S.B. No. 1412 amends the Tax Code to allow for late applications for the appraisal of land as qualified timber land following the death of the landowner. The bill introduces a new subsection (a-1) that permits the chief appraiser to accept and approve or deny late applications if certain conditions are met: the land was appraised under the relevant subchapter in the previous tax year, ownership changed due to the death of the owner, and the application is submitted by the surviving spouse, child, executor, administrator, or fiduciary by the delinquency date for taxes.

Additionally, the bill modifies subsection (b) to specify that if a late application is approved under the new provisions, the standard penalty of 10 percent on the tax difference does not apply. This change aims to provide relief to heirs and estate representatives in managing property tax obligations after the death of a landowner. The new law will take effect on January 1, 2026, and will apply only to applications filed on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Tax Code 23.751 (Tax Code 23)