Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 276 amends the Occupations Code to continue the Board of Tax Professional Examiners until September 1, 2015, and to include and update standard sunset language. The bill reduces the board from six members to five--four tax professionals and one member from the general public. The bill requires the board to enter into an interagency contract with the comptroller of public accounts, under which the comptroller shall provide administrative services to the board, and requires the board to pay the comptroller for those services. The bill requires the board and the comptroller to study the feasibility of relocating the board's offices to the comptroller’s office and to report their findings to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives. It requires the board to adopt rules to ensure that the board's certification examinations are accessible to persons with disabilities. The bill eliminates a provision that exempts a county assessor-collector in a county with a population of at least one million from registration. It also repeals provisions requiring continuing education for a member who is exempt from registration and requiring that an application be notarized. The bill grants the board the authority to impose probation and issue reprimands and requires the board to adopt guidelines to ensure that those sanctions are used consistently.