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