SRC-SEW S.B. 445 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 445
2001S0295/1  01/26/01By: Lindsay
Intergovernmental Relations
2/9/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, conflicts of interest pertaining to appraisal districts
are not addressed.  As proposed, S.B. 445 prohibits persons designated by a
property owner to represent the owner before an appraisal district or board
from being related to a member of the board or an employee of the district,
in order to ensure that all property owners receive equitable consideration
when protesting an appraisal. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 1.111, Tax Code, by adding Subsection (j), to
prohibit a property owner from designating a person who is related to a
member of an appraisal district board of directors or an appraisal review
board, to the chief appraiser, or to an employee of an appraisal district
within the second degree by affinity or the third degree by consanguinity,
as determined by Chapter 573 (Degrees of Relationship; Nepotism
Prohibitions), Government Code, as an agent to represent the owner within
that appraisal district. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2001.