88S40105 MLH/MEW-D
 
  By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 96
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the total
appraised value of the residence homesteads of certain elderly
persons and their surviving spouses.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 11.13, Tax Code, is amended by amending
Subsection (i) and adding Subsections (s) and (t) to read as
follows:
       (i)  The assessor and collector for a taxing unit may
disregard the exemptions authorized by Subsection (b), (c), (d),
[or] (n), (s), or (t) [of this section] and assess and collect a tax
pledged for payment of debt without deducting the amount of the
exemption if:
             (1)  prior to adoption of the exemption, the taxing 
unit pledged the taxes for the payment of a debt; and
             (2)  granting the exemption would impair the obligation
of the contract creating the debt.
       (s)  In addition to any other exemptions provided by this
section, an individual is entitled to an exemption from taxation of
the total appraised value of the individual's residence homestead
if:
             (1)  the individual is 72 years of age or older; and
             (2)  the individual has received an exemption under
this section for the residence homestead for at least the preceding
10 years.
       (t)  The surviving spouse of an individual who qualified for
an exemption under Subsection (s) is entitled to an exemption from
taxation of the total appraised value of the same property to which
the deceased spouse's exemption applied if:
             (1)  the deceased spouse died in a year in which the
deceased spouse qualified for the exemption;
             (2)  the surviving spouse was 55 years of age or older
when the deceased spouse died; and
             (3)  the property was the residence homestead of the
surviving spouse when the deceased spouse died and remains the
residence homestead of the surviving spouse.
       SECTION 2.  Section 11.42(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       (c)  An exemption authorized by Section 11.13(c), [or] (d),
or (s), 11.132, 11.133, or 11.134 is effective as of January 1 of
the tax year in which the person qualifies for the exemption and
applies to the entire tax year.
       SECTION 3.  Sections 11.43(k), (l), (m), (m-2), and (q), Tax
Code, as effective January 1, 2024, are amended to read as follows:
       (k)  A person who qualifies for an exemption authorized by
Section 11.13(c), [or] (d), or (s) or 11.132 must apply for the
exemption no later than the first anniversary of the date the person
qualified for the exemption.
       (l)  The form for an application under Section 11.13 must
include a space for the applicant to state the applicant's date of
birth and, if applicable, the date of birth of the applicant's
spouse. Failure to provide the applicant's date of birth does not
affect the applicant's eligibility for an exemption under that
section, other than an exemption under Section 11.13(c) or (d) for
an individual 65 years of age or older or an exemption under Section
11.13(s) for an individual 72 years of age or older.  Failure to
provide the date of birth of the applicant's spouse does not affect
the applicant's eligibility for an exemption under Section 11.13 or
the applicant's spouse's eligibility for an exemption under that
section, other than an exemption under Section 11.13(q) for the
surviving spouse of an individual 65 years of age or older or an
exemption under Section 11.13(t) for the surviving spouse of an
individual 72 years of age or older.
       (m)  Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (k), if a person who
receives an exemption under Section 11.13, other than an exemption
under Section 11.13(c) or (d) for an individual 65 years of age or
older or an exemption under Section 11.13(s) for an individual 72
years of age or older, in a tax year becomes 65 or 72 years of age in
the next tax year, as applicable, the person is entitled to receive
and the chief appraiser shall allow an exemption under Section
11.13(c) or (d) for an individual 65 years of age or older or an
exemption under Section 11.13(s) for an individual 72 years of age
or older, as applicable, in that next tax year on the same property
without requiring the person to apply for or otherwise request the
exemption if t

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Tax Code 11.13, Tax Code 11.42, Tax Code 26.10, Tax Code 26.112, Tax Code 33.01, Education Code 44.004, Education Code 46.071, Education Code 48.2543 (Education Code 46, Tax Code 33, Tax Code 26, Tax Code 11, Education Code 48, Education Code 44)