By: Janek  S.B. No. 796
         (In the Senate - Filed February 21, 2007; March 6, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
  April 4, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 13, Nays 0; April 4, 2007,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 796 By:  Janek
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the authority of a taxing unit to allow split payment of
  taxes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 31.03, Tax Code, is amended by amending
  Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The governing body of a taxing unit that collects its
  own taxes may provide, in the manner required by law for official
  action by the body, that a person who pays one-half of the unit's
  taxes, other than taxes on the person's residential homestead,
  before December 1 may pay the remaining one-half of the taxes
  without penalty or interest before July 1 of the following year.
         (b)  The split-payment option described by Subsection (a),
  if adopted, applies to taxes, other than taxes on residential
  homesteads, for all units for which the adopting taxing unit
  collects taxes.
         (d)  The governing body of a taxing unit that collects its
  own taxes may provide, in the manner provided by law for official
  action by the body, that a person who pays one-half of the unit's
  taxes on the person's residential homestead before December 1 may
  pay the remaining one-half of the taxes without penalty or interest
  before July 1 of the following year.
         (e)  The split-payment option for residential homesteads
  under Subsection (d) applies to taxes for all residential
  homesteads for which the adopting taxing unit collects taxes.
         (f)  In this section, "residential homestead" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 11.13(j).
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
  * * * * *