Texas 2015 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HJR67 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 05/11/2015

                    84R23050 LEH-D
 By: Sheets, et al. H.J.R. No. 67
 Substitute the following for H.J.R. No. 67:
 By:  Parker C.S.H.J.R. No. 67


 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature
 to exempt from ad valorem taxation a percentage of the assessed
 value of property owned by certain disabled veterans.
 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 2(b), Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
 is amended to read as follows:
 (b)  The legislature by general law [Legislature] may[, by
 general law,] exempt property owned by a disabled veteran or by the
 surviving spouse and surviving minor children of a disabled
 veteran. A disabled veteran is a veteran of the armed services of
 the United States who is classified as disabled by the United States
 Department of Veterans Affairs [Veterans' Administration] or by a
 successor to that agency or by the military service in which the
 veteran served. A veteran who is certified as having a disability of
 less than 10 percent is not entitled to an exemption. A veteran
 having a disability rating of not less than 10 percent but less than
 30 percent may be granted an exemption from taxation for property of
 7.91 percent of the assessed value of the property [valued at up to
 $5,000]. A veteran having a disability rating of not less than 30
 percent but less than 50 percent may be granted an exemption from
 taxation for property of 11.86 percent of the assessed value of the
 property [valued at up to $7,500]. A veteran having a disability
 rating of not less than 50 percent but less than 70 percent may be
 granted an exemption from taxation for property of 15.82 percent of
 the assessed value of the property [valued at up to $10,000]. A
 veteran who has a disability rating of 70 percent or more, or a
 veteran who has a disability rating of not less than 10 percent and
 has attained the age of 65, or a disabled veteran whose disability
 consists of the loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, total
 blindness in one or both eyes, or paraplegia, may be granted an
 exemption from taxation for property of 18.98 percent of the
 assessed value of the property [valued at up to $12,000]. The
 spouse and children of any member of the United States Armed Forces
 who dies while on active duty may be granted an exemption from
 taxation for property valued at up to $5,000. A deceased disabled
 veteran's surviving spouse and children may be granted an exemption
 which in the aggregate is equal to the dollar amount of the
 exemption to which the veteran was entitled when the veteran died.
 SECTION 2.  Section 2(d), Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
 is repealed.
 SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015.
 The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the
 proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the
 legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a percentage of the
 assessed value of property owned by certain disabled veterans."