83R8957 DDT-D
 
  By: Anderson H.B. No. 2762
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the selection of the board of directors of an appraisal
  district; authorizing a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 6.03, Tax Code, is amended by amending
  Subsections (a), (b), (c), (k), and (l) and adding Subsections
  (a-1), (a-2), and (m) to read as follows:
         (a)  The appraisal district is governed by a board of seven 
  directors. Two directors are elected at the general election for
  state and county officers by the voters of the county in which the
  district is established, and five [Five] directors are appointed by
  the taxing units that participate in the district as provided by
  this section.
         (a-1)  If the county assessor-collector is not appointed to
  the board of directors, the county assessor-collector serves as a
  nonvoting director. The county assessor-collector is ineligible to
  serve if the board enters into a contract under Section 6.05(b) or
  if the commissioners court of the county enters into a contract
  under Section 6.24(b).
         (a-2)  To be eligible to serve on the board of directors, an
  individual, other than a county assessor-collector serving as a
  nonvoting director, must be a resident of the appraisal district
  and must have resided in the district for at least two years
  immediately preceding the date the individual takes office. To be
  eligible to be elected to the board, an individual must be a
  resident of the county in which the district is established.  An
  individual who is otherwise eligible to serve on the board as a
  member appointed by the taxing units participating in the district
  is not ineligible because of membership on the governing body of a
  taxing unit. An employee of a taxing unit that participates in the
  district is not eligible to serve on the board as a member appointed
  by the taxing units participating in the district unless the
  individual is also a member of the governing body or an elected
  official of a taxing unit that participates in the district.
         (b)  Members of the board of directors, other than a county
  assessor-collector serving as a nonvoting director, serve two-year
  terms. The terms of directors elected at a general election begin
  on January 1 of odd-numbered years. The terms of directors
  appointed by the taxing units begin [beginning] on January 1 of
  even-numbered years.
         (c)  Members of the board of directors, other than a county
  assessor-collector serving as a nonvoting director and other than
  the elected members, are appointed by vote of the governing bodies
  of the incorporated cities and towns, the school districts, and, if
  entitled to vote, the conservation and reclamation districts that
  participate in the district and of the county. A governing body may
  cast all its votes for one candidate or distribute them among
  candidates for any number of directorships. Conservation and
  reclamation districts are not entitled to vote unless at least one
  conservation and reclamation district in the district delivers to
  the chief appraiser a written request to nominate and vote on the
  board of directors by June 1 of each odd-numbered year. On receipt
  of a request, the chief appraiser shall certify a list by June 15 of
  all eligible conservation and reclamation districts that are
  imposing taxes and that participate in the district.
         (k)  The governing body of each taxing unit entitled to vote
  shall determine its vote by resolution and submit it to the chief
  appraiser before December 15. The chief appraiser shall count the
  votes, declare the five candidates who receive the largest
  cumulative vote totals appointed [elected], and submit the results
  before December 31 to the governing body of each taxing unit in the
  district and to the candidates. For purposes of determining the
  number of votes received by the candidates, the candidate receiving
  the most votes of the conservation and reclamation districts is
  considered to have received all of the votes cast by conservation
  and reclamation districts and the other candidates are considered
  not to have received any votes of the conservation and reclamation
  districts. The chief appraiser shall resolve a tie vote by any
  method of chance.
         (l)  If a vacancy occurs in an appointive position on the
  board of directors, other than a vacancy in the position held by a
  county assessor-collector serving as a nonvoting director, each
  taxing unit that is entitled to vote by this section may nominate by
  resolution adopted by its governing body a candidate to fill the
  vacancy. The unit shall submit the name of its nominee to the chief
  appraiser within 45 days after notification from the board of
  directors of the existence of the vacancy, and the chief appraiser
  shall prepare and deliver to the board of directors within the next
  five days a list of the nominees. The board of directors shall
  appoint [elect] by majority vote of its members one of the nominees
  to fill the vacancy.
         (m)  If a vacancy occurs in an elective position on the board
  of directors, the board of directors shall appoint by majority vote
  of its members a person to fill the vacancy. A person appointed to
  fill a vacancy in an elective position must have the qualifications
  required of a director elected at a general election.
         SECTION 2.  Section 6.031, Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 6.031.  CHANGES IN BOARD MEMBERSHIP [OR SELECTION].  
  (a) The board of directors of an appraisal district, by resolution
  adopted and delivered to each taxing unit participating in the
  district before May [August] 15, may increase the number of members
  on the board of directors of the district to not more than 13 or[,]
  change the method or procedure for appointing the members appointed
  by the taxing units participating in the district, or both, unless
  the governing body of a taxing unit that is entitled to vote on the
  appointment of board members adopts a resolution opposing the
  change in the method or procedure for appointing those members[,]
  and files it with the board of directors before June [September] 1.
  If a change in the method or procedure for appointing those members
  is rejected, the board shall notify, in writing, each taxing unit
  participating in the district before June [September] 15.
         (b)  The taxing units participating in an appraisal district
  may increase the number of members on the board of directors of the
  district to not more than 13 or[,] change the method or procedure
  for appointing the members appointed by the taxing units
  participating in the district, or both, if the governing bodies of
  three-fourths of the taxing units that are entitled to vote on the
  appointment of board members adopt resolutions providing for the
  change. However, a change under this subsection in the method or
  procedure for selecting members appointed by the taxing units
  participating in the district is not valid if it reduces the voting
  entitlement of one or more taxing units that do not adopt a
  resolution proposing it to less than a majority of the voting
  entitlement under Section 6.03 [of this code] or if it reduces the
  voting entitlement of any taxing unit that does not adopt a
  resolution proposing it to less than 50 percent of its voting
  entitlement under Section 6.03 [of this code] and if that taxing
  unit's allocation of the budget is not reduced to the same
  proportional percentage amount, or if it expands the types of
  taxing units that are entitled to vote on appointment of board
  members.
         (c)  An official copy of a resolution under Subsection (b) 
  [this section] must be filed with the chief appraiser of the
  appraisal district after May [June] 30 and before August [October]
  1 [of a year in which board members are appointed] or the resolution
  is ineffective.
         (d)  Before August 15 [October 5 of each year in which board
  members are appointed], the chief appraiser shall determine whether
  a sufficient number of eligible taxing units have filed valid
  resolutions proposing a change under Subsection (b) for the change 
  to take effect. The chief appraiser shall notify each taxing unit
  participating in the district of each change that is adopted before
  August 30 [October 10].  A change in the method or procedure for
  selecting members appointed by the taxing units participating in
  the district that is adopted takes effect on the date the chief
  appraiser notifies the taxing units of the change. An increase in
  the number of members of the board takes effect on January 1 of the
  first year after the date the chief appraiser notifies the taxing
  units of the increase.
         (e)  If the number of members of the board is increased under
  this section, at least one-half of the number of new members shall
  be elected to the board in the manner provided by Section 6.03. The
  board of directors by majority vote of its members may increase the
  number of members to be elected to more than the minimum number
  required by this subsection.
         (f)  A change in [membership or] selection of the board
  members appointed by the taxing units participating in the district
  made as provided by this section remains in effect until changed in
  a manner provided by this section or rescinded by resolution of a
  majority of the governing bodies that are entitled to vote on
  appointment of board members under Section 6.03 [of this code].
         (g) [(f)]  A provision of Section 6.03 [of this code] that is
  subject to change under this section but is not expressly changed by
  resolution of a sufficient number of eligible taxing units remains
  in effect.
         (h) [(g)]  For purposes of this section, the conservation
  and reclamation districts in an appraisal district are considered
  to be entitled to vote on the appointment of appraisal district
  directors if:
               (1)  a conservation and reclamation district has filed
  a request to the chief appraiser to nominate and vote on directors
  in the current year as provided by Section 6.03(c); or
               (2)  conservation and reclamation districts were
  entitled to vote on the appointment of directors in the appraisal
  district in the most recent year in which directors were appointed
  under Section 6.03.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by
  adding Section 6.032 to read as follows:
         Sec. 6.032.  BALLOT PROCEDURES FOR ELECTED DIRECTORS; FILING
  FEE.  (a)  Except as provided by this section, Chapter 144, Election
  Code, applies to a candidate for an elective position on an
  appraisal district board of directors.
         (b)  An application for a place on the ballot must be filed
  with the county judge of the county in which the appraisal district
  is established and be accompanied by a filing fee of:
               (1)  $750 for a county with a population of less than
  200,000; or
               (2)  $1,250 for a county with a population of 200,000 or
  more.
         (c)  A candidate's name may appear on the ballot only as an
  independent candidate.
         (d)  A filing fee received under this section shall be
  deposited in the county treasury to the credit of the county general
  fund.
         SECTION 4.  Section 6.033, Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 6.033.  RECALL OF APPOINTED DIRECTOR.  (a) The
  governing body of a taxing unit may call for the recall of a member
  of the board of directors of an appraisal district appointed by the
  taxing units participating in the district under Section 6.03 [of
  this code] for whom the unit cast any of its votes in the
  appointment of the appointive board members. The call must be in
  the form of a resolution, be filed with the chief appraiser of the
  appraisal district, and state that the unit is calling for the
  recall of the member. If a resolution calling for the recall of a
  board member is filed under this subsection, the chief appraiser,
  not later than the 10th day after the date of filing, shall deliver
  a written notice of the filing of the resolution and the date of its
  filing to the presiding officer of the governing body of each taxing
  unit entitled to vote in the appointment of board members.
         (b)  On or before the 30th day after the date on which a
  resolution calling for the recall of a member of the board appointed
  by the taxing units participating in the district is filed, the
  governing body of a taxing unit that cast any of its votes in the
  appointment of the board for that member may vote to recall the
  member by resolution submitted to the chief appraiser.  Each taxing
  unit is entitled to the same number of votes in the recall as it cast
  for that member in the member's appointment to [of] the board. The
  governing body of the taxing unit calling for the recall may cast
  its votes in favor of the recall in the same resolution in which it
  called for the recall.
         (c)  Not later than the 10th day after the last day provided
  by this section for voting in favor of the recall, the chief
  appraiser shall count the votes cast in favor of the recall. If the
  number of votes in favor of the recall equals or exceeds a majority
  of the votes cast for the member in the member's appointment to [of]
  the board, the member is recalled and ceases to be a member of the
  board. The chief appraiser shall immediately notify in writing the
  presiding officer of the appraisal district board of directors and
  of the governing body of each taxing unit that voted in the recall
  election of the outcome of the recall election. If the presiding
  officer of the appraisal district board of directors is the member
  whose recall was voted on, the chief appraiser shall also notify the
  secretary of the appraisal district board of directors of the
  outcome of the recall election.
         (d)  If a vacancy occurs on the board of directors after the
  recall of a member of the board under this section, the taxing units
  that were entitled to vote in the recall election shall appoint a
  new board member to the vacancy. Each taxing unit is entitled to
  the same number of votes as it originally cast to appoint the
  recalled board member. Each taxing unit entitled to vote may
  nominate one candidate by resolution adopted by its governing body.
  The presiding officer of the governing body of the unit shall submit
  the name of the unit's nominee to the chief appraiser on or before
  the 30th day after the date it receives notification from the chief
  appraiser of the result of the recall election. On or before the
  15th day after the last day provided for a nomination to be
  submitted, the chief appraiser shall prepare a ballot, listing the
  candidates nominated alphabetically according to each candidate's
  surname, and shall deliver a copy of the ballot to the presiding
  officer of the governing body of each taxing unit that is entitled
  to vote. On or before the 15th day after the date on which a taxing
  unit's ballot is delivered, the governing body of the taxing unit
  shall determine its vote by resolution and submit it to the chief
  appraiser.  On or before the 15th day after the last day on which a
  taxing unit may vote, the chief appraiser shall count the votes,
  declare the candidate who received the largest vote total
  appointed, and submit the results to the presiding officer of the
  governing body of the appraisal district and of each taxing unit in
  the district and to the candidates. The chief appraiser shall
  resolve a tie vote by any method of chance.
         (e)  If the members appointed by the taxing units
  participating in the district to the board of directors of an
  appraisal district are [is] appointed by a method or procedure
  adopted under Section 6.031 [of this code], the governing bodies of
  the taxing units that voted for or otherwise participated in the
  appointment of a member of the board may recall that member and
  appoint a new member to the vacancy by any method adopted by
  resolution of a majority of those governing bodies. If the
  appointment was by election by the taxing units participating in
  the district, the method of recall and of appointing a new member to
  the vacancy is not valid unless it provides that each taxing unit is
  entitled to the same number of votes in the recall and in the
  appointment to fill the vacancy as the unit [it] originally cast for
  the member being recalled.
         SECTION 5.  Section 6.036(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         (a)  An individual is not eligible to be a candidate for, to
  be appointed to, or to serve on the board of directors of an
  appraisal district if the individual or a business entity in which
  the individual has a substantial interest is a party to a contract
  with:
               (1)  the appraisal district; or
               (2)  a taxing unit that participates in the appraisal
  district, if the contract relates to the performance of an activity
  governed by this title.
         SECTION 6.  Section 6.037, Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 6.037.  PARTICIPATION OF CONSERVATION AND RECLAMATION
  DISTRICTS IN APPRAISAL DISTRICT MATTERS. In this title, a
  reference to the taxing units entitled to vote on the appointment of
  appraisal district board members includes the conservation and
  reclamation districts participating in the appraisal district,
  without regard to whether the conservation and reclamation
  districts are currently entitled to do so under Section 6.03(c). In
  a provision of this title other than Section 6.03 or 6.031 that
  grants authority to a majority or other number of the taxing units
  entitled to vote on the appointment of appraisal district
  directors, including the disapproval of the appraisal district
  budget under Section 6.06 [and the disapproval of appraisal
  district board actions under Section 6.10], the conservation and
  reclamation districts participating in the appraisal district are
  given the vote or authority of one taxing unit. That vote or
  authority is considered exercised only if a majority of the
  conservation and reclamation districts take the same action to
  exercise that vote or authority. Otherwise, the conservation and
  reclamation districts are treated in the same manner as a single
  taxing unit that is entitled to act but does not take any action on
  the matter.
         SECTION 7.  Section 52.092, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (k) to read as follows:
         (k)  The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures for
  listing the office of appraisal district director on the ballot.
         SECTION 8.  Sections 6.034 and 6.10, Tax Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 9.  (a)  The appropriate number of appraisal
  district directors holding elective positions shall be elected in
  each appraisal district as provided by Section 6.03, Tax Code, as
  amended by this Act, and Section 6.032, Tax Code, as added by this
  Act, beginning with the general election for state and county
  officers conducted in 2014. Members then elected take office
  January 1, 2015.
         (b)  The change in law made by this Act does not affect the
  selection of appraisal district directors serving before January 1,
  2015.
         (c)  A director of an appraisal district that has adopted
  staggered terms for directors under Section 6.034, Tax Code, who is
  appointed to a term that begins on January 1, 2015, serves a
  one-year term.
         SECTION 10.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
  this section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2015.
         (b)  This section and Sections 7 and 9 of this Act take effect
  September 1, 2013.