The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 23 (SB 23) and Senate Joint Resolution 85 (SJR 85), which would significantly increase the homestead exemption for Texans aged 65 and older and disabled homeowners. The legislation, a top priority for Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, passed with a 30-1 vote.
SB 23 increases the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000. SJR 85, a constitutional amendment, will allow Texas voters to approve this increase on the November 2025 ballot.
If approved, the package, in conjunction with Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 4, would provide an average annual property tax savings of nearly $951 for over 2 million Texas homesteads. Senator Paul Bettencourt, the bill’s author, stated that this would allow Texas seniors to “Age in peace” and would result in a supermajority of over-65 homeowners paying $0 in ISD taxes…