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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to liability for and payment of the fees of an attorney ad |
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litem in a suit to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.49, Tax Code, is amended by amending |
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Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (b) and |
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(c), a taxing unit is not liable in a suit to collect taxes for court |
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costs, including any fees for service of process, [an attorney ad
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litem,] arbitration, or mediation, and may not be required to post |
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security for costs. |
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(c) A taxing unit shall pay the reasonable attorney ad litem |
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fees approved by the court from the unit's general fund as soon as |
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practicable after receipt of the attorney ad litem's claim for |
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payment. The taxing unit is entitled to reimbursement toward the |
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fees from other taxing units as provided by Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a suit to collect delinquent ad valorem taxes that is filed on or |
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after September 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |