By Hunter H.B. No. 555 76R220 GJH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the tax appraisal of certain land owned or formerly 1-3 owned by a veteran and designated for agricultural use. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 23, Tax Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 23.551 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 23.551. VETERANS LAND EXEMPTED FROM SANCTIONS. (a) In 1-8 this section, "veteran" means an honorably discharged veteran of 1-9 the armed services of the United States. 1-10 (b) The sanctions provided by Section 23.55(a) do not apply 1-11 to a change of use of land: 1-12 (1) owned by a veteran or the unmarried surviving 1-13 spouse of a veteran; or 1-14 (2) purchased from a veteran or from the unmarried 1-15 surviving spouse of a veteran, if the change of use occurs while 1-16 the land is owned exclusively by the purchaser. 1-17 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-22 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-23 passage, and it is so enacted.