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Texas HB 297 creates partial property tax exemptions for partially disabled veterans based on disability ratings

Original title: Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the appraised value of the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of such a veteran based on the disability rating of the veteran.

Last action · August 11, 2025: FiledSponsor: Marc LaHood

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Official description

Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the appraised value of the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of such a veteran based on the disability rating of the veteran.

Background
  • Texas property tax exemptions for disabled veterans are governed primarily by Chapter 11 of the Texas Tax Code. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Partially disabled veterans

Eligible veterans with a disability rating between 10 and 99 percent receive a property tax exemption proportional to their rating.

Directly affected

Surviving spouses of disabled veterans

Unmarried surviving spouses may claim property tax exemptions on residence homesteads based on the deceased veteran's qualification.

Directly affected

Local governments and taxing units

Taxing units must recalculate tax due, correct tax rolls, issue refunds, and adjust lost ad valorem tax revenue calculations.

Directly affected

Appraisal districts

Chief appraisers must process exemption applications, issue written certificates for relocating surviving spouses, and manage late filings up to five years past the delinquency date.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for the new property tax exemption under HB 297?
Disabled veterans with a disability rating between 10 and 99 percent qualify for an exemption on a percentage of their 's appraised value equal to their rating. Unmarried surviving spouses of qualifying veterans may also qualify under specific conditions.
What happens to the exemption if a qualifying surviving spouse moves to a new home?
The surviving spouse is entitled to an exemption on the new equal to the exact dollar amount of the exemption they received on their former homestead in the last year they received it, provided they have not remarried.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · introduced in the House.

Procedural history

1 action
  1. Aug 11, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Veteran Tax Relief

HB 297 extends percentage-based homestead exemptions to partially disabled veterans with ratings below 100 percent, bridging a significant gap in prior property tax relief laws.

Connected Entities

Tax Code, Marc LaHood
OrganizationTax Code“Texas statutory code amended by the bill”Map →
PersonMarc LaHood“Author of House Bill 297”Map →

Sources

Open source document

capitol.texas.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz35
    Current news / social attention level

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