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.