1-1     By:  Flores (Senate Sponsor - Truan)                   H.B. No. 649
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 9, 1999;
 1-3     April 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Intergovernmental Relations; April 22, 1999, reported favorably by
 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 22, 1999, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the waiver of filing fees for persons of low or
1-10     moderate income who are buying or improving a home.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 118, Local Government Code,
1-13     is amended by adding Section 118.0135 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 118.0135.  WAIVER OF REAL PROPERTY FILING FEES.
1-15     (a)  The commissioners court may direct the county clerk to waive
1-16     fees for the filing of real property  records under this subchapter
1-17     for a person who is buying or improving the person's home with
1-18     assistance from a federal or state grant or aid program that
1-19     promotes home ownership or home improvement for persons of low or
1-20     moderate income.
1-21           (b)  The commissioners court shall specify the types of grant
1-22     or aid programs that qualify a person for a fee waiver under this
1-23     section and may limit the waiver to only certain programs.
1-24           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-25     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-26     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-27     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-28     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-29     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-30     passage, and it is so enacted.
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