Sec. 11.23. MISCELLANEOUS EXEMPTIONS. (a) Veteran's Organizations. A nonprofit organization that is composed primarily of members or former members of the armed forces of the United States or its allies and that is chartered or incorporated by the United States Congress is entitled to an exemption from taxation of each of the buildings (including the land that is reasonably necessary for use of, access to, and ornamentation of the buildings) and other property owned and primarily used by that organization if the property is not used to produce revenue or held for gain. Occasional renting of the post or chapter property for other nonprofit activities does not result in loss of the exemption provided by this subsection if the rental proceeds are used solely for the maintenance and improvement of the property. For purposes of this subsection, an organization is a nonprofit organization if it is organized and operated in a way that does not result in the accrual of distributable profits, realization of private gain from payment of compensation in excess of a reasonable allowance for salary or other compensation for services rendered, or realization of any other form of private gain.
(b) Federation of Women's Clubs. The Texas Federation of Women's Clubs is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the tangible property it owns if the property is not held for gain.
(c) Nature Conservancy of Texas. The Nature Conservancy of Texas, Incorporated, is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the tangible property it owns if the property is not held for gain, as long as the organization is a nonprofit corporation as defined by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act.
(d) Congress of Parents and Teachers. The Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers is entitled to an exemption from taxation for state and county purposes of the buildings (including the land that is reasonably necessary for use of, access to, and ornamentation of the buildings) it owns and uses as its state headquarters.
(e) Private Enterprise Demonstration Associations. An association that engages exclusively in conducting nonprofit educational programs designed to demonstrate the American private enterprise system to children and young people and that operates under a state or national organization that is organized and operated for the same purpose is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the tangible property that it owns and uses exclusively if it is reasonably necessary for the association's operation.
(f) Bison, Buffalo, and Cattalo. A person is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the bison, buffalo, and cattalo he owns that are not held for gain and that are used in experimental breeding with cattle for the purpose of producing an improved strain of meat animal or kept in parks to preserve the species.
(g) Theater Schools. A corporation that is organized to promote the teaching and study of the dramatic arts is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the property it owns and uses in the operation of a school for the dramatic arts if:
(1) the corporation is organized as a nonprofit corporation as defined by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act;
(2) the corporation is not self-sustaining in any fiscal year from income other than gifts, grants, or donations;
(3) the corporation is exempt from federal income taxes;
(4) the school maintains a theater-school program with regular classes for at least four grades, formal textbooks and curriculum, an enrollment of 150 or more students during each of at least two semesters every calendar year, and a faculty substantially all of whom hold degrees in theater arts from an accredited school of higher education;
(5) the school offers apprenticeship or other practical training in theater management and operation for college students or offers similar training for playwrights, actors, and production personnel; and
(6) more than one-half of each season's theatrical productions for which admission is charged have significant literary merit of the character that contributes to the educational programs of secondary schools and schools of higher education.
(h) County Fair Associations. A county fair association organized to hold agricultural fairs and encourage agricultural pursuits is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the land and buildings that it owns and uses to hold agricultural fairs. An association that holds a license issued after January 1, 2001, under the Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) to conduct a horse race meeting or a greyhound race meeting with pari-mutuel wagering is not entitled to an exemption under this subsection. Land or a building used to conduct a horse race meeting or a greyhound race meeting with pari-mutuel wagering under a license issued after January 1, 2001, under that Act may not be exempted under this subsection. To qualify for an exemption under this subsection, a county fair association must:
(1) be a nonprofit corporation as defined by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes);
(2) be exempt from federal income taxes as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3), (4), or (5), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
(3) qualify for an exemption from the franchise tax under Section 171.060; and
(4) meet the requirements of a charitable organization provided by Sections 11.18(e) and (f), for which purpose the functions for which the association is organized are considered to be charitable functions.
(i) Community Service Clubs. An association that qualifies as a community service club is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the tangible property the club owns that qualifies under Article VIII, Section 2, of the constitution and that is not used for profit or held for gain. To qualify as a community service club for the purposes of this subsection, an association must:
(1) be organized to promote and must engage primarily in promoting:
(A) the religious, educational, and physical development of boys, girls, young men, or young women;
(B) the development of the concepts of patriotism and love of country; and
(C) the development of interest in community, national, and international affairs;
(2) be affiliated with a state or national organization of similar purpose;
(3) be open to membership without regard to race, religion, or national origin; and
(4) be operated in a way that does not result in accrual of distributable profits, realization of private gain resulting from payment of compensation in excess of a reasonable allowance for salary or other compensation for services rendered, or realization of any other form of private gain.
(j) Medical Center Development. All real and personal property owned by a nonprofit corporation, as defined in the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act, and held for use in the development of a medical center area or areas in which the nonprofit corporation has donated land for a state medical, dental, or nursing school, and for other hospital, medical, and educational uses and uses reasonably related thereto, during the time remaining property is held for the development to completion of the medical center and not leased or otherwise used with a view to profit, is exempt from all ad valorem taxation as though the property were, during that time, owned and held by the state for health and educational purposes.
(j-1) Medical Center Development in Populous Counties. In a county described by Section 201.1055(1), Transportation Code, all real and personal property owned by a nonprofit corporation, as defined in the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and held for use in the development or operation of a medical center area or areas in which the nonprofit corporation has donated land for a state medical, dental, or nursing school, and for other hospital, medical, educational, or nonprofit uses and uses reasonably related thereto, or for governmental or public purposes, including the relief of traffic congestion, and not leased or otherwise used with a view to profit, is exempt from all ad valorem taxation as though the property were, during that time, owned and held by the state for health and educational purposes. In connection with the application or enforcement of a deed restriction or a covenant related to the property, a use or purpose described in this subsection shall also be considered to be a hospital, medical, or educational use, or a use that is reasonably related to a hospital, medical, or educational use.
(k) Scientific Research Corporations. A nonprofit corporation as defined in the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the property it owns and uses in scientific research and educational activities for the benefit of one or more colleges and universities. Use of property exempted by this subsection for purposes other than scientific research and education does not result in loss of the exemption if those other functions are incidental to use of the property for scientific research and education activities and benefit the scientific research corporation and the colleges or universities that it supports.
(l) Incomplete Improvements. A person described by Subsection (a)-(e), (g), or (i)-(k) is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the real property owned by the person consisting of an incomplete improvement that is under active construction or other physical preparation and that is designed and intended to be used by the person for a purpose described by that subsection when complete and the land on which the incomplete improvement is located that will be reasonably necessary for the person's use of the improvement for that purpose. A property may not be exempted under this subsection for more than three years. For purposes of this subsection, an incomplete improvement is under physical preparation if the person has:
(1) engaged in architectural or engineering work, soil testing, land clearing activities, or site improvement work necessary for the construction of the improvement; or
(2) conducted an environmental or land use study relating to the construction of the improvement.
(m) National Hispanic Institute. The National Hispanic Institute is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the real and tangible personal property it owns as long as the organization is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3) of that code.
Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 2242, ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1980. Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 130, ch. 13, Sec. 37, eff. Jan. 1, 1982; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 430, Sec. 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 640, Sec. 5, eff. Aug. 31, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 162, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 954, Sec. 2, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 138, Sec. 5, eff. May 18, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 815, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 288, Sec. 1.06, eff. June 18, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 288, Sec. 2.06, eff. Jan. 1, 2006; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., 3rd C.S., ch. 3, Sec. 20.01, eff. Jan. 11, 2004.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1119 (H.B. 3623), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2016.
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