81R10156 TRH-F
 
  By: Villarreal H.B. No. 2016
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of the use of land appraised for ad
  valorem tax purposes as agricultural land.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 251.002, Agriculture Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 251.002.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
               (1)  "Agricultural improvement" means pens, barns,
  fences, and other improvements designed for the sheltering,
  restriction, or feeding of animal or aquatic life, for storage of
  produce or feed, or for storage or maintenance of implements.
               (2)  "Agricultural land" means land that qualifies for
  appraisal under Subchapter D, Chapter 23, Tax Code.
               (3) [(1)]  "Agricultural operation" means any
  operation conducted on agricultural land, and includes the
  following activities:
                     (A)  cultivating the soil;
                     (B)  producing crops for human food, animal feed,
  planting seed, or fiber;
                     (C)  floriculture;
                     (D)  viticulture;
                     (E)  horticulture;
                     (F)  silviculture;
                     (G)  wildlife management;
                     (H)  raising or keeping livestock or poultry; and
                     (I)  planting cover crops or leaving land idle for
  the purpose of participating in any governmental program or normal
  crop or livestock rotation procedure.
               (4) [(2)]  "Governmental requirement" includes any
  rule, regulation, ordinance, zoning, or other requirement or
  restriction enacted or promulgated by a county, municipality
  [city], or other municipal corporation that has the power to enact
  or promulgate the requirement or restriction. The term does not
  include a rule, regulation, ordinance, zoning, or other requirement
  or restriction adopted under Chapter 212, 232, or 242, Local
  Government Code.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, is amended by
  adding Sections 251.0021 and 251.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 251.0021.  NOTICE OF PRESENCE OF AGRICULTURAL OPERATION
  ON AGRICULTURAL LAND. A county, municipality, or other municipal
  corporation may require the owner of agricultural land to file an
  affidavit attesting to the land's use for an agricultural
  operation, if the land is located:
               (1)  within the boundaries of the county, municipality,
  or municipal corporation; or
               (2)  within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the
  municipality.
         Sec. 251.007.  CHANGE OF USE OF LAND. (a)  If a county,
  municipality, or municipal corporation with which an affidavit
  under Section 251.0021 is filed determines that the use of land is
  changed to a nonagricultural use, the county, municipality, or
  municipal corporation may apply its governmental requirements to
  the land for the five years preceding the date on which the use of
  the land is determined to have changed. Any mitigation required by
  governmental requirements applied under this section shall be
  amortized using the straight line method, for a period not to exceed
  five years.
         (b)  An affidavit required under Section 251.0021 must
  include a statement as to the established date of operation.  In
  determining whether the use of land has changed to a
  nonagricultural use, a county, municipality, or municipal
  corporation shall evaluate the established date of operation
  according to the statement.  A period of time during which land is
  owned by this state may not be considered in making the
  determination.
         (c)  A county, municipality, or municipal corporation that
  determines that land is no longer used for an agricultural use shall
  deliver notice of that determination not later than the 20th day
  after the date the determination is made. Notice under this section
  must include:
               (1)  the land's established date of operation;
               (2)  the date on which the county, municipality, or
  municipal corporation determined that the land's use is changed to
  a nonagricultural use;
               (3)  a statement of each applicable governmental
  requirement;
               (4)  a statement of each applicable fee and mitigation
  option; and
               (5)  an explanation of the landowner's right to protest
  the determination.
         (d)  The owner of land may file a protest of a determination
  under this section not later than 30 days after the determination is
  made. The county, municipality, or municipal corporation that
  makes a determination under this section that use of the
  agricultural land has changed to a nonagricultural use shall hear
  and determine the landowner's protest not later than the 20th day
  after the date that the protest was received.
         (e)  On a final determination that use of the agricultural
  land has been changed to a nonagricultural use, the county,
  municipality, or municipal corporation making the determination
  shall attach a lien to the land to secure payment of all applicable
  fees, mitigation options, or a combination of fees and mitigation
  options.
         SECTION 3.  Section 251.006(c), Agriculture Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to land that is first approved for appraisal under Subchapter D,
  Chapter 23, Tax Code, on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.