Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

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77 th Texas Legislature
Exemption from Ad Valorem Taxation for Freeport Goods - S.B. 862
by Senator Staples
House Sponsor: Representative Tracy King
Under current law, a property owner, or a person designated in writing by the importer of record, must file
an application to receive certain property tax exemptions, such as a freeport exemption, a homestead
exemption, and a religious organization exemption. Applications for such exemptions are due before May
1. If an application for a homestead exemption, a religious organization exemption, or another exemption is
filed late, the chief appraiser may still grant the exemption for that year, but a freeport exemption may not
be granted under the same conditions.
Requires the chief appraiser to accept and approve or deny a late application for a freeport exemption.
Extends the deadline for an application for freeport exemption and imposes a penalty for filing an
application late.
Requires the chief appraiser to make an entry on the appraisal records of the property owner's liability and
deliver a written notice of imposition of the penalty to the property owner.
Requires the tax assessor to add the penalty to the property owner's tax bill and collect the penalty at the
time and in the manner that taxes are collected.
Provides that the penalty constitutes a lien against the inventory or property against which the penalty is
imposed, as if it were a tax, and accrues penalty and interest in the same manner as a delinquent tax.
Tax Refunds to Property Owners Following Ad Valorem Tax Appeals - S.B. 863
by Senator Staples
House Sponsor: Representative Keffer
Provides that if a taxing unit does not make a property tax refund to a property owner following the final
determination in an ad valorem tax appeal before the 60th day after the date the chief appraiser certifies a
correction to the appraisal roll, the unit must pay, along with the refund, interest on the refund at an annual
rate of 12 percent, calculated from the delinquency date for the taxes until the date the refund is made.
Grants court costs and reasonable attorney's fees to a property owner who prevails in a suit to compel a
refund filed on or after the 180 th day after the date the chief appraiser certifies a correction to the appraisal
roll.
Tax Abatement Agreements Extended to Leasehold Estates - S.B. 985
by Senators Duncan and West
House Sponsor: Representative Yvonne Davis
Under current law, municipalities eligible to enter into tax abatement agreements may offer such tax
incentives on real property located in reinvestment zones. However, they are unable to offer the same tax
abatement incentives to owners of leasehold interests in these areas.
Senate Research Center 294