By: Toth H.B. No. 998
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of an individual, before purchasing real
property to be used as the individual's residence homestead, to
request from the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal
district a preliminary determination of whether the property would
qualify for a disabled veteran exemption if purchased by the
individual and used for that purpose.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by
adding Section 11.4385 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.4385. APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION BY 100 PERCENT OR
TOTALLY DISABLED VETERAN. (a) In this section:
(1) "Disabled veteran" has the meaning assigned by
Section 11.22.
(2) "Mortgage company" has the meaning assigned by
Section 156.002, Finance Code.
(3) "Residence homestead" has the meaning assigned by
Section 11.13.
(4) "Title insurance company" has the meaning assigned
by Section 2501.003, Insurance Code.
(b) To facilitate the financing associated with the
purchase of real property to be used as the individual's residence
homestead, a disabled veteran, before purchasing the property, may
request from the chief appraiser of the appraisal district
established for the county in which the property is located a
preliminary determination of whether the property would qualify for
an exemption under Section 11.131 if purchased by the disabled
veteran and occupied by the disabled veteran as the disabled
veteran's primary residence. The request must include the
information that would be included in an application for an
exemption for the property under Section 11.131.
(c) Not later than the 30th day after the date a request is
submitted under this section, the chief appraiser shall issue a
written preliminary determination for the property included in the
request. A preliminary determination does not affect the granting
of an exemption under Section 11.131.
(d) A mortgage company or title insurance company that
receives from a purchaser of real property a written preliminary
determination issued under this section shall consider the effect
of the preliminary determination:
(1) in determining whether to extend credit to the
purchaser; and
(2) the amount due from the purchaser at closing.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.