S.B. No. 2553 amends the Texas Tax Code to enhance the rights of property owners who possess properties designated as historic or archaeological sites. The bill introduces a new provision allowing these property owners to protest the appraised value of their property, specifically enabling them to challenge the allocation of appraised value between the land and the improvements made to it. This is articulated in the newly added Subsection (c) of Section 11.24, which states that property owners may protest the appraised values of both the structure or archaeological site and the land separately.

Additionally, the bill modifies Section 41.41(a) of the Tax Code to include specific grounds for protest related to the appraised value of structures or archaeological sites that qualify for exemptions under Section 11.24. The amendments specify that property owners can contest the appraised value of the land necessary for accessing the structure or site, as well as the allocation of appraised value between the structure and the land. These changes aim to provide greater clarity and fairness in the appraisal process for historic and archaeological properties. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Tax Code 23.013 (Tax Code 23)
Senate Committee Report: Tax Code 11.24 (Tax Code 11, Tax Code 23)