BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1998

By: Bettencourt

Ways & Means

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The tax rate calculation forms used in calculating a taxing unit's no-new-revenue tax rate and voter-approval tax rate could be improved to make it easier for taxpayers to verify the accuracy of the information included. S.B. 1998 seeks to require that each line-item entry on the tax rate calculation forms include a hyperlink to a document that provides evidence of the accuracy of the entry.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1998 amends the Tax Code to require the tax rate calculation forms prescribed by the comptroller of public accounts to be capable of including for each entry, other than an entry making a mathematical calculation, a hyperlink to a document that evidences the accuracy of the entry. The bill requires the designated officer or employee of a taxing unit that is tasked with calculating the unit's no-new-revenue tax rate and voter-approval tax rate to include a hyperlink for each entry on the tax rate calculation form, other than an entry making a mathematical calculation.

S.B. 1998 requires, for a taxing unit in which a tax rate calculation is affected by the application of statutory provisions regarding the treatment of appraised value and tax increment, that the adjustments to the value of property taxable by the unit and to the amount of taxes imposed or collected by the unit be calculated separately for each reinvestment zone in which the taxing unit participates. The bill requires the comptroller to ensure that tax rate calculation forms prescribed by the comptroller provide for the calculations to be made in that requisite manner.

S.B. 1998 applies to the calculation of a property tax rate for a tax year that begins on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2024.