Monitoring the Session

HB 998

Toth Disabled Veteran Bill Also Binds Mortgage And Title Companies

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Steve TothRHouse 15
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

“A mortgage company or title insurance company that receives from a purchaser of real property a written preliminary determination issued under this section shall consider the effect”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption covers only the buyer's right to request a preliminary determination from the chief appraiser. It does not mention the new duty placed on private mortgage and title insurance companies.

Caption mismatch

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the authority of an individual, before purchasing real property to be used as the individual's residence homestead, to request from the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district a preliminary determination of whether the property would qualify for a disabled veteran exemption if purchased by the individual and used for that purpose.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: the buyer asks the appraiser. Bill: mortgage and title companies “shall consider the effect”.

The bill lets a disabled veteran ask the county appraisal district, before buying a home, whether that home would qualify for the full property tax exemption for totally disabled veterans. The chief appraiser must answer in writing within 30 days, but the answer is only preliminary and does not decide the final exemption. Mortgage and title insurance companies that receive this written answer must consider it when deciding on the loan and figuring the amount due at closing.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 4513 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4513 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Ways & Means committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB998 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the authority of an individual, before purchasing real property to be used as the individual's residence homestead, to request from the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district a preliminary determination of whether the property would qualify for a disabled veteran exemption if purchased by the individual and used for that purpose.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: the buyer asks the appraiser. Bill: mortgage and title companies “shall consider the effect”.

The bill lets a disabled veteran ask the county appraisal district, before buying a home, whether that home would qualify for the full property tax exemption for totally disabled veterans. The chief appraiser must answer in writing within 30 days, but the answer is only preliminary and does not decide the final exemption. Mortgage and title insurance companies that receive this written answer must consider it when deciding on the loan and figuring the amount due at closing.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 40%

THE TEXT

“A mortgage company or title insurance company that receives from a purchaser of real property a written preliminary determination issued under this section shall consider the effect”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption covers only the buyer's right to request a preliminary determination from the chief appraiser. It does not mention the new duty placed on private mortgage and title insurance companies.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Ways & Means
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$33KMichael Till$20,000Don Dyer$10,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Mar 25, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$32,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005773, 101012329.

Michael Till$20,000.00
Don Dyer$10,000.00
Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005773, 101012329.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 4513

by Rep. Toth, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 22, 2023: Referred to Ways & Means

Relating to the authority of an individual, before purchasing real property to be used as the individual's residence homestead, to request from the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district a preliminary determination of whether the property would qualify for a disabled veteran exemption if purchased by the individual and used for that purpose.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

03/06/2025 H Referred to Ways & Means: Mar 6 2025 11:42AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Ways & Means · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Disabilities, Persons with

Military & Veterans

Property Interests--Homestead

Property Interests--Mortgages & Liens

Property Interests--Real Property

Taxation--Property-Appraisals & Appraisal Districts

Taxation--Property-Exemptions

Text

The text as introduced · 366 words

By: Toth
H.B. No. 998

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of an individual, before purchasing real

property to be used as the individual's residence homestead, to

request from the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal

district a preliminary determination of whether the property would

qualify for a disabled veteran exemption if purchased by the

individual and used for that purpose.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by

adding Section 11.4385 to read as follows:

Sec. 11.4385. APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION BY 100 PERCENT OR

TOTALLY DISABLED VETERAN. (a) In this section:

(1) "Disabled veteran" has the meaning assigned by

Section 11.22.

(2) "Mortgage company" has the meaning assigned by

Section 156.002, Finance Code.

(3) "Residence homestead" has the meaning assigned by

Section 11.13.

(4) "Title insurance company" has the meaning assigned

by Section 2501.003, Insurance Code.

(b) To facilitate the financing associated with the

purchase of real property to be used as the individual's residence

homestead, a disabled veteran, before purchasing the property, may

request from the chief appraiser of the appraisal district

established for the county in which the property is located a

preliminary determination of whether the property would qualify for

an exemption under Section 11.131 if purchased by the disabled

veteran and occupied by the disabled veteran as the disabled

veteran's primary residence. The request must include the

information that would be included in an application for an

exemption for the property under Section 11.131.

(c) Not later than the 30th day after the date a request is

submitted under this section, the chief appraiser shall issue a

written preliminary determination for the property included in the

request. A preliminary determination does not affect the granting

of an exemption under Section 11.131.

(d) A mortgage company or title insurance company that

receives from a purchaser of real property a written preliminary

determination issued under this section shall consider the effect

of the preliminary determination:

(1) in determining whether to extend credit to the

purchaser; and

(2) the amount due from the purchaser at closing.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.