By Carona                                              S.B. No. 307
         76R3249 SMH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the postal service instructions for return service
 1-3     included on the exterior of an ad valorem tax bill.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 31.01(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
 1-6     follows:
 1-7           (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (f) [of this section],
 1-8     the assessor for each taxing unit shall prepare and mail a tax bill
 1-9     to each person in whose name the property is listed on the tax roll
1-10     or to the person's [his] authorized agent.  The assessor shall mail
1-11     tax bills by October 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable.  The
1-12     assessor shall mail to the state agency or institution the tax bill
1-13     for any taxable property owned by the agency or institution.  The
1-14     agency or institution shall pay the taxes from funds appropriated
1-15     for payment of the taxes or, if there are none, from funds
1-16     appropriated for the administration of the agency or institution.
1-17     The exterior of the tax bill must show the return address of the
1-18     taxing unit and must contain, in all capital letters, the words
1-19     "RETURN SERVICE [ADDRESS CORRECTION] REQUESTED," or another
1-20     appropriate statement directing the United States Postal Service to
1-21     return the tax bill if it is not deliverable as addressed.
1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.