By:  Phillips                                                     H.B. No. 29 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the procedure for rendering certain property for ad 
valorem taxation if the information contained in the most recently 
filed rendition statement continues to be accurate.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 22.01, Tax Code, is amended by adding 
Subsection (l) to read as follows:
	(l)  If the information contained in the most recent 
rendition statement filed by a person in a prior tax year is 
accurate with respect to the current tax year, the person may comply 
with the requirements of Subsection (a) by filing a rendition 
statement on a form prescribed or approved by the comptroller under 
Section 22.24(c) on which the person has checked the appropriate 
box to affirm that the information continues to be accurate.
	SECTION 2.  Section 22.24(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as 
follows:       
	(c)  The comptroller may prescribe or approve different 
forms for different kinds of property but shall ensure that each 
form requires a property owner to furnish the information necessary 
to identify the property and to determine its ownership, 
taxability, and situs.  Each form must include a box that the 
property owner may check to permit the property owner to affirm that 
the information contained in the most recent rendition statement 
filed by the property owner in a prior tax year is accurate with 
respect to the current tax year in accordance with Section 
22.01(l).  A form may not require but may permit a property owner to 
furnish information not specifically required by this chapter to be 
reported.  In addition, a form prescribed or approved under this 
subsection must contain the following statement in bold type:  "If 
you make a false statement on this form, you could be found guilty 
of a Class A misdemeanor or a state jail felony under Section 37.10, 
Penal Code."
	SECTION 3.  (a)  As soon as practicable after the effective 
date of this Act, but not later than January 1, 2006, the 
comptroller shall prescribe or approve the forms required by 
Section 22.24(c), Tax Code, as amended by this Act.
	(b)  This Act applies only to the rendition of property for 
ad valorem tax purposes for a tax year that begins on or after 
January 1, 2006.
	SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this 
section, this Act takes effect November 1, 2005.
	(b)  Section 1 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2006.