| 1 | 1 | | 86R5055 TJB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Watson S.J.R. No. 44 |
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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 political subdivision that adopts an exemption from ad |
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| 8 | 8 | | valorem taxation of a percentage of the market value of an |
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| 9 | 9 | | individual's residence homestead to set the minimum dollar amount |
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| 10 | 10 | | of the exemption to which an individual is entitled in a tax year. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 1-b(e), Article VIII, Texas |
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| 13 | 13 | | Constitution, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (e) The governing body of a political subdivision[, other |
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| 15 | 15 | | than a county education district,] may exempt from ad valorem |
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| 16 | 16 | | taxation a percentage of the market value of the residence |
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| 17 | 17 | | homestead of a married or unmarried adult, including one living |
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| 18 | 18 | | alone. [In the manner provided by law, the voters of a county |
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| 19 | 19 | | education district at an election held for that purpose may exempt |
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| 20 | 20 | | from ad valorem taxation a percentage of the market value of the |
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| 21 | 21 | | residence homestead of a married or unmarried adult, including one |
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| 22 | 22 | | living alone.] The percentage may not exceed twenty |
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| 23 | 23 | | percent. However, the amount of an exemption authorized pursuant |
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| 24 | 24 | | to this subsection may not be less than $5,000 unless the |
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| 25 | 25 | | legislature by general law prescribes other monetary restrictions |
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| 26 | 26 | | on the amount of the exemption or authorizes the governing body of a |
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| 27 | 27 | | political subdivision to adopt a dollar amount greater than |
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| 28 | 28 | | $5,000. The legislature by general law may prohibit the governing |
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| 29 | 29 | | body of a political subdivision that adopts an exemption under this |
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| 30 | 30 | | subsection from reducing the amount of or repealing the |
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| 31 | 31 | | exemption. An eligible adult is entitled to receive other |
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| 32 | 32 | | applicable exemptions provided by law. Where ad valorem tax has |
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| 33 | 33 | | previously been pledged for the payment of debt, the governing body |
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| 34 | 34 | | of a political subdivision may continue to levy and collect the tax |
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| 35 | 35 | | against the value of the homesteads exempted under this subsection |
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| 36 | 36 | | until the debt is discharged if the cessation of the levy would |
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| 37 | 37 | | impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was |
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| 38 | 38 | | created. The legislature by general law may prescribe procedures |
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| 39 | 39 | | for the administration of residence homestead exemptions. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 41 | 41 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019. |
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| 42 | 42 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 43 | 43 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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| 44 | 44 | | governing body of a political subdivision that adopts an exemption |
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| 45 | 45 | | from ad valorem taxation of a percentage of the market value of an |
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| 46 | 46 | | individual's residence homestead to set the minimum dollar amount |
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| 47 | 47 | | of the exemption to which an individual is entitled in a tax year." |
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