By: Otto, Button (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 3439

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 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 representation of a property owner by an agent in a property tax matter.

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

SECTION 1. Section 1.11(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) To be effective, a request made under this section must be filed with the appraisal district. A request remains in effect until revoked by a written revocation filed with the appraisal district by the owner or the owner's designated agent.

SECTION 2. Sections 1.111(c) and (i), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(c) The designation of an agent under this section remains in effect until revoked in a written revocation filed with the appraisal district by the property owner or designated agent. The designated agent revoking the designation must send notice of the revocation by certified mail to the property owner at the owner's last known address. A designation may be made to expire according to its own terms but is still subject to prior revocation by the property owner or designated agent.

(i) An appraisal review board shall accept and consider a motion or protest filed by an agent of a property owner if an agency authorization is filed at or before the hearing on the motion or protest. [If an appraisal review board designates a time and place for appearance before a hearing, an agency authorization is considered to be filed at or before the hearing if a copy of the authorization is filed at the time and place designated by the board.]

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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