Texas Senate Approves Major Property Tax Relief for Seniors and Disabled Homeowners

Collin County News

April 24, 2025 Maverick Tax Guardians

In a significant move aimed at easing the financial burden on elderly and disabled Texans, the Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 23, which proposes a substantial increase in the homestead exemption for qualifying homeowners.

Key Highlights:

Increased Exemption Amount: The bill raises the homestead exemption from $110,000 to $200,000 for homeowners aged 65 and older or those with disabilities.
Estimated Savings: According to Senator Paul Bettencourt, the bill’s author, eligible homeowners could see an average annual property tax reduction of approximately $950.
Retroactive Application: If enacted, the tax relief would apply retroactively to the 2025 property tax bills.
Potential Impact: Currently, about 45% of senior and disabled homeowners in Texas pay no school property taxes. With this bill, that number could rise to as high as 90%.

Next Steps:

The bill now moves to the Texas House of Representatives for consideration. If approved, it will be presented to voters as a constitutional amendment in the November 2025 election.

Voices from the Community:

Austin resident Susan Spataro highlighted the importance of this measure, stating, “Many people over 65 wish to age in place. And in order to age in place, they have to be able to pay for their property taxes.”

Fiscal Considerations:

To offset the reduction in local tax revenues, the state plans to allocate additional funds to school districts, ensuring that public education funding remains unaffected.

sources

This article is based on information from:
Community Impact- “Texas Senate bill would nearly double property tax exemption for seniors, people with disabilities” ( April 22,2025). Retrieved from:https://communityimpact.com/austin/south-central-austin/texas-legislature/2025/04/22/texas-senate-bill-would-nearly-double-property-tax-exemption-for-seniors-people-with-disabilities/