83R4800 TJB-F
 
  By: Otto H.B. No. 3442
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the obligation of an appraisal review board to respond
  to a property owner's request to postpone a hearing of the board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 41.45(e), Tax Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         (e)  On request made to the appraisal review board before the
  date of the hearing, a property owner who has not designated an
  agent under Section 1.111 to represent the owner at the hearing is
  entitled to one postponement of the hearing to a later date without
  showing cause. In addition and without limitation as to the number
  of postponements, the board shall postpone the hearing to a later
  date if the property owner or the owner's agent at any time shows
  good cause for the postponement or if the chief appraiser consents
  to the postponement. The hearing may not be postponed to a date
  less than five or more than 30 days after the date scheduled for the
  hearing when the postponement is sought unless the date and time of
  the hearing as postponed are agreed to by the chairman of the
  [appraisal review] board or the chairman's representative, the
  property owner, and the chief appraiser. A request by a property
  owner for a postponement under this subsection may be made in
  writing, including by facsimile transmission or electronic mail, by
  telephone, or in person to the [appraisal review] board, a panel of
  the board, or the chairman of the board. The chairman or the
  chairman's representative may take action on a postponement under
  this subsection without the necessity of action by the full board if
  the hearing for which the postponement is requested is scheduled to
  occur before the next regular meeting of the board. Not later than
  the seventh day after the date a request for a postponement is
  received, the [The granting by the appraisal review] board, the
  chairman of the board, or the chairman's representative must
  respond in writing to the property owner or agent making the request
  and, if the request is granted, provide notice of the date, time,
  and place fixed for the hearing [of a postponement under this
  subsection does not require the delivery of additional written
  notice to the property owner].
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a request for a postponement of an appraisal review board hearing
  received by an appraisal review board on or after the effective date
  of this Act. A request for a postponement of an appraisal review
  board hearing received before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect when the request was received, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  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.