Amend CSSB 841 by adding the following new section to the
bill, appropriately numbered, and renumbering subsequent sections
of the bill accordingly:
      SECTION ____.  (a)  SECTION 26.05 (d), Tax Code, is amended
to read as follows:
      (d)  The governing body may not adopt a tax rate that if
applied to the total taxable value would impose an amount of taxes
that exceeds last year's levy <exceeds the lower of the rollback
tax rate or 103 percent of the effective tax rate calculated as
provided by Section 26.04 of this code> until it has held a public
hearing <on the proposed increase> and has otherwise complied with
Sections <Section> 26.06 and 26.065 <of this code>.  <The governing
body of a taxing unit shall reduce a tax rate set by law or by vote
of the electorate to the lower of the rollback tax rate or 103
percent of the effective tax rate and may not adopt a higher rate
unless it first complies with Section 26.06 of this code.>
      (b)  Chapter 26, Tax Code, is amended by adding Section
26.065 to read as follows:
      Sec. 26.065.  NOTICE OF HEARING ON MUNICIPAL TAX INCREASE.
(a) The governing body of a municipality required to hold a public
hearing by Section 26.05(d) shall, if the municipality mails a bill
to customers of a utility, including a water, wastewater, or
electric utility, include a copy of the notice with the utility
bill sent to the utility customers who reside in the municipality.
The notice must appear on one 8-1/2 x 11-inch piece of paper, and
the wording of the notice must cover substantially the entire page.
The bill may contain only one other 8-1/2 x 11-inch piece of paper
in addition to the bill and the notice required by this subsection.
      (b)  If the municipality is not required to mail a notice
under Subsection (a), or if the municipality mails the customers'
bills on a postcard or similar type document that could not be
accompanied by an 8-1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper, the municipality
shall mail a copy of the notice to the household of each person who
voted in the most recent contested general election for municipal
officers conducted in the municipality, according to the voting
records of the municipality.  The notice must appear on one 8-1/2 x
11-inch piece of paper, and the wording of the notice must cover
substantially the entire page.
      (c)  The notice required by this section must contain a
statement in the following form:
        "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON MUNICIPAL TAX INCREASE
      "This notice is required by law.  It is to inform you that
the governing body of (name of municipality) will hold a public
hearing on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from
properties on the tax roll in (the preceding year) by (percentage
by which the proposed tax rate exceeds the lower of the
municipality's effective or rollback tax rate) percent.  The taxes
you pay to (name of municipality) may increase at a greater or
lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the
taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable
value of all other property subject to taxation by (name of
municipality).
      "The governing body of (name of municipality) will hold the
public hearing on (date and time) at (meeting place)."
      (d)  If the municipality has access to a public, educational,
or governmental television channel, the municipality shall also
broadcast the notice described by Subsection (c) on that channel.
The notice must be broadcast at least five times a day for at least
60 seconds each time on each of seven days preceding the date of
the public hearing on the proposed tax increase.
      (e)  Notwithstanding Section 26.06(a), the governing body of
the municipality may not hold the public hearing required by
Section 26.05 before the seventh day after the earliest date on
which all or substantially all the notices requred by Subsection
(a) or (b) have been mailed.