By: Elkins (Senate Sponsor - Hegar) H.B. No. 2792
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2013;
  May 10, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
  May 20, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 14,
  Nays 0; May 20, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the circumstances under which an appraisal review board
  hearing shall be closed to the public.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 41.66, Tax Code, is amended by amending
  Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1) and (d-2) to read as
  follows:
         (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), hearings
  [Hearings] conducted as provided by this chapter are open to the
  public.
         (d-1)  Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, the
  appraisal review board shall conduct a hearing that is closed to the
  public if the property owner or the chief appraiser intends to
  disclose proprietary or confidential information at the hearing
  that will assist the review board in determining the protest.  The
  review board may hold a closed hearing under this subsection only on
  a joint motion by the property owner and the chief appraiser.
         (d-2)  Information described by Subsection (d-1) is
  considered information obtained under Section 22.27.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2013.
 
  * * * * *