88R12446 LHC-D
 
  By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 4325
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the eligibility of land taken by condemnation for
  appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 23.56, Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 23.56.  LAND INELIGIBLE FOR APPRAISAL AS OPEN-SPACE
  LAND.  Land is not eligible for appraisal as provided by this
  subchapter if:
               (1)  the land is located inside the corporate limits of
  an incorporated city or town, unless:
                     (A)  the city or town is not providing the land
  with governmental and proprietary services substantially
  equivalent in standard and scope to those services it provides in
  other parts of the city or town with similar topography, land
  utilization, and population density;
                     (B)  the land has been devoted principally to
  agricultural use continuously for the preceding five years; or
                     (C)  the land:
                           (i)  has been devoted principally to
  agricultural use or to production of timber or forest products
  continuously for the preceding five years; and
                           (ii)  is used for wildlife management;
               (2)  the land is owned by an individual who is a
  nonresident alien or by a foreign government if that individual or
  government is required by federal law or by rule adopted pursuant to
  federal law to register his ownership or acquisition of that
  property; [or]
               (3)  the land is owned by a corporation, partnership,
  trust, or other legal entity if the entity is required by federal
  law or by rule adopted pursuant to federal law to register its
  ownership or acquisition of that land and a nonresident alien or a
  foreign government or any combination of nonresident aliens and
  foreign governments own a majority interest in the entity; or
               (4)  the land is owned by an entity other than the state
  or a political subdivision of the state that acquired the land by
  condemnation.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to the appraisal of land for ad valorem tax purposes for a tax year
  that begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.