81R10127 JAM-F

By: Howard of Fort Bend H.B. No. 2550

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the regulation of property tax consultants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 1152.152, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:

(c) A registered senior property tax consultant or an attorney described by Subsection (a)(2) may not employ, claim an association with, or sponsor more than 10 registered property tax consultants.

SECTION 2. Section 1152.156(a), Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) In addition to satisfying the requirements of Section 1152.155, an applicant for registration as a property tax consultant must:

(1) complete at least 30 [15] classroom hours of educational courses approved by the executive director, including at least four hours of instruction on laws and legal issues in this state related to property tax consulting services and pass a competency examination under Section 1152.163; or

(2) if the person is eligible for registration under Section 1152.155(b), submit to the commission evidence that the applicant has completed at least four classroom hours of educational programs or courses on the laws and legal issues in this state related to property tax consulting services.

SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1152, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 1152.161 to read as follows:

Sec. 1152.161. PROPERTY TAX CONSULTANT REGISTRATION EXAMINATION. (a) The executive director shall:

(1) adopt a competency examination for registration as a property tax consultant; and

(2) establish the standards for grading and passing the examination.

(b) To be eligible to take the examination, an applicant must pay to the department an examination fee.

(c) The examination must:

(1) test the applicant's knowledge of:

(A) property taxation;

(B) the property tax system;

(C) property tax administration;

(D) ethical standards; and

(E) general principles of appraisal, accounting, and law as they relate to property tax consulting services; and

(2) be graded according to rules adopted by the commission.

(d) The department shall offer the examination at times and places designated by the executive director.

SECTION 4. Not later than December 31, 2009, the executive director of the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt the examination required by Section 1152.161, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section 1152.156(a), Occupations Code, applies only to an application for registration as a property tax consultant that is submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on or after March 1, 2010. An application for registration submitted before that date is governed by the law in effect at the time the application was submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. 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, 2009.