By: Turner of Tarrant, et al. H.J.R. No. 62

(Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2013; May 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance; May 14, 2013, rereferred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; May 17, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 17, 2013, sent to printer.)

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action.

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

SECTION 1. Section 1-b, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by adding Subsections (l) and (m) to read as follows:

(l) The legislature by general law may provide that the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the surviving spouse's residence homestead if the surviving spouse has not remarried since the death of the member of the armed services.

(m) The legislature by general law may provide that a surviving spouse who qualifies for and receives an exemption in accordance with Subsection (l) of this section and who subsequently qualifies a different property as the surviving spouse's residence homestead is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the subsequently qualified homestead in an amount equal to the dollar amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation of the first homestead for which the exemption was received in accordance with Subsection (l) of this section in the last year in which the surviving spouse received the exemption in accordance with that subsection for that homestead if the surviving spouse has not remarried since the death of the member of the armed services.

SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to the Texas Constitution:

TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action.

(b) Sections 1-b(l) and (m), Article VIII, of this constitution take effect January 1, 2014, and apply only to a tax year beginning on or after that date.

(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2015.

SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action."

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