By:  Staples                                                      S.B. No. 1655


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to settlement and discovery in property tax appeals.                 
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 42.23, Tax Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(a)  Review is by trial de novo.  This district court shall 
try all issues of fact and law raised by the pleadings in the manner 
applicable to civil suits generally, except if the plaintiff makes 
an offer of settlement and makes a request for alternative dispute 
resolution, the discovery deadlines for the plaintiff shall be the 
same as those of the defendant.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on September 1, 2005.  The 
change in law made by this Act applies to appeals filed on or after 
the effective date.