AUSTIN, TX – Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) today passed Senate Bill 23 (SB 23) and its constitutional amendment Senate Joint Resolution 85 (SJR 85) out of the Texas Senate with a resounding 30–1 vote. A top Lt. Governor Dan Patrick priority, this legislation delivers meaningful property tax relief for over 65 and disabled Texans—providing nearly $951 in average annual tax savings and expanding total exemptions to a landmark $200,000, benefiting an estimated 2.08 million Texas homesteads as 80% of Texas seniors are homeowners per the Urban Initiative. SB 23 has 26 bi-partisan co-authors, and this will allow Texas seniors to “Age in peace”.

“In conjunction with SB 1 and SB 4, SJR 2, SB 23 and SJR 85 provide almost $951 in total average annual savings—a major win for Texans with fixed or low income, who are struggling to keep up with rising costs.” said Senator Bettencourt. “Right now, 45% of Over-65 and Disabled homesteads already pay $0 in ISD taxes thanks to prior tax relief reforms I passed in previous sessions, and going to a super majority of Over 65 will be paying $0 ISD taxes if passed.

SB 23 increases the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000. The accompanying SJR 85 gives Texas voters the opportunity to approve this increase through a constitutional amendment on the November 2025 ballot.

In conjunction with Senate Bill 1, which compresses ISD tax rates from $0.9766 to $0.9086 through the State Compression Percentage (SCP), and Senate Bill 4, SJR 2 - that if approved by voters, will increase the homestead exemption from 100,000 to 140,000, the package delivers the following relief:

• $454.30 in average annual savings from SB 23, if passed;
• $496.57 in average annual savings from SB 4 and SB , if passed;
• $950.87 in total average annual ISD property tax relief for over-65 and disabled Texans

“This bill package honors the commitment the Texas Senate and the Lt. Governor made to continue reducing the burden on our seniors and disabled Texans which is more than 2 million homestead owners, many of whom are living on modest Social Security or disability checks, or low income.” Bettencourt added. “Texans overwhelmingly approved homestead exemption increases in 2015, 2022, and 2023. With this fourth increase in a decade, we’re following through on our promise Texans from skyrocketing property tax bills.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick echoed the sentiment during the passage: “In 2015, seniors got about a 25k homestead exemption, 10 years later they are getting a 200k homestead exemption...” “Yes he and the Texas Senate have been champions for Texas taxpayers”. Senator Bettencourt concluded.

SB 23 and SJR 85 now move to the Texas House of Representatives for consideration. If passed, the proposed constitutional amendment under SJR 85 will go to the voters in the November 2025 general election. His last constitutional amendment passed with more than 83% of the public vote.

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