Issue 89.13
Legislators’ promise additional Property Tax Relief
Director of Regulatory Affairs
Texas citizens care more about receiving meaningful property tax relief than they do about how it is delivered. But differences in approach between the House and Senate last session ended in a stalemate where nothing was passed by the end of regular session. The Governor had to call them back into a special session twice before a compromise was reached. In the current session the Senate has put forth a plan that includes both the approaches finally settled upon last session. The House’s property tax relief bill HB8 only includes one approach: rate compression. HB8 passed out of Ways and Means and was sent to the Calendars Committee on March 24th. With about sixty days left in this regular session the question becomes; will its path accelerate in time? Or will we see Senate bills SB4 and SB1 listed below that are much further along become the final approach.
Weekly Highlight
SB 4 Would increase the residence homestead exemption from $100,000 up to $140,000. (The House sat on this bill with no action for 37 days before referring to House Ways and Means.)
SB 1 On March 25th the Senate approved its version of the budget. Included in this budget is funding for property tax rate compression. The combination of these two bills brings an estimated $500 annual savings to the average homeowner. (Scheduled for Hearing in House Appropriations on March 31st.)
To read the full text of any of these bills you can go to Texas Legislature Online. The designations you see for each bill represent HB – House Bill, SB – Senate Bill and HJR or SJR as House or Senate Joint Resolutions which relate to amendments to the Texas Constitution.
Bills on the Move
Sent to the Second Chamber
SB 4 Bettencourt, Paul – Relating to an increase in the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district and the protection of school districts against certain losses in local revenue. (Companions HB2611, SJR2) Referred to House Ways and Means March 25th.
SB 15 Bettencourt, Paul – Relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; authorizing a fee. (Companion HB3919) Received in the House March 20th.
SB 17 Kolkhorst, Lois – Relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities. Received in the House March 20th.
SB 372 Campbell, Donna – (SB372 was previously filed in 88th Session as SB1568 it passed both chambers but was vetoed by the Governor.) Relating to the persons authorized or appointed to exercise the power of sale under the terms of a contract lien on real property. (Companion HB 576) Received in the House March 25th.
SB 929 Johnson, Nathan – (SB929 was previously filed in 88th Session as HB4301 which passed the house but was not taken up in committee in the Senate, identical bills HB4308 and SB2113 both did not receive a hearing.) Relating to deadlines and time of inception for mechanic’s and materialman’s liens. (Companion HB4301, HB4308, SB2113) Received in the House March 13th.
SB 1379 Flores, Pete – Relating to increasing the criminal penalties for forgery. Received in the House March 27th.
SB 1547 Zaffirini, Judith – Relating to fees charged by county clerks for certain property records. (Companion HB3733) Received in the House March 27th.
SJR 2 Bettencourt, Paul – Proposing a constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district. (Companions HB2611, SB4) Received in the House Feb 18th.
First Chamber Floor Vote Scheduled
SB 583 West, Royce – Relating to lists of public real property suitable for use or to be developed for use as affordable housing by certain municipalities and counties. Voted favorably out of Senate Local Government on March 18th. Placed on Intent Calendar for March 27th.
Reported Favorably, Committee Approved
SB 693 West, Royce – Relating to creating a criminal offense for the use of a notary seal or counterfeit seal on a fraudulent document or instrument. Voted favorably out of committee as substituted March 25th in Senate Criminal Justice.
SB 1333 Hughes, Bryan – Relating to the unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertisement for sale, rental, or lease, or conveyance of real property. (Companions HB414, HB1076, HB2454, HB3003) Voted favorably out of committee as substituted March 27th in Senate State Affairs.
Committee Hearings Scheduled or Left Pending Vote
HB 17 Hefner, Cole – Relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities. (Companions HB1849, HB2536) Hearing set for April 2nd in House Homeland, Public Safety, Veterans.
HB 21 Gates, Gary – Relating to housing finance corporations. (Companion SB867) Heard March 18th left pending House Intergovernmental Affair.
HB 32 Button, Angie Chen – Relating to the eviction from real property of certain persons not entitled to enter, occupy, or remain in possession of the premises. Heard March 12th left pending House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence.
HB 329 Bell, Cecil – (HB329 was previously filed in 88th Session as HB5133 it was left pending in Committee without a vote.) Relating to a requirement that an appraisal review board rely on an appraisal of residential real property prepared by an appraiser and submitted to the board by the property owner. Hearing set for April 3rd in House Subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals.
HB 360 Vasut, Cody – (HB360 was previously filed in 88th Session as HB523 it was left pending in Committee without a hearing.) Relating to the authority of an appraisal review board to direct changes in the appraisal roll and related appraisal records if a residence homestead is sold for less than the appraised value. (Companions HB523, HB4399) Heard March 20th left pending House Subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals.
HB 1043 Bhojani, Salman – Relating to a study by the General Land Office on the establishment and implementation by the General Land Office of a distributed ledger-based title registry pilot program. Heard March 19th left pending House Delivery of Government Efficiency.
HB 1243 Guillen, Ryan – Relating to the authority of spouses who occupy separate properties as their principal residences to each qualify the property in which they reside as their residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes. Heard March 17th left pending House Ways and Means.
HB 3223 Leach, Jeff – Relating to statutes of limitation and repose for certain claims involving the construction or repair of an improvement to real property. Hearing set for April 2nd in House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence.
HB 3919 Gates, Gary – Relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities. Hearing set for April 3rd in House Land and Resource Management.
If you have questions about these specific bills or the Texas legislative process in general, please reach out to Doug Foster or one of our firm’s attorneys or representatives at: https://www.mortgagelaw.com/our-team/