By Eiland                                             H.B. No. 2583
         76R8882 T                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the taxation of windstorm protection devices.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 11 of the Tax Code shall be amended to
 1-5     add Section 11.272, and read as follows:
 1-6           Section 11.272.  WINDSTORM PROTECTION DEVICES.  (a)  A person
 1-7     is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the amount of
 1-8     appraised value of his property that arises from the installation
 1-9     or construction of a windstorm protection device.
1-10           (b)  The comptroller, with the assistance of the Texas
1-11     Department of Insurance, or its successor, shall develop guidelines
1-12     to assist local officials in the administration of this section.
1-13           (c)  In this section, the Commissioner of Insurance shall
1-14     have rule making authority to determine what is a windstorm
1-15     protection device.
1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-17           SECTION 3.  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 to be suspended, and this rule is hereby
1-22     suspended.