BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 751
By: Patterson (Eiland)
May 19, 1995
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND

Currently, Section 6.03, Tax Code, requires that to be eligible to
serve on the board of directors for an appraisal district, an
individual must be a resident of the district and have lived there
for at least two years immediately preceding the date the
individual's service would begin. 

However, a county having a population of at least 200,000 bordering
a county having a population of at least 2,000,000 and the Gulf of
Mexico has an additional eligibility requirement.  This results in
the members of the board for the Galveston County Central Appraisal
District to consist only of elected officials chosen from school
boards and municipalities within the county.  This system makes
Galveston's board the only one in the State of Texas chosen this
way. 

PURPOSE

This bill amends special qualification requirements for membership
on the board of directors of an appraisal district for certain
counties.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 6.03 (Board of Directors), Subsection
(a), Tax Code, to provide that to be eligible to serve on the board
of an appraisal district for a county having a population of at
least 100,000 but not more than 200,000 bordering the United
Mexican States, rather than a county bordering a county with a
population with at least two million and the Gulf of Mexico, an
individual must be a member of the governing body or an elected
body or an elected officer of a taxing unit entitled to vote on
board members under this section.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date:  January 1, 1996.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT #1 deletes special qualifications for
membership on the board of directors of an appraisal district
located in a county having a population of at least 100,000 but not
more than 200,000 that borders the United Mexican States.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

On May 19, 1995, the committee convened in a formal meeting and
considered S.B. 751.  The committee considered committee amendment
#1 by Representative Craddick.  Without objection, the amendment
was adopted.  By a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not
voting and 4 absent, the committee voted to report S.B. 751 to the
House with amendment with the recommendation that it do pass.