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Amend SJR 11 as follows:
(1) Add the following section to the resolution,
appropriately numbered, and renumber existing sections
accordingly:
SECTION ___. Sections 1-b(c) and (d), Article VIII, Texas
Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
(c) The amount of $30,000 [Fifteen Thousand Dollars
($15,000)] of the market value of the residence homestead of a
married or unmarried adult, including one living alone, is exempt
from ad valorem taxation for general elementary and secondary
public school purposes. The legislature by general law may provide
that all or part of the exemption does not apply to a district or
political subdivision that imposes ad valorem taxes for public
education purposes but is not the principal school district
providing general elementary and secondary public education
throughout its territory. In addition to this exemption, the
legislature by general law may exempt an amount not to exceed [Ten
Thousand Dollars (] $10,000[)] of the market value of the residence
homestead of a person who is disabled as defined in Subsection (b)
of this section and of a person sixty-five (65) years of age or
older from ad valorem taxation for general elementary and secondary
public school purposes. The legislature by general law may base the
amount of and condition eligibility for the additional exemption
authorized by this subsection for disabled persons and for persons
sixty-five (65) years of age or older on economic need. An eligible
disabled person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older may not
receive both exemptions from a school district but may choose
either. An eligible person is entitled to receive both the
exemption required by this subsection for all residence homesteads
and any exemption adopted pursuant to Subsection (b) of this
section, but the legislature shall provide by general law whether
an eligible disabled or elderly person may receive both the
additional exemption for the elderly and disabled authorized by
this subsection and any exemption for the elderly or disabled
adopted pursuant to Subsection (b) of this section. Where ad
valorem tax has previously been pledged for the payment of debt, the
taxing officers of a school district may continue to levy and
collect the tax against the value of homesteads exempted under this
subsection until the debt is discharged if the cessation of the levy
would impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was
created. The legislature shall provide for formulas to protect
school districts against all or part of the revenue loss incurred by
the implementation of Article VIII, Sections 1-b(c), 1-b(d), and
1-d-1, of this constitution. The legislature by general law may
define residence homestead for purposes of this section.
(d) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, if a
person receives a residence homestead exemption prescribed by
Subsection (c) of this section for homesteads of persons who are
sixty-five (65) years of age or older or who are disabled, the total
amount of ad valorem taxes imposed on that homestead for general
elementary and secondary public school purposes may not be
increased while it remains the residence homestead of that person
or that person's spouse who receives the exemption. If a person
sixty-five (65) years of age or older dies in a year in which the
person received the exemption, the total amount of ad valorem taxes
imposed on the homestead for general elementary and secondary
public school purposes may not be increased while it remains the
residence homestead of that person's surviving spouse if the spouse
is fifty-five (55) years of age or older at the time of the person's
death, subject to any exceptions provided by general law. If a
person receives the limitation provided by this subsection for the
person's residence homestead and the person or the person's spouse
received the limitation in the preceding tax year for that
homestead and the tax rate for general elementary and secondary
public school purposes applicable to the homestead for the current
tax year is lower than the tax rate for those purposes applicable to
that homestead for the preceding tax year, the limitation provided
by this subsection on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may
be imposed for those purposes on the homestead is reduced in
proportion to the reduction in the tax rate. The legislature, by
general law, may provide for the transfer of all or a proportionate
amount of a limitation provided by this subsection for a person who
qualifies for the limitation and establishes a different residence
homestead. However, taxes otherwise limited by this subsection may
be increased to the extent the value of the homestead is increased
by improvements other than repairs or improvements made to comply
with governmental requirements and except as may be consistent with
the transfer of a limitation under this subsection. For a residence
homestead subject to the limitation provided by this subsection in
the 2006 [1996] tax year or an earlier tax year, the legislature
shall reduce [provide for a reduction in] the amount of the
limitation for the 2007 [1997] tax year and subsequent tax years in
an amount equal to $15,000 [$10,000] multiplied by the 2007 [1997]
tax rate for general elementary and secondary public school
purposes applicable to the residence homestead.
(2) In SECTION 2 of the resolution, the proposed temporary
provision (committee printing, page 1, line 56), strike "and" and
substitute ",".
(3) In SECTION 2 of the resolution, the proposed temporary
provision (committee printing, page 1, line 57), between "tax" and
"and", insert the following:
, increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from
ad valorem taxation for public school purposes to $30,000, and
reducing the limitation on the total amount of taxes that may be
imposed for those purposes on the homesteads of the elderly or
disabled to reflect the increased exemption amount and reductions
in school district ad valorem tax rates
(4) In SECTION 2 of the resolution, immediately following
Subsection (c) of the proposed temporary provision (committee
printing, page 2, between lines 2 and 3), insert the following:
(d) The amendment to Sections 1-b(c) and (d), Article VIII,
of this constitution takes effect January 1, 2007, and applies only
to a tax year that begins on or after that date.
(5) In SECTION 3 of the resolution, the proposed ballot
language (committee printing, page 2, line 8), strike "and" and
substitute ",".
(6) In SECTION 3 of the resolution, the proposed ballot
language (committee printing, page 2, line 10), between "tax" and
the period, insert the following:
, increasing the amount of the residence homestead exemption from
ad valorem taxation for public school purposes to $30,000, and
reducing the limitation on the total amount of taxes that may be
imposed for those purposes on the homesteads of the elderly or
disabled to reflect the increased exemption amount and reductions
in school district tax rates