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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the registration and certification of county tax |
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assessor-collectors and their employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1151.151, Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1151.151. REGISTRATION REQUIRED; EXEMPTION. (a) |
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Except as provided by Subsection (b), the [The] following persons |
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must register with the department: |
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(1) the chief appraiser of an appraisal district, an |
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appraisal supervisor or assistant, a property tax appraiser, an |
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appraisal engineer, and any other person authorized to render |
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judgment on, recommend, or certify an appraised value to the |
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appraisal review board of an appraisal district; |
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(2) a person who engages in appraisal of property for |
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ad valorem tax purposes for an appraisal district or a taxing unit; |
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(3) an assessor-collector, [other than a county
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assessor-collector;
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[(4)] a collector, or another person designated by a |
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governing body as the chief administrator of the taxing unit's |
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assessment functions, collection functions, or both; and |
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(4) [(5)] a person who performs assessment or |
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collection functions for a taxing unit and is required to register |
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by the chief administrator of the unit's tax office. |
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(b) A county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the |
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county tax assessor-collector is exempt from registration with the |
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department. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1151, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1151.1515 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1151.1515. VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION. (a) A person who |
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is exempt from registration under Section 1151.151(b) may register |
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if the person satisfies the registration requirements of this |
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chapter. |
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(b) A person exempt from the registration requirements of |
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this chapter who elects to register is subject to this chapter. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 1151.160(d) and (g), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(d) A person registered as an assessor or |
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assessor-collector [other than a county assessor-collector] shall |
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become certified as a registered Texas assessor not later than the |
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fifth anniversary of the date of the person's original |
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registration. |
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(g) A registrant who has not obtained the certification |
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required by Subsection (c), (d), or (e) within the time required by |
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the applicable subsection is entitled to a one-year extension to |
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meet the certification requirements if: |
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(1) the applicant submits proof of active military |
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status performed after the date of the applicant's original |
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registration; |
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(2) the applicant submits proof of leave under the |
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federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Section 2601 |
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et seq.) taken after the date of the applicant's original |
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registration; |
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(3) the applicant submits proof of a death or illness |
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in the family or an unforeseen emergency occurring after the date of |
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the applicant's original registration that prevented the |
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registrant from meeting certification requirements; |
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(4) a county tax assessor-collector, chief appraiser, |
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chief administrative officer of a political subdivision, or other |
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person authorized by the commission by rule requests the extension |
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on behalf of an employee; |
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(5) the applicant requesting the extension is a county |
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tax assessor-collector or chief appraiser; or |
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(6) the applicant meets another reasonable |
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qualification for an extension established by the commission by |
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rule. |
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SECTION 4. Section 1151.003, Occupations Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. (a) The Texas Commission of Licensing and |
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Regulation shall establish procedures and requirements for the |
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expedited reinstatement of a certification under Section 1151.160, |
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Occupations Code, held by a county tax assessor-collector or an |
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employee of a county tax assessor-collector on June 13, 2013, and |
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nullified by Chapter 429 (S.B. 546), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2013. |
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(b) A county tax assessor-collector or an employee of a |
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county tax assessor-collector who was a registrant under Chapter |
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1151, Occupations Code, on June 13, 2013, and had not obtained the |
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certification under Section 1151.160, Occupations Code, on or |
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before that date is entitled to a five-year extension to be |
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calculated from the fifth anniversary of the applicable anniversary |
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date of the person's original registration described by Subsection |
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(c), (d), or (e) of that section to meet the certification |
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requirements. This extension is in addition to the one-year |
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extension authorized under Section 1151.160(g), Occupations Code, |
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if the registrant qualifies for an extension under that section. |
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(c) The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shall |
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recognize and reinstate the highest pre-certification level |
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achieved by a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of a |
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county tax assessor-collector who was a registrant under Chapter |
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1151, Occupations Code, on June 13, 2013, and had not obtained the |
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certification under Section 1151.160, Occupations Code, on or |
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before that date. The department shall recognize all certification |
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courses successfully completed and all continuing education credit |
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earned by the county tax assessor-collector or employee in the |
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certification process. |
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(d) Not later than December 1, 2017, the Texas Commission of |
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Licensing and Regulation shall adopt rules to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |