HBA-JLV S.B. 658 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 658 By: Barrientos Ways & Means 4/27/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, there is a disparity in the exemption amounts defined by the constitution and lower, superceded amounts listed in the corresponding tax code section. Senate Bill 658 increases the property tax exemption amounts available to disabled veterans and their family to match levels currently allowed within the constitution and increases the age of surviving children who are eligible for the exemption. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 658 amends the Tax Code to increase the maximum amounts of ad valorem taxation exemptions entitled to disabled veterans and to the spouse and children of a disabled veteran. The bill provides that the amount of exemption for each eligible child of a veteran is the amount of the veteran's exemption at the time of death, rather than the amount of the veteran's exemption at the time of death divided by the number of eligible children. The bill increases, from 18 to 30 years of age, the age of surviving children of disabled veterans who are eligible for the property tax exemption. EFFECTIVE DATE January 1, 2002, if the constitutional amendment relating to the ad valorem tax exemption for the surviving spouse and each child of a deceased disabled veteran is approved by the voters.