By:  Grusendorf                                        H.B. No. 909
       73R4213 JD-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the recovery of attorney's fees in certain ad valorem
    1-3  tax protests.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 42.29, Tax Code, is amended to read as
    1-6  follows:
    1-7        Sec. 42.29.  ATTORNEY'S FEES.  (a)  A property owner may be
    1-8  awarded reasonable attorney's fees under this section if the
    1-9  property owner <who> prevails in an appeal to the court:
   1-10              (1)  of a determination by an appraisal review board
   1-11  that the property owner's land does not qualify for appraisal as
   1-12  provided by Subchapter C, D, or E, Chapter 23; or
   1-13              (2)  in which relief is granted under Section 42.25 or
   1-14  Section 42.26.
   1-15        (b)  The amount of <of this code may be awarded reasonable>
   1-16  attorney's fees awarded may not <to> exceed the greater of $15,000
   1-17  or 20 percent of the total amount by which the property owner's tax
   1-18  liability is reduced as a result of the appeal.  <The award of
   1-19  attorney's fees, however, may not exceed the total amount by which
   1-20  the property owner's tax liability is reduced as a result of the
   1-21  appeal.>
   1-22        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-3  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-4  passage, and it is so enacted.