The Texas Senate Local Government Committee met September 1 to hear testimony on whether the $51 billion set aside for property tax relief in the 2026-27 state budget is showing up on homeowners’ bills, Community Impact reports. Sen. Paul Bettencourt told the committee the average school property tax bill fell from $1,037 in 2024 to $896 in 2025, a drop of about $140.
Other members were less certain the money is landing. Sen. Molly Cook said the tools the state funded have not translated into savings people can feel, and Sen. Royce West raised the question of whether renters are carrying a heavier share. Homestead exemptions from school district taxes now stand at $140,000 for most homeowners and $200,000 for owners who are 65 or older or disabled.
The House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to take up an expansion of property tax relief on September 15. For Lake Houston area homeowners the state school tax line is only one part of the bill; the Humble ISD rate and the Harris County rate are set locally.
