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Committee advances substitute for HB47 clarifying disabled‑veterans property‑tax exemptions
Summary
The Taxation & Revenue Committee voted unanimously to give a do‑pass recommendation to the committee substitute for House Bill 47, which clarifies how a $10,000 exemption and a percentage‑based disabled‑veteran exemption stack and how exemptions are apportioned among co‑owners.
The Taxation & Revenue Committee voted unanimously to give a do‑pass recommendation to the committee substitute for House Bill 47, a change to property‑tax exemptions for disabled veterans that clarifies how a $10,000 flat exemption interacts with a percentage‑based disability exemption and how the exemption is allocated among co‑owners.
The committee substitute specifies that the $10,000 exemption is applied “off the top” before the percentage‑based disabled‑veteran exemption and directs the department to adjust the flat amount for inflation. It also adds a sentence stating that the disabled‑veteran exemption must be claimed in proportion to each taxpayer’s ownership interest in the property, reflecting common ownership forms such as joint tenancy or tenants in common.
Representative Art de la Cruz and Republican Whip Representative Martinez appeared as sponsors and worked with committee leaders and Taxation & Revenue Department staff on the substitute. Taxation & Revenue Department Secretary Gloria Shartan Clark and staff explained the changes and walked members through the language adjustments the committee requested at a prior hearing.
Committee members pressed for clarifications. Representative Montoya asked whether the proportional claim language could interfere with a spouse who holds full ownership; Secretary Clark and committee members confirmed that the provision is intended to reflect actual ownership shares and would not reduce a spouse’s 100 percent claim when property is solely owned. Representative Chandler asked about the origin of the $10,000 amount; a sponsor said the figure was included in the original constitutional amendment and reflected prior increases over the decades.
The committee moved and seconded a do‑pass recommendation on the committee substitute. A roll‑call vote recorded unanimous approval: Representatives Chandler, Duncan, Gallegos, Henry, Hernandez, Lundstrom, Martinez, Montoya, Patajon, Silva, Terrazas, Vice Chair Cadena and the chair all voted yes. The committee chair announced a unanimous decision and the substitute was given a do‑pass recommendation.
The chair noted that House Bills 46 and 51 (as amended) would be rolled to Monday’s meeting at the sponsors’ request.
