Amend CSHB 4 on page 8, between lines 55 and 56, by adding
SECTION 2.011 to read as follows:
      SECTION 2.011.  Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Tax Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.231 to read as follows:
      Sec. 22.231.  PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO DELIVER RENDITION
STATEMENT OR PROPERTY REPORT.  (a)  A person required by this
chapter to deliver a rendition statement or property report to the
chief appraiser is liable for a penalty if the person fails to
deliver the statement or report in the time required by this
chapter.
      (b)  The  amount of a penalty under Subsection (a) is an
amount equal to:
            (1)  10 percent of the tax due for the tax year of the
property included on the statement or report if the person delivers
the statement or report after May 15 but before June 1; or
            (2)  25 percent of the tax due for the tax year of the
property required to be included on the statement or report if the
person fails to deliver the statement or report before June 1.
      (c)  If a rendition statement or property report required by
this chapter is delivered to the chief appraiser after May 15 but
before June 1, the chief appraiser shall:
            (1)  enter in the appraisal records the appraised and
taxable value of the property;
            (2)  make an entry in the appraisal records for the
property indicating liability for the penalty imposed under
Subsection (b)(1); and
            (3)  send a written notice of imposition of the penalty
to the person who delivered the report or statement that includes
an explanation for its imposition.
      (d)  If on or after June 1 the chief appraiser discovers that
a person required by this chapter to deliver a rendition statement
or property report has failed to deliver the statement or report
before June 1, the chief appraiser shall:
            (1)  appraise the property as of January 1 of the year
in which the person was required to deliver the statement or
report;
            (2)  enter in the appraisal records the appraised and
taxable value of the property;
            (3)  make an entry in the appraisal records for the
property indicating liability for the penalty imposed under
Subsection (b)(2); and
            (4)  send a written notice of imposition of the penalty
to the person required to deliver the report or statement that
includes an explanation for its imposition.
      (e)  The amount of a penalty under this section:
            (1)  is the personal obligation of the person required
to deliver the rendition statement or property report; and
            (2)  constitutes a lien on the property to which the
rendition statement or property report applies and accrues penalty
and interest in the same manner as a delinquent tax on that
property.
      (f)  This section does not apply to a rendition statement or
property report required or permitted by Section 22.02 or 22.03.
      SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1998, and
applies only to the rendition of property for ad valorem tax
purposes on or after that date.
      SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby
suspended.