H.B. No. 252 proposes amendments to the Texas Tax Code to exempt the total appraised value of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation for individuals aged 72 and older, as well as their surviving spouses. The bill introduces new subsections (s) and (t) to Section 11.13, which stipulate that individuals who are 72 years or older and have held a homestead exemption for at least the preceding ten years are eligible for this exemption. Surviving spouses of deceased individuals who qualified for this exemption may also be eligible, provided they meet certain conditions, including being at least 55 years old at the time of death and maintaining the property as their residence homestead. The bill also deletes references to previous subsections (b), (c), (d), and (n) related to exemptions.

Additionally, the bill amends various sections of the Education Code and Government Code to establish new requirements for public meeting notices regarding school district budgets and tax rates, mandating that these notices be at least one-quarter page in size and include specific formatting. It requires comparisons of proposed budgets and tax rates with previous years and includes provisions for additional state aid to school districts starting in the 2027-2028 school year, particularly to offset revenue losses due to the new homestead exemption for elderly residents. The implementation of these changes is contingent upon the approval of related constitutional amendments, ensuring that the proposed modifications are subject to public support.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Tax Code 11.13, Tax Code 11.42, Tax Code 11.43, Tax Code 26.10, Tax Code 26.112, Tax Code 33.01, Education Code 46.071, Education Code 48.2543 (Tax Code 26, Tax Code 33, Education Code 48, Tax Code 11, Education Code 46)