S.B. No. 516

AN ACT
relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of
the appraised value of the residence homestead of the surviving
spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 11.131, Tax Code, is
amended by adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
(3) “Surviving spouse” means the individual who was
married to a disabled veteran at the time of the veteran’s death.
SECTION 2. Section 11.131, Tax Code, is amended by adding
Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
(c) The surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who qualified
for an exemption under Subsection (b) when the disabled veteran
died is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the total
appraised value of the same property to which the disabled
veteran’s exemption applied if:
(1) the surviving spouse has not remarried since the
death of the disabled veteran; and
(2) the property:
(A) was the residence homestead of the surviving
spouse when the disabled veteran died; and
(B) remains the residence homestead of the
surviving spouse.
(d) If a surviving spouse who qualifies for an exemption
under Subsection (c) subsequently qualifies a different property as
the surviving spouse’s residence homestead, the surviving spouse is
entitled to an exemption from taxation of the subsequently
qualified homestead in an amount equal to the dollar amount of the
exemption from taxation of the former homestead under Subsection
(c) in the last year in which the surviving spouse received an
exemption under that subsection for that homestead if the surviving
spouse has not remarried since the death of the disabled veteran.
The surviving spouse is entitled to receive from the chief
appraiser of the appraisal district in which the former residence
homestead was located a written certificate providing the
information necessary to determine the amount of the exemption to
which the surviving spouse is entitled on the subsequently
qualified homestead.
SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 11.431, Tax Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The chief appraiser shall accept and approve or deny an
application for a residence homestead exemption, including an [a
disabled veteran residence homestead] exemption under Section
11.131 for the residence homestead of a disabled veteran or the
surviving spouse of a disabled veteran, after the deadline for
filing it has passed if it is filed not later than one year after the
delinquency date for the taxes on the homestead.
SECTION 4. Section 11.131, Tax Code, as amended by this Act,
applies only to a tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2012.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2012, but only
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 82nd Legislature,
Regular Session, 2011, authorizing the legislature to provide for
an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market
value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100
percent or totally disabled veteran is approved by the voters. If
that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no
effect.

______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate           Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 516 passed the Senate on
May 12, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
May 26, 2011, Senate refused to concur in House amendment and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 27, 2011, House
granted request of the Senate; May 29, 2011, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.

______________________________
Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 516 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 148,
Nays 0, one present not voting; May 27, 2011, House granted request
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 29, 2011, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, two present not voting.

______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________
Date

______________________________
Governor