81R4096 JE-D

By: McReynolds H.J.R. No. 57

A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize a hospital district to establish an ad valorem tax freeze on residence homesteads of disabled or elderly persons and their surviving spouses.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 1-b(h), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended to read as follows:

(h) The governing body of a political subdivision of this state that is a county, a city or town, a hospital district, or a junior college district by official action may provide that if a person who is disabled or is sixty-five (65) years of age or older receives a residence homestead exemption prescribed or authorized by this section, the total amount of ad valorem taxes imposed on that homestead by the political subdivision [county, the city or town, or the junior college district] may not be increased while it remains the residence homestead of that person or that person's spouse who is disabled or sixty-five (65) years of age or older and receives a residence homestead exemption on the homestead. As an alternative, on receipt of a petition signed by five percent (5%) of the registered voters of the political subdivision [county, the city or town, or the junior college district], the governing body [of the county, the city or town, or the junior college district] shall call an election to determine by majority vote whether to establish a tax limitation provided by this subsection. If a political subdivision [county, a city or town, or a junior college district] establishes a tax limitation provided by this subsection and a disabled person or a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older dies in a year in which the person received a residence homestead exemption, the total amount of ad valorem taxes imposed on the homestead by the political subdivision [county, the city or town, or the junior college district] 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. The legislature, by general law, may provide for the transfer of all or a proportionate amount of a tax limitation provided by this subsection for a person who qualifies for the limitation and establishes a different residence homestead within the same political subdivision [county, within the same city or town, or within the same junior college district]. A political subdivision [county, a city or town, or a junior college district] that establishes a tax limitation under this subsection must comply with a law providing for the transfer of the limitation, even if the legislature enacts the law subsequent to the political subdivision's [county's, the city's or town's, or the junior college district's] establishment of the limitation. Taxes otherwise limited by a political subdivision [county, a city or town, or a junior college district] under this subsection may be increased to the extent the value of the homestead is increased by improvements other than repairs and other than improvements made to comply with governmental requirements and except as may be consistent with the transfer of a tax limitation under a law authorized by this subsection. The governing body of a political subdivision [county, a city or town, or a junior college district] may not repeal or rescind a tax limitation established under this subsection.

SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009. The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment to authorize a hospital district to establish an ad valorem tax freeze on the residence homesteads of disabled or elderly persons and their surviving spouses."