More Dead Bills After Yesterday's Deadline

Yesterday was the last day for the House to consider senate bills or joint resolutions on third reading and the last day for the Senate to consider any bills or joint resolutions on third reading. Here is a list of bills and resolutions that have died:

TLC Supported

• Eminent Domain Reform: HJR 31 by Anderson, HJR 65 by Davis, SB 18 by Estes, SB 533 by Duncan, and SB 622 by Hegar
  
• Agricultural Valuation Property Tax Rollback: HB 2230 by Parker
• Voluntary NAIS: SB 682 by Eltife
  

TLC Opposed

• Land Use Mitigation Authority: SB 688 by Wentworth
  
• County Regulatory Land Use Authority: SB 578, SB 2202, SB 2451, and SB 2452 by Wentworth; SB 1226 and SB 1227 by Fraser; SB 1370 by Lucio; SB 2222 and SB 2223 by Van de Putte (amended into HB 2919 by S. King); SB 2439 by Uresti (amended into HB 2919 by S. King); and SB 2555 by Hegar
  
• Groundwater District Authority: SB 2530 by Wentworth
  
• Agricultural Valuation Property Tax Rollback: SB 678 by Shapleigh
  

Property Tax Changes

TLC knows that property taxes are inherently unfair and would like to ultimately see them disappear.

Yesterday, Lauren attended a Capital City A&M Club lunch program featuring Representative John Otto, Vice Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee and member of the House Appropriations Committee. Representative Otto discussed HB 2, enabling legislation for HJR 36. With his proposed legislation and constitutional amendment, Otto hopes to reform the property tax appraisal process by requiring districts to appraise a residence homestead based solely on the property's value as a residence homestead instead of as its "highest and best use" and by creating regional appraisal review boards with qualified judges.

Several bills have been filed this session which would affect agricultural tax valuation. SB 678 by Shapleigh would increase the rollback property taxes on land that loses its agricultural valuation from 5 to 10 years. HB 2230 by Parker would relieve landowners of liability for interest on rollback taxes if land loses its agricultural valuation.