| 1 | 1 | | 81R7116 SMH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Villarreal H.J.R. No. 75 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the governing |
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| 7 | 7 | | body of a municipality to exempt a portion of the value of a |
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| 8 | 8 | | residence homestead from ad valorem taxation if the homestead meets |
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| 9 | 9 | | certain energy efficiency standards. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 1-b, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (j) The governing body of a city or town may exempt from ad |
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| 14 | 14 | | valorem taxation a portion of the market value of the residence |
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| 15 | 15 | | homestead of a married or unmarried adult, including one living |
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| 16 | 16 | | alone, if the homestead meets energy efficiency standards |
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| 17 | 17 | | prescribed by the governing body. The governing body may provide |
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| 18 | 18 | | that homesteads constructed in different years must meet different |
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| 19 | 19 | | energy efficiency standards to be eligible for the exemption and |
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| 20 | 20 | | may limit the number of years for which a homestead may receive an |
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| 21 | 21 | | exemption. An eligible adult is entitled to receive other |
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| 22 | 22 | | applicable exemptions provided by law. Where ad valorem tax has |
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| 23 | 23 | | previously been pledged for the payment of debt, the governing body |
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| 24 | 24 | | of a city or town may continue to levy and collect the tax against |
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| 25 | 25 | | the value of the homesteads exempted under this subsection until |
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| 26 | 26 | | the debt is discharged if the cessation of the levy would impair the |
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| 27 | 27 | | obligation of the contract by which the debt was created. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 29 | 29 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009. |
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| 30 | 30 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 31 | 31 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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| 32 | 32 | | governing body of a municipality to exempt a portion of the value of |
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| 33 | 33 | | a residence homestead from ad valorem taxation if the homestead |
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| 34 | 34 | | meets certain energy efficiency standards." |
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