78R1341 RCJ-D

By:  Eiland                                                       H.B. No. 927



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the selection of appraisal review board members.                  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 6.41, Tax Code, is amended by adding 
Subsections (d-1)-(d-5) to read as follows:
	(d-1)  Not later than October 1 of each year or promptly 
after a vacancy occurs on the appraisal review board, the appraisal 
district shall give notice that it is accepting applications for 
appointment to the appraisal review board. The notice must contain:
		(1)  a statement in substantially the following form:                  

"NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO APPRAISAL 
REVIEW BOARD"

"The (name of the appraisal district) is accepting applications 
from persons desiring to serve on the (name of the appraisal 
district) appraisal review board.  The appraisal review board is 
appointed by the appraisal district board of directors to hear and 
resolve disputes over property tax appraisal matters.  Interested 
applicants should provide the (name of the appraisal district) with 
a resume or a letter or statement of relevant experience, including 
contact information, by (date the application is due).  
Applications may be submitted by mail addressed to the attention of 
(name of the responsible person and mailing address of the 
appraisal district) or in person to (hand delivery address of the 
appraisal district)."; and
		(2)  the following information:                                        
			(A)  a statement that an applicant must have 
resided in the appraisal district for at least two years to be 
eligible to serve on the appraisal review board;
			(B)  a list of the restrictions on eligibility  
that are applicable to the appraisal review board for the appraisal 
district as provided by Section 6.412, stated in clear and simple 
language; and
			(C)  information regarding compensation and 
reimbursement for expenses of appraisal review board members.
	(d-2)  The notice shall be:                                             
		(1)  mailed to each person who is listed as a property 
owner in the appraisal records of the appraisal district; or
		(2)  published in a newspaper having general 
circulation in the county for which the appraisal district is 
established and posted at the door of the county courthouse.
	(d-3)  If the notice is published in a newspaper:                       
		(1)  the notice may not be smaller than one-quarter 
page of a standard-size or tabloid-size newspaper;
		(2)  the headline must be in 18-point or larger type; 
and            
		(3)  the notice may not appear in the part of the 
newspaper in which legal notices and classified advertisements 
appear.
	(d-4)  The appraisal district board of directors shall 
appoint members of the appraisal review board first from the pool of 
applicants who submit applications under Subsection (d-1).  The 
board of directors may reject an applicant for good cause and shall 
retain documentation stating the reason the applicant was rejected.  
Only after considering each application received may the board of 
directors appoint members from outside the pool of applicants.
	(d-5)  If a vacancy occurs on an appraisal review board, the 
appraisal district board of directors by resolution may appoint a 
temporary member without complying with the requirements of 
Subsections (d-1)-(d-4).  The temporary member serves until a 
permanent member is appointed in accordance with Subsections 
(d-1)-(d-4) to serve for the unexpired portion of the term.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                      
	(b)  The change in law made by this Act applies only to the 
appointment of an appraisal review board member for a term 
beginning on or after January 1, 2004.  The appointment of an 
appraisal review board member for a term beginning before January 
1, 2004, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the 
effective date of this Act, and the law is continued in effect for 
that purpose.