LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 14, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Tom Craddick, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 1610
          Committee on Ways & Means                              By: Turner, Bob
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1610 ( Relating 
to a requirement of filing of a release of a judgment lien for 
ad valorem taxes on payment of the amount of the judgment.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1610-As Introduced
         
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The bill would amend Section 33.53 of the Tax 
Code to allow owners to receive, and have recorded, a release 
of the tax lien on their property following judgment in a suit 
to collect a delinquent tax, if the owner paid the amount of 
the judgment before the property was sold.  An owner would be 
required to pay the amount of the judgment before the property 
was sold, and the taxing unit would be required to file a release 
of lien with the county clerk.   

The bill would take effect 
September 1, 1997 and would only apply to a payment by a property 
owner on or after the effective date.
          
LOCAL
There could be some administrative savings to taxing 
units in instances where owners paid off judgments without the 
need for formal foreclosure sales, however,  it is not anticipated 
to be significant.  Property reclaimed under this proposal would 
not be subject to penalties payable to taxing units under current 
property redemption laws (Section 34.21 of the Tax Code).
          
   Source:            Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,RR ,BR