1-1           By:  Harris                                      S.B. No. 344

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 29, 1997; February 4, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;

 1-4     February 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas

 1-5     13, Nays 0; February 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation for certain

 1-9     property acquired for use for a school.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 11.21, Tax Code, is amended by adding

1-12     Subsection (f) to read as follows:

1-13           (f)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a person is entitled to

1-14     an exemption from taxation of the buildings and tangible personal

1-15     property the person acquires for use for a school that meets each

1-16     requirement of Subsection (d) if:

1-17                 (1)  the person authorizes the former owner to continue

1-18     to use the property pending the use of the property for a school;

1-19     and

1-20                 (2)  the former owner would be entitled to an exemption

1-21     from taxation of the property if the former owner continued to own

1-22     the property.

1-23           SECTION 2.  The chief appraiser of an appraisal district

1-24     shall accept and approve or deny an application for an exemption

1-25     from ad valorem taxation under Subsection (f), Section 11.21, Tax

1-26     Code, as added by this Act, for the ad valorem tax year that began

1-27     January 1, 1997, if the application is filed as provided by Section

1-28     11.434, Tax Code.

1-29           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-30           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-31     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-32     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-33     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-34     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-35                                  * * * * *