

 2-3     disabled or elderly person may receive both the additional

 2-4     exemption for the elderly and disabled authorized by this

 2-5     subsection and any exemption for the elderly or disabled adopted

 2-6     pursuant to Subsection (b) of this section.  Where ad valorem tax

 2-7     has previously been pledged for the payment of debt, the taxing

 2-8     officers of a school district may continue to levy and collect the

 2-9     tax against the value of homesteads exempted under this subsection

2-10     until the debt is discharged if the cessation of the levy would

2-11     impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was

2-12     created.  The legislature shall provide for formulas to protect

2-13     school districts against all or part of the revenue loss incurred

2-14     by the implementation of Article VIII, Sections 1-b(c), 1-b(d), and

2-15     1-d-1, of this constitution.  The legislature by general law may

2-16     define residence homestead for purposes of this section.

2-17           SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to the

2-18     Texas Constitution:

2-19           TEMPORARY PROVISION.  (a)  This temporary provision applies

2-20     to the constitutional amendment proposed by ____ J.R. No. ____,

2-21     75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, and expires January 2,

2-22     1998.

2-23           (b)  The amendment to Section 1-b(c), Article VIII, of this

2-24     constitution takes effect January 1, 1998.

2-25           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be

2-26     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 1997.

2-27     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the

 3-1     proposition: "The constitutional amendment to increase the

 3-2     residence homestead exemption from ad valorem taxation for general

 3-3     elementary and secondary public school purposes from $5,000 to

 3-4     $20,000."