79R5216 MFC-D
By: Escobar H.B. No. 1608
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of a taxing unit to adopt discounts for
early payment of ad valorem taxes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 31.05(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
follows:
(a) The governing body of a taxing unit [that collects its
own taxes] may adopt the discounts provided by Subsection (b) or
Subsection (c) [of this section], or both, in the manner required by
law for official action by the body. The discounts, if adopted,
apply to taxes for a taxing unit for which the adopting taxing unit
collects taxes if the governing body of the other unit, in the
manner required by law for official action by the body, adopts the
discounts or approves of their application to its taxes by the
collecting unit. If a taxing unit adopts both discounts under
Subsections (b) and (c) [of this section], the discounts adopted
under Subsection (b) apply unless the [unit mails its] tax bills for
the unit are mailed after September 30, in which case only the
discounts under Subsection (c) apply.
SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies to
the adoption of a discount by a taxing unit beginning with the 2005
tax year, except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section.
(b) If a taxing unit's tax bills for the 2005 tax year are
mailed before the effective date of this Act, the change in law made
by this Act applies to the adoption of a discount by the taxing unit
beginning with the 2006 tax year, and the law in effect when the tax
bills were mailed applies to the 2005 tax year with respect to that
taxing unit.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.