By: Estes  S.B. No. 1514
         (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2017; March 20, 2017, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Finance; May 3, 2017,
  reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
  following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 3; May 3, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1514 By:  Nichols
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the eligibility of land to continue to be appraised for
  ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land if the land
  begins to be used for oil and gas operations.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 23, Tax Code, is amended by
  adding Section 23.524 to read as follows:
         Sec. 23.524.  OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS ON LAND. The
  eligibility of land for appraisal under this subchapter does not
  end because a lessee under an oil and gas lease begins conducting
  oil and gas operations over which the Railroad Commission of Texas
  has jurisdiction on the land if the land otherwise continues to
  qualify for appraisal under this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act does not
  affect an additional tax imposed as a result of a change of use of
  land appraised under Subchapter D, Chapter 23, Tax Code, that
  occurred before the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
  constitutional amendment proposed by the 85th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2017, authorizing the legislature to provide that the
  eligibility of open-space land for ad valorem taxation on the basis
  of its productive capacity does not end because an oil and gas
  lessee begins conducting oil and gas operations on the land if the
  land otherwise continues to be devoted to farm, ranch, or wildlife
  management purposes or timber production is approved by the voters.  
  If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no
  effect.
 
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