AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Before each regular legislative session, the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller) is required to report information related to certain tax exemptions to the legislature and the governor. Interested parties contend that, in some instances, the comptroller states that the effect of a tax exemption cannot be determined, leaving it unclear for policy makers how much an exemption is costing the state. H.B. 1261 seeks to address this concern. This bill requires the comptroller to explain why such tax exemptions cannot be determined.

 

H.B. 1261 amends current law relating to the comptroller's report on the effect of certain tax provisions.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 403.014, Government Code, by adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

 

(a-1) Requires the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller), in  preparing the report under Subsection (a) (requiring the comptroller to report to the legislature and the governor on the effect, if it is possible to assess, of exemptions, discounts, exclusions, special valuations, special accounting treatments, special rates, and special methods of reporting relating to certain tax provisions), if actual data is not available, to use available statistical data to estimate the effect of an exemption, discount, exclusion, special valuation, special accounting treatment, special rate, or special method of reporting relating to a tax. Requires the comptroller, if the report states that the effect of a particular tax preference cannot be determined to include in the report a complete explanation of why the comptroller reached that conclusion.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.