"These pieces of legislation will actually provide Texans will a lower property tax bill."
By State Rep. Hugh Shine
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Senate Bill 8, Senate Bill 12, and Senate Joint Resolution 2 have passed the Texas House of Representatives today. These monumental pieces of legislation will provide lower property tax bills to the people of Texas. Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation on Thursday, August 5, for the legislature to convene and address over a dozen topics, including property tax relief.
Senate Bill 12/ Senate Joint Resolution 2 relates to the reduction of the amount of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed by a school district on the residence homestead of an individual who is elderly or disabled to reflect any reduction from the preceding tax year in the district's maximum compression rate.The 86th Legislature passed House Bill 3, the school finance reform bill last session. HB 3 provided school M&O tax rate compression for property tax payers, where the state provides additional dollars to school districts in return for lower local school tax rates. Texans over 65 or those who are disabled did not receive this reduction.
SB 12/ SJR 2 would put to the voters again the option to extend the tax rate compression from HB 3 to those over 65 or disabled, so they too would see their school M&O tax rate reduced.
"I am thankful for Governor Abbott adding property tax relief to both special session calls. It is an issue that is very important to me as well as everyone across Texas.
"I am proud to have authored these bills during the first special, and then voted for these pieces of legislation as well as be an joint author in the second special session," said Representative Hugh D. Shine (R-Temple).
Senate Bill 8 relates to the authority of a person who acquires a residence homestead to receive an ad valorem tax exemption for the homestead in the year in which the property is acquired. Under current law, when a homeowner purchases their home they must wait until January 1 of the following year to receive the benefit of their homestead exemptions.
SB 8 seeks to address this issue by allowing a homeowner to receive their homestead exemption in the year that they acquire the property.
"Senate Bill 8 is important because homeowners currently are losing out on anywhere from a few months to almost a full year of their homestead exemption and therefor paying more than they should in property taxes," said Shine.
"These pieces of legislation will actually provide Texans will a lower property tax bill."
SB 8, SB 12, and SJR 12 are now headed back to the Senate for final confirmation before going to the Governor's desk.
