By Bailey                                             H.B. No. 1630
         76R5410 SMH-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the rendition of personal property for ad valorem tax
 1-3     purposes and to protests of ad valorem tax appraisals; providing a
 1-4     penalty.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Tax Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Sections 22.231 and 22.232 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 22.231.  REQUIREMENT TO DELIVER RENDITION STATEMENT OR
 1-9     PROPERTY REPORT; INJUNCTION.  (a)  A requirement under this chapter
1-10     to deliver a rendition statement or property report to a chief
1-11     appraiser is mandatory.
1-12           (b)  If a person required by this chapter to deliver a
1-13     rendition statement or property report to the chief appraiser fails
1-14     to deliver the statement or report in the time required by this
1-15     chapter, the chief appraiser may bring suit for an injunction
1-16     requiring the person to deliver the statement or report.
1-17           Sec. 22.232.  PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO DELIVER RENDITION
1-18     STATEMENT OR PROPERTY REPORT.  (a)  A person required by this
1-19     chapter to deliver a rendition statement or property report to the
1-20     chief appraiser is liable for a penalty if the person fails to
1-21     deliver the statement or report in the time required by this
1-22     chapter.  The amount of the penalty is an amount equal to 10
1-23     percent of the taxes imposed for the tax year on the property
1-24     required to be included on the statement or report.
 2-1           (b)  Not later than the first date the chief appraiser
 2-2     submits the appraisal roll to a taxing unit that imposes taxes on
 2-3     the property, the chief appraiser shall:
 2-4                 (1)  enter in the appraisal records the appraised and
 2-5     taxable value of the property;
 2-6                 (2)  make an entry in the appraisal records for the
 2-7     property indicating liability for the penalty imposed under
 2-8     Subsection (a); and
 2-9                 (3)  send a written notice of imposition of the penalty
2-10     to the person required to deliver the report or statement that
2-11     includes an explanation for its imposition.
2-12           (c)  The assessor for each taxing unit that imposes taxes on
2-13     the property shall add the amount of the penalty to the unit's tax
2-14     bill for taxes on the property against which the penalty is
2-15     imposed.  The penalty shall be collected at the same time and in
2-16     the same manner as the taxes on the property against which the
2-17     penalty is imposed.  The amount of the penalty constitutes a lien
2-18     against the property against which the penalty is imposed and
2-19     accrues penalty and interest in the same manner as a delinquent
2-20     tax.
2-21           (d)  This section does not apply to a rendition statement or
2-22     property report required or permitted by Section 22.02 or 22.03.
2-23           SECTION 2.  Section 41.43, Tax Code, is amended by amending
2-24     Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
2-25           (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), in [In] a protest
2-26     authorized by Section 41.41(1) or (2), the appraisal district has
2-27     the burden of establishing the value of the property by a
 3-1     preponderance of the evidence presented at the hearing.  If the
 3-2     appraisal district fails to meet that standard, the protest shall
 3-3     be determined in favor of the property owner.
 3-4           (d)  If the property owner failed to deliver a rendition
 3-5     statement or property report as required by Chapter 22:
 3-6                 (1)  the chief appraiser's determination of the value
 3-7     of the property is presumed to be correct;
 3-8                 (2)  the property owner has the burden of establishing
 3-9     the value of the property by a preponderance of the evidence
3-10     presented at the hearing; and
3-11                 (3)  if the  property owner fails to meet the standard
3-12     provided by Subdivision (2), the protest shall be determined in
3-13     favor of the appraisal district.
3-14           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2000, and
3-15     applies only to the rendition of property for ad valorem tax
3-16     purposes on or after that date.
3-17           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
3-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.