S.J.R. No. 44

	proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature
	to permit the voters of a municipality with a population of less
	than 10,000 to authorize the governing body of the municipality to
	enter into an agreement with an owner of real property in or
	adjacent to an area in the municipality that has been approved for
	funding under certain revitalization or redevelopment programs to
	prohibit ad valorem tax increases on the owner's property for a
	limited period.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
	adding Section 1-o to read as follows:
	Sec. 1-o.  To aid in the elimination of slum and blighted
	conditions in less populated communities in this state, to promote
	rural economic development in this state, and to improve the
	economy of this state, the legislature by general law may authorize
	the governing body of a municipality having a population of less
	than 10,000, in the manner required by law, to call an election to
	permit the voters to determine by majority vote whether to
	authorize the governing body of the municipality to enter into an
	agreement with an owner of real property that is located in or
	adjacent to a designated area of the municipality that has been
	approved for funding under the Downtown Revitalization Program
	or the Main Street Improvements Program administered by the
	Department of Agriculture, or a successor program administered by
	that agency, under which the parties agree that the ad valorem taxes
	imposed by any political subdivision on the owner's real property
	may not be increased for the first five tax years after the tax year
	in which the agreement is entered into, subject to the terms and
	conditions provided by the agreement. A general law enacted under
	this section must provide that, if authorized by the voters, an
	agreement to limit ad valorem tax increases authorized by this
	section:
	(1)  must be entered into by the governing body of the
	municipality and a property owner before December 31 of the tax year
	in which the election was held;
	(2)  takes effect as to a parcel of real property on
	January 1 of the tax year following the tax year in which the
	governing body and the property owner enter into the agreement;
	(3)  applies to ad valorem taxes imposed by any
	political subdivision on the real property covered by the
	agreement; and
	(4)  expires on the earlier of:
	(A)  January 1 of the sixth tax year following the
	tax year in which the governing body and the property owner enter
	into the agreement; or
	(B)  January 1 of the first tax year in which the
	owner of the property when the agreement was entered into ceases to
	own the property.
	SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to
	the Texas Constitution:
	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a)  This temporary provision applies
	to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 80th Legislature,
	Regular Session, 2007, authorizing the legislature to permit the
	voters of a municipality having a population of less than 10,000 to
	authorize the governing body of the municipality to enter into an
	agreement with an owner of real property in or adjacent to an area
	in the municipality that has been approved for funding under
	certain revitalization or redevelopment programs to prohibit ad
	valorem tax increases on the owner's property for a limited period
	and expires January 1, 2009.
	(b)  Section 1-o, Article VIII, of this constitution takes
	effect January 1, 2008, and applies only to a tax year that begins
	on or after that date.
	SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
	submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007.
	The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
	proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the
	legislature to permit the voters of a municipality having a
	population of less than 10,000 to authorize the governing body of
	the municipality to enter into an agreement with an owner of real
	property in or adjacent to an area in the municipality that has been
	approved for funding under certain programs administered by the
	Texas Department of Agriculture under which the parties agree that
	all ad valorem taxes imposed on the owner's property may not be
	increased for the first five tax years after the tax year in which
	the agreement is entered into."
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 44 was adopted by the Senate
	on April 27, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 44 was adopted by the House
	on May 22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 149, Nays 0, one
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House