S.B. No. 1760

AN ACT

relating to the transparent and equitable application of ad valorem tax procedures.

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

SECTION 1. Section 1.111, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) A lessee designated by a property owner as the owner's agent under Subsection (a) may, subject to the property owner's approval, designate a person to act as the lessee's agent for any purpose under this title for which the lessee is authorized to act on behalf of the owner in connection with the owner or the owner's property. An agent designated by a lessee under this subsection has the same authority and is subject to the same limitations as an agent designated by a property owner under Subsection (a).

SECTION 2. Section 5.07, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:

(d) A property tax form that requires a signature may be signed by means of an electronically captured handwritten signature.

(e) A property tax form is not invalid or unenforceable solely because the form is a photocopy, facsimile, or electronic copy of the original.

SECTION 3. Chapter 5, Tax Code, is amended by adding Section 5.091 to read as follows:

Sec. 5.091. STATEWIDE LIST OF TAX RATES. (a) Each year the comptroller shall prepare a list that includes the total tax rate imposed by each taxing unit in this state, other than a school district, if the tax rate is reported to the comptroller, for the year preceding the year in which the list is prepared. The comptroller shall list the tax rates in descending order.

(b) Not later than December 31 of each year, the comptroller shall publish on the comptroller's Internet website the list required by Subsection (a).

SECTION 4. Section 11.431(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) If a late application is approved after approval of the appraisal records by the appraisal review board, the chief appraiser shall notify the collector for each unit in which the residence is located. The collector shall deduct from the person's tax bill the amount of tax imposed on the exempted amount if the tax has not been paid. If the tax has been paid, the collector shall refund the amount of tax imposed on the exempted amount. A person is not required to apply for a refund under this subsection to receive the refund.

SECTION 5. Section 26.05(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) A taxing unit may not impose property taxes in any year until the governing body has adopted a tax rate for that year, and the annual tax rate must be set by ordinance, resolution, or order, depending on the method prescribed by law for adoption of a law by the governing body. The vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order setting the tax rate must be separate from the vote adopting the budget. For a taxing unit other than a school district, the [The] vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds the effective tax rate must be a record vote, and at least 60 percent of the members of the governing body must vote in favor of the ordinance, resolution, or order. For a school district, the vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds the sum of the effective maintenance and operations tax rate of the district as determined under Section 26.08(i) and the district's current debt rate must be a record vote, and at least 60 percent of the members of the governing body must vote in favor of the ordinance, resolution, or order. A motion to adopt an ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds the effective tax rate must be made in the following form: "I move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a tax rate of (specify tax rate), which is effectively a (insert percentage by which the proposed tax rate exceeds the effective tax rate) percent increase in the tax rate." If the ordinance, resolution, or order sets a tax rate that, if applied to the total taxable value, will impose an amount of taxes to fund maintenance and operation expenditures of the taxing unit that exceeds the amount of taxes imposed for that purpose in the preceding year, the taxing unit must:

(1) include in the ordinance, resolution, or order in type larger than the type used in any other portion of the document:

(A) the following statement: "THIS TAX RATE WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE."; and

(B) if the tax rate exceeds the effective maintenance and operations rate, the following statement: "THE TAX RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY (INSERT PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE TAX RATE EXCEEDS THE EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE) PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $(Insert amount)."; and

(2) include on the home page of any Internet website operated by the unit:

(A) the following statement: "(Insert name of unit) ADOPTED A TAX RATE THAT WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE"; and

(B) if the tax rate exceeds the effective maintenance and operations rate, the following statement: "THE TAX RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY (INSERT PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE TAX RATE EXCEEDS THE EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE) PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $(Insert amount)."

SECTION 6. Section 26.06(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) At the public hearings the governing body shall announce the date, time, and place of the meeting at which it will vote on the proposed tax rate. After each hearing the governing body shall give notice of the meeting at which it will vote on the proposed tax rate and the notice shall be in the same form as prescribed by Subsections (b) and (c), except that it must state the following:

"NOTICE OF TAX REVENUE INCREASE

"The (name of the taxing unit) conducted public hearings on (date of first hearing) and (date of second hearing) on a proposal to increase the total tax revenues of the (name of the taxing unit) from properties on the tax roll in the preceding year by (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or effective tax rate calculated under this chapter) percent.

"The total tax revenue proposed to be raised last year at last year's tax rate of (insert tax rate for the preceding year) for each $100 of taxable value was (insert total amount of taxes imposed in the preceding year).

"The total tax revenue proposed to be raised this year at the proposed tax rate of (insert proposed tax rate) for each $100 of taxable value, excluding tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year, is (insert amount computed by multiplying proposed tax rate by the difference between current total value and new property value).

"The total tax revenue proposed to be raised this year at the proposed tax rate of (insert proposed tax rate) for each $100 of taxable value, including tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year, is (insert amount computed by multiplying proposed tax rate by current total value).

"The (governing body of the taxing unit) is scheduled to vote on the tax rate that will result in that tax increase at a public meeting to be held on (date of meeting) at (location of meeting, including mailing address) at (time of meeting).

"The (governing body of the taxing unit) proposes to use the increase in total tax revenue for the purpose of (description of purpose of increase)."

SECTION 7. Section 26.15(f), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(f) If a correction that decreases the tax liability of a property owner is made after the owner has paid the tax, the taxing unit shall refund to the property owner the difference between the tax paid and the tax legally due, except as provided by Section 25.25(n). A property owner is not required to apply for a refund under this subsection to receive the refund.

SECTION 8. Section 26.08(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The governing body shall order that the election be held in the school district on a date not less than 30 or more than 90 days after the day on which it adopted the tax rate. Section 41.001, Election Code, does not apply to the election unless a date specified by that section falls within the time permitted by this section. At the election, the ballots shall be prepared to permit voting for or against the proposition: "Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $_____ per $100 valuation in (name of school district) for the current year, a rate that is $_____ higher per $100 valuation than the school district rollback tax rate, for the purpose of (description of purpose of increase)." The ballot proposition must include the adopted tax rate and the difference between that rate and the rollback tax rate in the appropriate places.

SECTION 9. Section 42.23, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:

(i) If an appraisal district employee testifies as to the value of real property in an appeal under Section 42.25 or 42.26, the court may give preference to an employee who is a person authorized to perform an appraisal of real estate under Section 1103.201, Occupations Code.

SECTION 10. Section 42.43(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) For a refund made under this section, the taxing unit shall include with the refund interest on the amount refunded calculated at an annual rate of 9.5 [that is equal to the sum of two percent and the most recent prime rate quoted and published by the Federal Reserve Board as of the first day of the month in which the refund is made, but not more than a total of eight] percent, calculated from the delinquency date for the taxes until the date the refund is made.

SECTION 11. Sections 140.010(e) and (f), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(e) A county or municipality that proposes a property tax rate that exceeds the lower of the effective tax rate or the rollback tax rate shall provide the following notice:

"NOTICE OF (INSERT CURRENT TAX YEAR) TAX YEAR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX

RATE FOR (INSERT NAME OF COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY)

"A tax rate of $_____ per $100 valuation has been proposed for adoption by the governing body of (insert name of county or municipality). This rate exceeds the lower of the effective or rollback tax rate, and state law requires that two public hearings be held by the governing body before adopting the proposed tax rate. The governing body of (insert name of county or municipality) proposes to use revenue attributable to the tax rate increase for the purpose of (description of purpose of increase).

PROPOSED TAX RATE$______ per $100

PRECEDING YEAR'S TAX RATE$______ per $100

EFFECTIVE TAX RATE$______ per $100

ROLLBACK TAX RATE$______ per $100 "The effective tax rate is the total tax rate needed to raise the same amount of property tax revenue for (insert name of county or municipality) from the same properties in both the (insert preceding tax year) tax year and the (insert current tax year) tax year. "The rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate that (insert name of county or municipality) may adopt before voters are entitled to petition for an election to limit the rate that may be approved to the rollback rate.

"YOUR TAXES OWED UNDER ANY OF THE ABOVE RATES CAN BE CALCULATED AS

FOLLOWS:

property tax amount = (rate) x (taxable value of your property) /

100

"For assistance or detailed information about tax calculations, please contact:

(insert name of county or municipal tax assessor-collector)

(insert name of county or municipality) tax assessor-collector

(insert address)

(insert telephone number)

(insert e-mail address)

(insert Internet website address, if applicable) "You are urged to attend and express your views at the following public hearings on the proposed tax rate:

First Hearing: (insert date and time) at (insert location of meeting).

Second Hearing: (insert date and time) at (insert location of meeting)."

(f) A county or municipality shall:

(1) provide the notice required by Subsection (d) or (e), as applicable, not later than the later of September 1 or the 30th day after the first date that the taxing unit has received each applicable certified appraisal roll by:

(A) publishing the notice in a newspaper having general circulation in:

(i) the county, in the case of notice published by a county; or

(ii) the county in which the municipality is located or primarily located, in the case of notice published by a municipality; or

(B) mailing the notice to each property owner in:

(i) the county, in the case of notice provided by a county; or

(ii) the municipality, in the case of notice provided by a municipality; and

(2) post the notice on the Internet website of the county or municipality, if applicable, beginning not later than the later of September 1 or the 30th day after the first date that the taxing unit has received each applicable certified appraisal roll and continuing until the county or municipality adopts a tax rate.

SECTION 12. Subchapter H, Chapter 49, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 49.2361 to read as follows:

Sec. 49.2361. ADDITIONAL NOTICE FOR CERTAIN TAX INCREASES. If a district proposes to adopt a combined tax rate that would authorize the qualified voters of the district by petition to require a rollback election to be held in the district, the notice required by Section 49.236 must include a description of the purpose of the proposed tax increase.

SECTION 13. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an ad valorem tax year that begins on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 14. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2016.

(b) Section 42.23(i), Tax Code, as added by this Act, takes effect January 1, 2020.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1760 passed the Senate on April 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7; and that the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1760 passed the House, with amendments, on May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, three present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor