SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment increasing the maximum size of
1-2 an urban homestead to 10 acres, prescribing permissible uses of
1-3 urban homesteads, and preventing the overburdening of a homestead.
1-4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 51. The homestead, not in a town or city, shall consist
1-8 of not more than two hundred acres of land, which may be in one or
1-9 more parcels, with the improvements thereon; the homestead in a
1-10 city, town or village, shall consist of lot or contiguous lots
1-11 amounting to not more than 10 acres [one acre] of land, together
1-12 with any improvements on the land; provided, that the homestead in
1-13 a city, town or village [same] shall be used for the purposes of a
1-14 home, or as both an urban home and a place to exercise a [the]
1-15 calling or business, of the homestead claimant, whether a single
1-16 adult person, or the head of a family; provided also, that any
1-17 temporary renting of the homestead shall not change the character
1-18 of the same, when no other homestead has been acquired; provided
1-19 further that a release or refinance of an existing lien against a
1-20 homestead as to a part of the homestead does not create an
1-21 additional burden on the part of the homestead property that is
1-22 unreleased or subject to the refinance, and a new lien is not
1-23 invalid only for that reason.
1-24 SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-1 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
2-2 The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
2-3 the proposition: "The constitutional amendment increasing the
2-4 maximum size of an urban homestead to 10 acres, prescribing
2-5 permissible uses of urban homesteads, and preventing the
2-6 overburdening of a homestead."
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 22 was adopted by the Senate
on March 18, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 22 was adopted by the House
on May 21, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, two
present not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House