BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 674 By: Craddick 02-23-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Section 6.41(c), Tax Code, provides term limits for people serving on an appraisal review board of an appraisal district. Currently, in counties having a population over 50,000, board members may serve for all or part of three terms and then are ineligible forever. In counties having fewer than 50,000 population, board members may serve all or part of two consecutive terms, and then may be reappointed after skipping a term. Unfortunately, some counties over 50,000 population may not have many citizens with the specialized knowledge of appraisal techniques. Therefore, counties having a population over 50,000 may be forced to appoint less qualified people to the appraisal review board. PURPOSE The bill would raise the point of differentiation for the purpose of appointing appraisal review boards from the current county population of 50,000 to 300,000. The bill also extends the term limits that members of an appraisal review board may serve from two terms to three in counties under 300,000 population. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 6.41(c), Tax Code: It raises the county population from 50,000 to 300,000 for the purpose of determining which statutory term limits apply for appraisal review board members. The bill also changes the term limits that board members from counties under 300,000 population may serve from two to three consecutive terms before skipping a term. SECTION 2. The changes in the qualifications for appointment apply only to a member appointed on or after the effective date of this Act. This law does not prohibit a member serving on the board prior to the effective date from being reappointed. SECTION 3. Effective date: January 1, 1996. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 674 raises the county population from 50,000 to 300,000 for the purposes of determining which statutory term limits apply for appraisal review board members. It also changes the term limits for board members from two terms to three in counties having under 300,000 population. H.B. 674 removes the population differentiation for determining which statutory term limits apply for appraisal review board members, and makes the term limits apply equally to appraisal districts regardless of county population. H.B. 674 establishes term limits to be three consecutive terms and then one must skip a term before being reappointed. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Public notice was posted in accordance to the rules and a public hearing was held on February 14, 1995. Without objection, H.B. 674 was left pending before the committee. On February 21, the committee approved C.S.H.B. 674 by Representative Craddick without objection. By a record vote of 9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting and 2 absent, the committee voted to report H.B. 674 to the House as substituted with the recommendation that it be sent to the Local and Consent Calendar and that it do pass. Testimony received in favor of the bill: Kirk Swinney, representing himself Ron Stegall (Chief Appraiser, Midland Cty.), representing himself George Moff (Chief Appraiser, Nueces Cty.), representing himself Charles Gray, representing himself