Amend CSSB 20 (Senate committee printing) as follows:                        
	(1)  Add the following appropriately numbered ARTICLE to the 
bill and renumber subsequent ARTICLES of the bill accordingly:

ARTICLE ___.  STUDY REGARDING CIRCUIT BREAKER PROGRAMS
	SECTION __.01.  (a)  In this section, "circuit breaker 
program" means a program that limits the amount of ad valorem taxes 
that may be imposed on a residence homestead based on the owner's 
annual income.
	(b)  The comptroller shall conduct a study to examine circuit 
breaker programs.
	(c)  Before collecting information for purposes of the 
study, the comptroller shall establish an advisory committee to 
assist the comptroller in conducting the study.  The advisory 
committee must be composed of representatives of:
		(1)  school districts and other taxing units;                                 
		(2)  home builders;                                                           
		(3)  real estate agents;                                                      
		(4)  mortgage lenders;                                                        
		(5)  financial agencies involved in mortgage markets;                         
		(6)  organizations     interested     in     housin
g     for low-income and moderate-income households;
		(7)  organizations interested in the effect of ad 
valorem taxes on low-income and moderate-income households;
		(8)  organizations interested in the effect of public 
policy on low-income and moderate-income households; and
		(9)  other appropriate, interested organizations or 
members of the public, as determined by the comptroller.
	(d)  The comptroller, with the assistance of the advisory 
committee, shall study:
		(1)  methods to implement a circuit breaker program, 
including the use of rebates or tax credits;
		(2)  methods to create a simple, transparent process 
for the owner of a residence homestead to apply for and receive a 
limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes that may be imposed on 
the homestead under a circuit breaker program;
		(3)  the effects of different designs of a circuit 
breaker program, including the effect of:
			(A)  limiting which taxing units are involved;                               
			(B)  basing eligibility on a maximum annual income 
level;                  
			(C)  limiting the dollar amount of the benefit 
that a property owner could receive in the program; and
			(D)  basing eligibility on a minimum ratio of 
residence homestead ad valorem taxes imposed to annual income, 
including a progressive scale of minimum ratios based on annual 
income; and
		(4)  methods to ensure the reliability of a property 
owner's statement of annual income.
	(e)  The comptroller and the advisory committee shall 
analyze the information studied and prepare a report that:
		(1)  describes the parameters, techniques, and legal 
assumptions established under Subsection (d) of this section that 
were used in conducting the study;
		(2)  estimates the benefit of alternative designs of a 
circuit breaker program for property owners in various annual 
income brackets and with varying amounts of residence homestead ad 
valorem tax liability, including an estimate of the percentage of 
property owners in various annual income brackets that would 
benefit and the dollar amount of the benefit to those property 
owners;
		(3)  estimates the cost to the state and taxing units of 
implementing alternative designs of a circuit breaker program, 
including the percentage by which the amount of ad valorem taxes 
collected would be reduced;
		(4)  analyzes the effects on this state's economy of 
implementing a circuit breaker program, including the effect on 
home ownership rates, the residential housing market, and economic 
development; and
		(5)  specifies any necessary statutory changes the 
comptroller and the advisory committee determine are necessary to 
implement a circuit breaker program described by the study.
	(f)  The comptroller may contract with appraisal districts, 
taxing units, or other appropriate organizations for assistance and 
to obtain information necessary to conduct the study.  A state 
agency, appraisal district, or taxing unit shall assist the 
comptroller if the comptroller requests information or assistance 
in conducting the study.
	(g)  Not later than December 1, 2010, the comptroller shall 
submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the 
house of representatives the report prepared under Subsection (e) 
of this section.
	SECTION __.02.  This article expires September 1, 2011.                        
	SECTION __.03.  This article takes effect September 1, 2009.                   
	(2)  In SECTION 9.02 of the bill (page 11, line 60), strike 
"This" and substitute "Except as otherwise provided by this Act, 
this".