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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the governing |
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body of a political subdivision other than a school district to |
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adopt an exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion, expressed |
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as a dollar amount, of the market value of an individual's residence |
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homestead. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1-b, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended by adding Subsections (n), (o), and (p) to read as |
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follows: |
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(n) The governing body of a political subdivision other than |
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a school district by official action may exempt from ad valorem |
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taxation a portion of the market value of the residence homestead of |
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an individual. The amount of the exemption is $5,000 unless a |
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larger amount is specified by the governing body authorizing the |
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exemption. Where ad valorem tax has previously been pledged for the |
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payment of debt, the governing body may continue to levy and collect |
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the tax against the value of the homesteads exempted under this |
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subsection until the debt is discharged if the cessation of the levy |
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would impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was |
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created. |
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(o) This subsection applies only to a political subdivision |
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to which Subsection (n) of this section applies the governing body |
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of which has not adopted an exemption under Subsection (e) of this |
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section. An individual is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem |
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taxation by the political subdivision under Subsection (n) of this |
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section as if the exemption were adopted by the governing body under |
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that subsection unless the governing body by official action elects |
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not to adopt an exemption under that subsection. The amount of the |
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exemption is $5,000 unless the governing body authorizes an |
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exemption in a larger amount as provided by Subsection (n) of this |
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section. |
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(p) This subsection applies only to a political subdivision |
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the governing body of which has ceased granting an exemption under |
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Subsection (e) of this section and has adopted an exemption under |
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Subsection (n) of this section. An individual who would have been |
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entitled to an exemption from ad valorem taxation by the political |
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subdivision under Subsection (e) of this section had the governing |
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body not ceased granting an exemption under that subsection is |
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entitled to continue to receive an exemption under that subsection |
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in lieu of the exemption under Subsection (n) of this section if the |
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individual otherwise qualifies for the exemption under Subsection |
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(e) of this section and the amount of the exemption under that |
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subsection as calculated under this subsection exceeds the amount |
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of the exemption under Subsection (n) of this section. The |
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exemption applies only to property for which the individual |
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received an exemption under Subsection (e) of this section in the |
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last tax year in which the governing body granted an exemption under |
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that subsection. Notwithstanding Subsection (e) of this section, |
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the amount of the exemption is the dollar amount of the exemption |
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that the individual received under that subsection in the last tax |
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year in which the governing body granted an exemption under that |
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subsection. |
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SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2015, authorizing the governing body of a |
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political subdivision other than a school district to adopt an |
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exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion, expressed as a |
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dollar amount, of the market value of an individual's residence |
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homestead. |
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(b) The amendments to Section 1-b, Article VIII, of this |
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constitution take effect beginning with the tax year that begins |
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January 1, 2016. |
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(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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governing body of a political subdivision other than a school |
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district to adopt an exemption from ad valorem taxation of a |
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portion, expressed as a dollar amount, of the market value of an |
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individual's residence homestead." |
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* * * * * |