Texas 2021 - 87th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HB152 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 10/06/2021

                            87S30450 CJC/MEW-D
 By: Raymond H.B. No. 152


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to a temporary increase in the amount of the exemption of
 residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district,
 a temporary reduction in the amount of the limitation on school
 district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of
 the elderly or disabled to reflect the increased exemption amount,
 and a temporary protection of school districts against the
 resulting temporary loss in local revenue.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 11.13(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 (b)  An adult is entitled to exemption from taxation by a
 school district of $105,000 [$25,000] of the appraised value of the
 adult's residence homestead, except that only $5,000 of the
 exemption applies to an entity operating under former Chapter 17,
 18, 25, 26, 27, or 28, Education Code, as those chapters existed on
 May 1, 1995, as permitted by Section 11.301, Education Code.
 SECTION 2.  Effective January 1, 2024, Section 11.13(b), Tax
 Code, is amended to read as follows:
 (b)  An adult is entitled to exemption from taxation by a
 school district of $25,000 of the appraised value of the adult's
 residence homestead, except that only $5,000 of the exemption
 applies to an entity operating under former Chapter 17, 18, 25, 26,
 27, or 28, Education Code, as those chapters existed on May 1, 1995,
 as permitted by Section 11.301, Education Code.
 SECTION 3.  (a)  This section takes effect only if the
 constitutional amendment proposed by S.J.R. No. 2, 87th
 Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 2021, is approved by the voters.
 If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this section has no
 effect.
 (b)  Section 11.26(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 (a)  The tax officials shall appraise the property to which
 this section applies and calculate taxes as on other property, but
 if the tax so calculated exceeds the limitation imposed by this
 section, the tax imposed is the amount of the tax as limited by this
 section, except as otherwise provided by this section.  A school
 district may not increase the total annual amount of ad valorem tax
 it imposes on the residence homestead of an individual 65 years of
 age or older or on the residence homestead of an individual who is
 disabled, as defined by Section 11.13, above the amount of the tax
 it imposed in the first tax year in which the individual qualified
 that residence homestead for the applicable exemption provided by
 Section 11.13(c) for an individual who is 65 years of age or older
 or is disabled.  If the individual qualified that residence
 homestead for the exemption after the beginning of that first year
 and the residence homestead remains eligible for the same exemption
 for the next year, and if the school district taxes imposed on the
 residence homestead in the next year are less than the amount of
 taxes imposed in that first year, a school district may not
 subsequently increase the total annual amount of ad valorem taxes
 it imposes on the residence homestead above the amount it imposed in
 the year immediately following the first year for which the
 individual qualified that residence homestead for the same
 exemption, except as provided by Subsection (b).  If the first tax
 year the individual qualified the residence homestead for the
 exemption provided by Section 11.13(c) for individuals 65 years of
 age or older or disabled was a tax year before the 2023 [2015] tax
 year, the amount of the limitation provided by this section for the
 2023 tax year is the amount of the limitation as computed under
 Subsection (a-5), (a-6), (a-7), (a-8), or (a-9) of this section, as
 applicable, [tax the school district imposed for the 2014 tax year]
 less an amount equal to the product of $80,000 and [amount
 determined by multiplying $10,000 times] the tax rate of the school
 district for the 2023 [2015] tax year[, plus any 2015 tax
 attributable to improvements made in 2014, other than improvements
 made to comply with governmental regulations or repairs]. If the
 first tax year the individual qualified the residence homestead for
 the exemption provided by Section 11.13(c) for individuals 65 years
 of age or older or disabled was the 2023 tax year or an earlier tax
 year, the amount of the limitation provided by this section for the
 2024 tax year is the amount of the limitation as computed under
 Subsection (a-10) of this section plus an amount equal to the
 product of $80,000 and the tax rate of the school district for the
 2023 tax year.
 SECTION 4.  (a)  This section takes effect only if the
 constitutional amendment proposed by S.J.R. No. 2, 87th
 Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 2021, is not approved by the
 voters. If that amendment is approved by the voters, this section
 has no effect.
 (b)  Section 11.26(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 (a)  The tax officials shall appraise the property to which
 this section applies and calculate taxes as on other property, but
 if the tax so calculated exceeds the limitation imposed by this
 section, the tax imposed is the amount of the tax as limited by this
 section, except as otherwise provided by this section. A school
 district may not increase the total annual amount of ad valorem tax
 it imposes on the residence homestead of an individual 65 years of
 age or older or on the residence homestead of an individual who is
 disabled, as defined by Section 11.13, above the amount of the tax
 it imposed in the first tax year in which the individual qualified
 that residence homestead for the applicable exemption provided by
 Section 11.13(c) for an individual who is 65 years of age or older
 or is disabled. If the individual qualified that residence
 homestead for the exemption after the beginning of that first year
 and the residence homestead remains eligible for the same exemption
 for the next year, and if the school district taxes imposed on the
 residence homestead in the next year are less than the amount of
 taxes imposed in that first year, a school district may not
 subsequently increase the total annual amount of ad valorem taxes
 it imposes on the residence homestead above the amount it imposed in
 the year immediately following the first year for which the
 individual qualified that residence homestead for the same
 exemption, except as provided by Subsection (b). If the first tax
 year the individual qualified the residence homestead for the
 exemption provided by Section 11.13(c) for individuals 65 years of
 age or older or disabled was a tax year before the 2023 [2015] tax
 year, the amount of the limitation provided by this section for the
 2023 tax year is the amount of tax the school district imposed for
 the 2022 [2014] tax year less an amount equal to the product of
 $80,000 and [amount determined by multiplying $10,000 times] the
 tax rate of the school district for the 2023 [2015] tax year, plus
 any 2023 [2015] tax attributable to improvements made in 2022
 [2014], other than improvements made to comply with governmental
 regulations or repairs. If the first tax year the individual
 qualified the residence homestead for the exemption provided by
 Section 11.13(c) for individuals 65 years of age or older or
 disabled was the 2023 tax year or an earlier tax year, the amount of
 the limitation provided by this section for the 2024 and subsequent
 tax years is the amount of tax the school district imposed for the
 2023 tax year plus an amount equal to the product of $80,000 and the
 tax rate of the school district for the 2023 tax year, plus any 2024
 tax attributable to improvements made in 2023, other than
 improvements made to comply with governmental regulations or
 repairs.
 SECTION 5.  Section 46.071, Education Code, is amended by
 adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), and (c-1) to read as follows:
 (a-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2023-2024
 school year, a school district is entitled to additional state aid
 under this subchapter to the extent that state and local revenue
 used to service debt eligible under this chapter is less than the
 state and local revenue that would have been available to the
 district under this chapter as it existed on September 1, 2022, if
 the increase in the residence homestead exemption under Section
 1-b(c), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, and the additional
 limitation on tax increases under Section 1-b(d) of that article as
 proposed by the 87th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 2021, had not
 occurred.  This subsection expires September 1, 2024.
 (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), subject to
 Subsections (c-1), (d), and (e), additional state aid under this
 section for the 2023-2024 school year is equal to the amount by
 which the loss of local interest and sinking revenue for debt
 service attributable to the increase in the residence homestead
 exemption under Section 1-b(c), Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
 and the additional limitation on tax increases under Section 1-b(d)
 of that article as proposed by the 87th Legislature, 3rd Called
 Session, 2021, is not offset by a gain in state aid under this
 chapter. This subsection expires September 1, 2024.
 (c-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c), for the purpose of
 determining state aid under Subsections (a-1) and (b-1), local
 interest and sinking revenue for debt service is limited to revenue
 required to service debt eligible under this chapter as of
 September 1, 2022, including refunding of that debt, subject to
 Section 46.061.  The limitation imposed by Section 46.034(a) does
 not apply for the purpose of determining state aid under this
 section. This subsection expires September 1, 2024.
 SECTION 6.  Subchapter F, Chapter 48, Education Code, is
 amended by adding Section 48.2543 to read as follows:
 Sec. 48.2543.  ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION
 AND LIMITATION ON TAX INCREASES FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR. (a)
 For the 2023-2024 school year, a school district is entitled to
 additional state aid to the extent that state and local revenue
 under this chapter and Chapter 49 is less than the state and local
 revenue that would have been available to the district under this
 chapter and Chapter 49 as those chapters existed on September 1,
 2022, if the increase in the residence homestead exemption under
 Section 1-b(c), Article VIII, Texas Constitution, and the
 additional limitation on tax increases under Section 1-b(d) of that
 article as proposed by the 87th Legislature, 3rd Called Session,
 2021, had not occurred.
 (b)  The lesser of the school district's currently adopted
 maintenance and operations tax rate or the adopted maintenance and
 operations tax rate for the 2022 tax year is used for the purpose of
 determining additional state aid under Subsection (a).
 (c)  This section expires September 1, 2024.
 SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act to Sections
 11.13 and 11.26, Tax Code, apply only to an ad valorem tax year that
 begins on or after January 1, 2023.
 SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2023, but only
 if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature,
 3rd Called Session, 2021, to appropriate money from the economic
 stabilization fund to the foundation school fund and use the money
 to finance a temporary increase in the amount of the exemption of
 residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district
 and a temporary reduction in the amount of the limitation on school
 district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of
 the elderly or disabled to reflect the increased exemption amount
 is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the
 voters, this Act has no effect.