By Jackson                                            H.B. No. 1744
       74R5515 JD-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating  to the appraisal of signs for ad valorem tax purposes.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 23, Tax Code, is amended by
    1-5  adding Section 23.145 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 23.145.  SIGNS.  (a)  The appraised value of a sign,
    1-7  including an on-premise sign or an off-premise sign, is determined
    1-8  by means of the cost approach.
    1-9        (b)  The comptroller by rule shall adopt an appraisal manual
   1-10  for the appraisal of signs and distribute to each appraisal office
   1-11  a copy of the sign appraisal manual.
   1-12        (c)  Each appraisal office shall use the sign appraisal
   1-13  manual adopted by the comptroller in appraising signs.
   1-14        (d)  In this section, "sign," "off-premise sign," and
   1-15  "on-premise sign" have the meanings assigned those terms by Section
   1-16  216.002, Local Government Code.
   1-17        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1996.  The
   1-18  change in law made by this Act applies only to an appraisal of a
   1-19  sign for ad valorem tax purposes for a tax year that begins on or
   1-20  after the effective date of this Act.  The appraisal of a sign for
   1-21  ad valorem tax purposes for a tax year that began before the
   1-22  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when
   1-23  the appraisal of the sign was made and the former law is continued
   1-24  in effect for that purpose.
    2-1        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-2  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-3  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-4  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-5  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.