Senate Passes Property Tax Relief Including Increased Homestead Exemption

The Legislature's second special session is in progress, in hopes the Senate and House can finally agree on how to provide property tax relief. The House advocates a reduced cap on annual property appraisal increases, while the Senate prefers an increase in the homestead exemption. On Wednesday, the Senate advanced a bill to raise the exemption, and also included teacher pay raises. Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session in May after the two chambers failed to work things out in the regular session. When that special session ended on Tuesday with no progress, Abbott called the second.