Senate committee unanimously advances larger homestead exemptions for seniors and disabled; companion constitutional amendment moves forward

The Committee on Local Government advanced Senate Bill 23 and the companion Senate Joint Resolution 85 by unanimous votes, moving both measures to the full Senate with recommendations that they "do pass and be printed." The committee also approved Senate Bill 898 earlier in the hearing and recommended it for the local and uncontested calendar.

Senate Bill 23, carried in committee by Senator Bettencourt, would raise the additional homestead exemption for homeowners age 65 and older and for disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000 — a $50,000 increase — and the committee hearing included invited testimony from realtors, builders, senior advocacy groups and individual residents. Senator Bettencourt said the increase, combined with prior measures, would bring the total exemption available to many seniors and disabled homeowners to roughly $200,000 and, on the committee slides cited during testimony, showed an estimated average savings of about $950.87 per eligible homeowner.

The bill drew broad support in testimony. Susan Spataro, testifying on her own behalf, said, "I think this bill is an excellent bill for a lot of reasons" and urged the committee to focus on taxpayers who must pay the bills rather than on beneficiaries of programs funded by taxes. Brandy Winch, managing broker and owner of CityView Realty and president of the Austin Board…