By Pitts H.B. No. 532
75R2591 SMH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to contracts for the appraisal of property for ad valorem
1-3 tax purposes.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Sections 6.14, 6.15, and 6.16 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 6.14. CONTRACT FOR APPRAISAL. (a) The taxing units
1-8 participating in an appraisal district may require the
1-9 commissioners court of the county in which the appraisal district
1-10 is established to contract on behalf of the appraisal district for
1-11 the appraisal of all property in the district for ad valorem tax
1-12 purposes for the subsequent two tax years if the governing bodies
1-13 of at least one-third of the taxing units that are entitled to vote
1-14 on the appointment of members of the board of directors of the
1-15 appraisal district adopt a resolution in favor of contracting for
1-16 the appraisal.
1-17 (b) To be effective, an official copy of a resolution
1-18 adopted under Subsection (a) must be filed with the chief appraiser
1-19 of the appraisal district before July 15.
1-20 (c) Before July 25, the chief appraiser shall:
1-21 (1) determine whether a sufficient number of eligible
1-22 taxing units have filed an effective resolution; and
1-23 (2) notify each taxing unit participating in the
1-24 district of that determination.
2-1 (d) If a sufficient number of effective resolutions are
2-2 filed, the commissioners court shall advertise the contract
2-3 beginning not later than August 5.
2-4 (e) The commissioners court must award the contract to the
2-5 lowest responsible bidder and notify the board of directors of the
2-6 award.
2-7 (f) Subchapter B, Chapter 271, Local Government Code,
2-8 applies to a contract under this section.
2-9 Sec. 6.15. COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSALS. (a) In lieu of
2-10 competitive bidding, the commissioners court may award a contract
2-11 for appraisal using a competitive sealed proposal procedure.
2-12 (b) If a competitive sealed proposal procedure is used, the
2-13 commissioners court shall advertise the contract in the manner
2-14 provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 271, Local Government Code.
2-15 (c) Requests for proposals under this section must solicit
2-16 quotations and must specify the relative importance of each
2-17 evaluation factor, including price.
2-18 (d) Discussions in accordance with the terms of a request
2-19 for proposals and with rules adopted by the commissioners court
2-20 may be conducted with offerors who submit proposals and who are
2-21 determined to be reasonably qualified for the award of the
2-22 contract. Offerors shall be treated fairly and equally with
2-23 respect to any opportunity for discussion and revision of
2-24 proposals. To obtain the best final offers, revisions may be
2-25 permitted after submissions and before the award of the contract.
2-26 (e) The commissioners court must award the contract to the
2-27 responsible offeror whose proposal is determined to be the most
3-1 advantageous to the appraisal district considering the relative
3-2 importance of price and the other evaluation factors included in
3-3 the request for proposals and notify the board of directors of the
3-4 award.
3-5 Sec. 6.16. SUBMISSION OF BID OR PROPOSAL BY CHIEF APPRAISER.
3-6 The chief appraiser of an appraisal district is entitled to submit
3-7 a bid or proposal, as applicable, for a contract for appraisal.
3-8 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
3-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.