1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation for property of
 1-3     certain nonprofit organizations while improvements are under
 1-4     construction.
 1-5              BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 11.18, Tax Code, is amended by amending
 1-7     Subsection (a)  and adding Subsections (l) and (m) to read as
 1-8     follows:
 1-9           (a)  An organization that qualifies as a charitable
1-10     organization as provided by this section is entitled to an
1-11     exemption from taxation of:
1-12                 (1)  the buildings and tangible personal property that:
1-13                       (A) [(1)]  are owned by the charitable
1-14     organization; and
1-15                       (B) [(2)]  except as permitted by Subsection (b)
1-16     [of this section], are used exclusively by qualified charitable
1-17     organizations; and
1-18                 (2)  the real property owned by the charitable
1-19     organization consisting of:
1-20                       (A)  an incomplete improvement that:
1-21                             (i)  is under active construction or other
1-22     physical preparation; and
1-23                             (ii)  is designed and intended to be used
1-24     exclusively by qualified charitable organizations; and
 2-1                       (B)  the land on which the incomplete improvement
 2-2     is located that will be reasonably necessary for the use of the
 2-3     improvement by qualified charitable organizations.
 2-4           (l)  A property may not be exempted under Subsection (a)(2)
 2-5     for more than three years.
 2-6           (m)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), an incomplete
 2-7     improvement is under physical preparation if the charitable
 2-8     organization has:
 2-9                 (1)  engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil
2-10     testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work
2-11     necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
2-12                 (2)  conducted an environmental or land use study
2-13     relating to the construction of the improvement.
2-14           SECTION 2.  Section 11.19, Tax Code, is amended by amending
2-15     Subsection (a)  and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as
2-16     follows:
2-17           (a)  An association that qualifies as a youth development
2-18     association as provided by Subsection (d) [of this section] is
2-19     entitled to an exemption from taxation of:
2-20                 (1)  the tangible property that:
2-21                       (A) [(1)]  is owned by the association;
2-22                       (B) [(2)]  except as permitted by Subsection (b)
2-23     [of this section], is used exclusively by qualified youth
2-24     development associations; and
2-25                       (C) [(3)]  is reasonably necessary for the
2-26     operation of the association; and
2-27                 (2)  the real property owned by the youth development
 3-1     association consisting of:
 3-2                       (A)  an incomplete improvement that:
 3-3                             (i)  is under active construction or other
 3-4     physical preparation; and
 3-5                             (ii)  is designed and intended to be used
 3-6     exclusively by qualified youth development associations when
 3-7     complete; and
 3-8                       (B)  the land on which the incomplete improvement
 3-9     is located that will be reasonably necessary for the use of the
3-10     improvement by qualified youth development associations.
3-11           (e)  A property may not be exempted under Subsection (a)(2)
3-12     for more than three years.
3-13           (f)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), an incomplete
3-14     improvement is under physical preparation if the youth development
3-15     association has:
3-16                 (1)  engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil
3-17     testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work
3-18     necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
3-19                 (2)  conducted an environmental or land use study
3-20     relating to the construction of the improvement.
3-21           SECTION 3.  Section 11.20(f), Tax Code, is amended to read as
3-22     follows:
3-23           (f)  A property may not be exempted under Subsection (a)(5)
3-24     [of this section] for more than three [two] years.
3-25           SECTION 4.  Section 11.21, Tax Code, is amended by amending
3-26     Subsection (a)  and adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as
3-27     follows:
 4-1           (a)  A person is entitled to an exemption from taxation of:
 4-2                 (1)  the buildings and tangible personal property that
 4-3     the person [he] owns and that are used for a school that is
 4-4     qualified as provided by Subsection (d) [of this section] if:
 4-5                       (A) [(1)]  the school is operated exclusively by
 4-6     the person owning the property;
 4-7                       (B) [(2)]  except as permitted by Subsection (b)
 4-8     [of this section], the buildings and tangible personal property are
 4-9     used exclusively for educational functions; and
4-10                       (C) [(3)]  the buildings and tangible personal
4-11     property are reasonably necessary for the operation of the school;
4-12     and
4-13                 (2)  the real property owned by the person consisting
4-14     of:
4-15                       (A)  an incomplete improvement that:
4-16                             (i)  is under active construction or other
4-17     physical preparation; and
4-18                             (ii)  is designed and intended to be used
4-19     for a school that is qualified as provided by Subsection (d); and
4-20                       (B)  the land on which the incomplete improvement
4-21     is located that will be reasonably necessary for the use of the
4-22     improvement for a school that is qualified as provided by
4-23     Subsection (d).
4-24           (g)  A property may not be exempted under Subsection (a)(2)
4-25     for more than three years.
4-26           (h)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), an incomplete
4-27     improvement is under physical preparation if the person has:
 5-1                 (1)  engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil
 5-2     testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work
 5-3     necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
 5-4                 (2)  conducted an environmental or land use study
 5-5     relating to the construction of the improvement.
 5-6           SECTION 5.  Section 11.23, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 5-7     Subsection (l) to read as follows:
 5-8           (l)  Incomplete Improvements.  A person described by
 5-9     Subsection (a)-(e), (g), or (i)-(k) is entitled to an exemption
5-10     from taxation of the real property owned by the person consisting
5-11     of an incomplete improvement that is under active construction or
5-12     other physical preparation and that is designed and intended to be
5-13     used by the person for a purpose described by that subsection when
5-14     complete and the land on which the incomplete improvement is
5-15     located that will be reasonably necessary for the person's use of
5-16     the improvement for that purpose.  A property may not be exempted
5-17     under this subsection for more than three years.  For purposes of
5-18     this subsection, an incomplete improvement is under physical
5-19     preparation if the person has:
5-20                 (1)  engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil
5-21     testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work
5-22     necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
5-23                 (2)  conducted an environmental or land use study
5-24     relating to the construction of the improvement.
5-25           SECTION 6.  Section 11.30, Tax Code, is amended to read as
5-26     follows:
5-27           Sec. 11.30.  NONPROFIT WATER SUPPLY OR WASTEWATER SERVICE
 6-1     CORPORATION.  (a) A corporation organized under Chapter 67, Water
 6-2     Code [76, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 1st Called Session, 1933
 6-3     (Article 1434a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes)], that provides in
 6-4     the bylaws of the corporation that on dissolution of the
 6-5     corporation the assets of the corporation remaining after discharge
 6-6     of the corporation's indebtedness shall be transferred to an entity
 6-7     that provides a water supply or wastewater service, or both, that
 6-8     is exempt from ad valorem taxation is entitled to an exemption from
 6-9     taxation of:
6-10                 (1)  property that the corporation owns and that is
6-11     reasonably necessary for and used in the operation of the
6-12     corporation:
6-13                       (A) [(1)]  to acquire, treat, store, transport,
6-14     sell, or distribute water; or
6-15                       (B) [(2)]  to provide wastewater service; and
6-16                 (2)  the real property owned by the corporation
6-17     consisting of:
6-18                       (A)  an incomplete improvement that:
6-19                             (i)  is under active construction or other
6-20     physical preparation; and
6-21                             (ii)  is designed and intended to be used
6-22     in the operation of the corporation for a purpose described by
6-23     Subdivision (1) when complete; and
6-24                       (B)  the land on which the incomplete improvement
6-25     is located that will be reasonably necessary for the use of the
6-26     improvement in the operation of the corporation for a purpose
6-27     described by Subdivision (1).
 7-1           (b)  A property may not be exempted under Subsection (a)(2)
 7-2     for more than three years.
 7-3           (c)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), an incomplete
 7-4     improvement is under physical preparation if the corporation has:
 7-5                 (1)  engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil
 7-6     testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work
 7-7     necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
 7-8                 (2)  conducted an environmental or land use study
 7-9     relating to the construction of the improvement.
7-10           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the
7-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
7-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
7-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
7-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
7-15     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
7-16     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 873 was passed by the House on April
         16, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 0, 2 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 873 was passed by the Senate on May
         6, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor