79R4409 SMH-D


By:  Talton                                                       H.B. No. 824


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a requirement that appraisal review board members complete a training and education course annually. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 5.041, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows: (b) A member of the appraisal review board established for an appraisal district must annually complete the course established under Subsection (a). A member of the appraisal review board may not participate in a hearing conducted by the board unless the person has completed the course [established under Subsection (a)] and received a certificate of course completion. In a tax year after the tax year in which a member of the appraisal review board initially completes the course, the member may not participate in a hearing conducted by the board after May 1 unless the member has completed the course and received a certificate of course completion in the current tax year. (c) The comptroller may contract with service providers to assist with the duties imposed under Subsection (a), but the course required may not be provided by an appraisal district or a taxing unit. The comptroller may assess a fee to recover a portion of the costs incurred for the training course, but the fee may not exceed $50 per person trained. A service provider shall provide public notice of a training course in the manner required by the comptroller. The notice must include the date, time, and location of the training course. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2006.