85R1384 LHC-D By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 1632 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to deferred payment of ad valorem taxes for certain persons serving in the United States armed forces. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 31.02(b) and (c), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows: (b) An eligible person serving on active duty in any branch of the United States armed forces [during a war or national emergency declared in accordance with federal law] may pay delinquent property taxes on property in which the person owns any interest without penalty or interest no later than the 60th day after the date on which the earliest of the following occurs: (1) the person is discharged from active military service; (2) the person returns to the state for more than 10 days; or (3) the person returns to non-active duty status in the reserves[; or [(4) the war or national emergency ends]. (c) "Eligible person" means a person on active military duty in this state who was transferred out of this state [as a result of a war or national emergency declared in accordance with federal law] or a person in the reserve forces who was placed on active military duty and transferred out of this state [as a result of a war or national emergency declared in accordance with federal law]. SECTION 2. Section 33.01, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: (f) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a delinquent tax for which a person defers payment under Section 31.02(b) that is not paid on or before the date the deferral period prescribed by that subsection expires: (1) accrues interest at a rate of six percent for each year or portion of a year the tax remains unpaid; and (2) does not incur a penalty. SECTION 3. This Act applies to penalties and interest on delinquent taxes if the taxes are paid on or after the effective date of this Act, even if the penalties or interest accrued before the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.