BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1468

By: Watson

Ways & Means

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that county administrative district judges appoint the members of appraisal review boards in counties with certain populations. In addition, the parties note that certain communication with the judge regarding the appointment of board members is an offense. The parties suggest that this offense, however well-intentioned, is preventing appointing judges from learning about poor behavior on the part of appraisal review board members. S.B. 1468 seeks to address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1468 amends the Tax Code to make the offense relating to prohibited communications between certain parties and a local administrative district judge regarding the appointment of appraisal review board members inapplicable to a communication between a chief appraiser or another employee or agent of the appraisal district, a member of the appraisal review board for the appraisal district, or a member of the board of directors of the appraisal district and the local administrative district judge regarding information described by the statutory provision establishing grounds for the removal of an appraisal review board member or described by the statutory provision requiring the appraisal district to provide to the local administrative judge the number of appraisal review board positions that require appointment and whatever reasonable assistance is requested by the judge. The bill makes the offense inapplicable to communication between those parties regarding information relating to the same statutory provisions, as well as the statutory provision concerning the appointment of board members in a county with a population of 120,000 or more by the local administrative judge and Government Code provisions relating to an appraisal district's entitlement to criminal history record information that relates to a person who is an applicant for employment by the appraisal district or for appointment to the district's appraisal review board.

S.B. 1468 also makes the offense inapplicable to a communication between a property tax consultant or a property owner or an agent of the property owner and the taxpayer liaison officer for the appraisal district regarding information relating to or described by the statutory provision establishing grounds for the removal of an appraisal review board member. The bill requires the taxpayer liaison officer for the appraisal district to report the contents of the communication relating to or described by that statutory provision to the local administrative district judge.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.