Texas House Bill HJR40

Texas 2017 - 85th 1st C.S.

Caption

Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to limit for a temporary period the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed by a political subdivision on a residence homestead rendered uninhabitable or unusable as a result of a natural disaster.

Impact

If enacted, this amendment would impact state laws concerning property taxation, specifically those associated with natural disasters. It aims to provide a safety net for homeowners who suffer devastating losses, ensuring that they are not subjected to full tax assessments on properties that they cannot inhabit. This change in the law would help stabilize communities following disasters and potentially support faster recovery and rebuilding efforts by alleviating immediate financial pressures on impacted residents.

Summary

HJR40 proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow the Texas legislature to impose a temporary limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that can be charged by political subdivisions for residences rendered uninhabitable or unusable due to a natural disaster. The amendment is designed to provide financial relief to homeowners recovery from the devastating effects of such disasters by ensuring they are not burdened with excessive tax liabilities on properties that are no longer functional. This provision would apply only for a specified period following the disaster and would allow the legislature to establish criteria for eligibility.

Contention

While HJR40 has the potential to offer significant relief for homeowners facing the aftermath of a natural disaster, there may be contention surrounding the implementation of such an amendment. Critics might raise concerns about the future implications of establishing a temporary tax limit, questioning how this could affect local government revenues that depend on property taxes for essential services. Additionally, there may be debates about what criteria would qualify a residence for the tax limitation and how the legislature would define the 'temporary period’ within which these tax limits are effective.