By Ramsay                                              H.B. No. 887
         77R3039 SMH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the application for an exemption from ad valorem
 1-3     taxation on the homestead of a person who is 65 or older.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 11.43, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subsections (l) and (m) to read as follows:
 1-7           (l)  An application form for an exemption under Section 11.13
 1-8     must include a space on which the applicant may indicate the
 1-9     applicant's date of birth, even if the applicant's age is not
1-10     required to determine the applicant's eligibility for the exemption
1-11     for which the application is made.
1-12           (m)  If a person receiving an exemption under Section
1-13     11.13(a) or (b) attains the age of 65 according to the person's
1-14     date of birth as stated on the person's application for the
1-15     exemption, the chief appraiser, not later than December 31 of the
1-16     tax year in which the person attains that age, shall mail to the
1-17     person an application for an exemption under Section 11.13(c) or
1-18     (d) for a person who is 65 years of age or older.  This subsection
1-19     applies only to a person who applied for the exemption under
1-20     Section 11.13(a) or (b) on or after September 1, 2001, and who
1-21     stated the person's date of birth on that application.
1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.