Bill

SJR 51

85(R) - 2017
Senate Finance
Senate Finance
Agriculture
Appraisal
Oil & Gas
Property taxes
Resolutions

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Craig Estes

Bill Caption

Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide that the eligibility of open-space land for ad valorem taxation on the basis of its productive capacity does not end because an oil and gas lessee begins conducting oil and gas operations on the land if the land otherwise continues to be devoted to farm, ranch, or wildlife management purposes or timber production.

Fiscal Notes

The resolution alone would have no fiscal implication to the State, other than the cost of publication. Any additional fiscal implication would be attributable to the corresponding enabling legislation. 

The cost to the State for publication of the resolution is $114,369.

Bill Analysis

SJR 51 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow the legislature to provide that the eligibility of open-space land for taxation on the basis of its productive capacity does not end because a lessee under an oil and gas lease begins conducting oil and gas operations on the land if the land otherwise continues to be devoted to specified agricultural, timber production, or wildlife management purposes.

Vote Recommendation Notes

This bill in and of itself does not expand a tax exemption but allows for the implementation of the provisions in SB 1514 which would allow and open-space land exemption to remain in place even if oil production is occurring on the property so long as they meet all other existing qualifiers. Because this bill does directly expand an exemption and has no direct affect on our principles, we remain neutral.