Sec. 11.14.  TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY NOT PRODUCING INCOME.  (a)  A person is entitled to an exemption from taxation of all tangible personal property, other than manufactured homes, that the person owns and that is not held or used for production of income.  This subsection does not exempt from taxation a structure that a person owns which is substantially affixed to real estate and is used or occupied as a residential dwelling.
(b)  In this section:
(1)  "Manufactured home" has the meaning assigned by Section 11.432.
(2)  "Structure" does not include a vehicle that:
(A)  is a trailer-type unit designed primarily for use as temporary living quarters in connection with recreational, camping, travel, or seasonal use;
(B)  is built on a single chassis mounted on wheels;
(C)  has a gross trailer area in the set-up mode of 400 square feet or less; and
(D)  is certified by the manufacturer as complying with American National Standards Institute Standard A119.5.
(c)  The governing body of a taxing unit, by resolution or order, depending upon the method prescribed by law for official action by that governing body, may provide for taxation of tangible personal property exempted under Subsection (a).  If a taxing unit provides for taxation of tangible personal property as provided by this subsection, the exemption prescribed by Subsection (a) does not apply to that unit.
(d)  The central appraisal district for the county shall determine the cost of appraising tangible personal property required by a taxing unit under the provisions of Subsection (c) and shall assess those costs to the taxing unit or taxing units which provide for the taxation of tangible personal property.
(e)  A political subdivision choosing to tax property otherwise made exempt by this section, pursuant to Article VIII, Section 1(e), of the Texas Constitution, may not do so until the governing body of the political subdivision has held a public hearing on the matter, after having given notice of the hearing at the times and in the manner required by this subsection, and has found that the action will be in the public interest of all the residents of that political subdivision.  At the hearing, all interested persons are entitled to speak and present evidence for or against taxing the property.  Not later than the 30th day prior to the date of a hearing held under this subsection, notice of the hearing must be:
(1)  published in a newspaper having general circulation in the political subdivision and in a section of the newspaper other than the advertisement section;
(2)  not less than one-half of one page in size;  and
(3)  republished on not less than three separate days during the period beginning with the 10th day prior to the hearing and ending with the actual date of the hearing.
Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 2236, ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1980.  Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 181, Sec. 1, eff. May 26, 1987;  Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990;  Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 391, Sec. 15, eff. Aug. 26, 1991;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 347, Sec. 4.09, eff. May 31, 1993;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 521, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 5, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1216 (H.B. 1928), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2009.