85R30383 SMH-F

By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 2

(Bonnen of Brazoria)

Substitute the following for S.B. No. 2: No.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the administration of the ad valorem tax system.

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

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Property Tax Payer Empowerment Act of 2017.

SECTION 2. Section 5.07, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) to read as follows:

(f) The comptroller shall prescribe tax rate calculation forms to be used by the designated officer or employee of each:

(1) taxing unit other than a school district to calculate and submit the no-new-revenue tax rate and the rollback tax rate for the unit as required by Chapter 26; and

(2) school district to calculate and submit the no-new-revenue tax rate, the rollback tax rate, and the rate to maintain the same amount of state and local revenue per weighted student that the district received in the school year beginning in the preceding tax year as required by Chapter 26.

(g) The forms described by Subsection (f) must be in an electronic format and:

(1) have blanks that can be filled in electronically;

(2) be capable of being certified by the designated officer or employee after completion as accurately calculating the applicable tax rates and using values that are the same as the values shown in the taxing unit's certified appraisal roll; and

(3) be capable of being submitted electronically to the chief appraiser of each appraisal district in which the taxing unit is located.

(h) For purposes of Subsections (f) and (g), the comptroller shall use the forms published on the comptroller's Internet website as of January 1, 2017, as modified as necessary to comply with the requirements of those subsections. The forms may be updated at the discretion of the comptroller to reflect any statutory change in the values used to calculate a tax rate or to reflect formatting or other nonsubstantive changes.

(i) The comptroller may revise the forms to reflect statutory changes other than those described by Subsection (h) or on receipt of a request in writing. A revision under this subsection must be approved by the agreement of a majority of the members of a committee selected by the comptroller who are present at a committee meeting at which a quorum is present. The members of the committee must represent, equally, taxpayers and either taxing units or persons designated by taxing units. In the case of a revision for which the comptroller receives a request in writing, the person requesting the revision shall pay the costs of mediation if the comptroller determines that mediation is required.

SECTION 3. Section 5.091, Tax Code, is amended 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, as [other than a school district, if the tax rate is] reported to the comptroller by each appraisal district, for the year [preceding the year] in which the list is prepared. The comptroller shall:

(1) prescribe the manner in which and deadline by which appraisal districts are required to submit the tax rates to the comptroller; and

(2) list the tax rates alphabetically according to:

(A) the county or counties in which each taxing unit is located; and

(B) the name of each taxing unit [in descending order].

(b) Not later than January 1 [December 31] of the following [each] year, the comptroller shall publish on the comptroller's Internet website the list required by Subsection (a).

SECTION 4. Section 6.41, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (d-9) and adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (d-10) to read as follows:

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1) or (b-2), an appraisal review [The] board consists of three members.

(b-1) An appraisal [However, the] district board of directors by resolution of a majority of the board's [its] members may increase the size of the district's appraisal review board to the number of members the board of directors considers appropriate.

(b-2) An appraisal district board of directors for a district established in a county with a population of one million or more by resolution of a majority of the board's members shall increase the size of the district's appraisal review board to the number of members the board of directors considers appropriate to manage the duties of the appraisal review board, including the duties of each special panel established under Section 6.425.

(d-9) In selecting individuals who are to serve as members of the appraisal review board, the local administrative district judge shall select an adequate number of qualified individuals to permit the chairman of the appraisal review board to fill the positions on each special panel established under Section 6.425.

(d-10) Upon selection of the individuals who are to serve as members of the appraisal review board, the local administrative district judge shall enter an appropriate order designating such members and setting each member's respective term of office, as provided elsewhere in this section.

SECTION 5. Section 6.414(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) An auxiliary board member may hear taxpayer protests before the appraisal review board. An auxiliary board member may not hear taxpayer protests before a special panel established under Section 6.425 unless the member is eligible to be appointed to the special panel. If one or more auxiliary board members sit on a panel established under Section 6.425 or 41.45 to conduct a protest hearing, the number of regular appraisal review board members required by that section to constitute the panel is reduced by the number of auxiliary board members sitting. An auxiliary board member sitting on a panel is considered a regular board member for all purposes related to the conduct of the hearing.

SECTION 6. Subchapter C, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by adding Section 6.425 to read as follows:

Sec. 6.425. SPECIAL APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD PANELS IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS. (a) This section applies only to the appraisal review board for an appraisal district described by Section 6.41(b-2).

(b) The appraisal review board shall establish special panels to conduct protest hearings under Chapter 41 relating to property that:

(1) has an appraised value of $50 million or more as determined by the appraisal district; and

(2) is included in one of the following classifications:

(A) commercial real and personal property;

(B) real and personal property of utilities;

(C) industrial and manufacturing real and personal property; and

(D) multifamily residential real property.

(c) Each special panel described by this section consists of three members of the appraisal review board appointed by the chairman of the board.

(d) To be eligible to be appointed to a special panel described by this section, a member of the appraisal review board must:

(1) hold a juris doctor or equivalent degree;

(2) hold a master of business administration degree;

(3) be licensed as a certified public accountant under Chapter 901, Occupations Code;

(4) be accredited by the American Society of Appraisers as an accredited senior appraiser;

(5) possess an MAI professional designation from the Appraisal Institute;

(6) possess a Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE) professional designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers;

(7) have at least 20 years of experience in property tax appraisal or consulting; or

(8) be licensed as a real estate broker or sales agent under Chapter 1101, Occupations Code.

(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the chairman of the appraisal review board may appoint to a special panel described by this section a member of the appraisal review board who does not meet the qualifications prescribed by that subsection if:

(1) the number of persons appointed to the board by the local administrative district judge who meet those qualifications is not sufficient to fill the positions on each special panel; and

(2) the board member being appointed to the panel holds a bachelor's degree in any field.

(f) In addition to conducting protest hearings relating to property described by Subsection (b) of this section, a special panel may conduct protest hearings under Chapter 41 relating to property not described by Subsection (b) of this section as assigned by the chairman of the appraisal review board.

SECTION 7. Effective January 1, 2019, Section 25.19, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsections (b-3) and (b-4) to read as follows:

(b-3) This subsection applies only to an appraisal district described by Section 6.41(b-2). In addition to the information required by Subsection (b), the chief appraiser shall state in a notice of appraised value of property described by Section 6.425(b) that the property owner has the right to have a protest relating to the property heard by a special panel of the appraisal review board.

(b-4) Subsection (b)(5) applies only to a notice of appraised value required to be delivered by the chief appraiser of an appraisal district established in a county with a population of less than 120,000. This subsection expires January 1, 2020.

SECTION 8. Effective January 1, 2020, Sections 25.19(b) and (i), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The chief appraiser shall separate real from personal property and include in the notice for each:

(1) a list of the taxing units in which the property is taxable;

(2) the appraised value of the property in the preceding year;

(3) the taxable value of the property in the preceding year for each taxing unit taxing the property;

(4) the appraised value of the property for the current year, the kind and amount of each exemption and partial exemption, if any, approved for the property for the current year and for the preceding year, and, if an exemption or partial exemption that was approved for the preceding year was canceled or reduced for the current year, the amount of the exemption or partial exemption canceled or reduced;

(5) [if the appraised value is greater than it was in the preceding year, the amount of tax that would be imposed on the property on the basis of the tax rate for the preceding year;

[(6)] in italic typeface, the following statement: "The Texas Legislature does not set the amount of your local taxes. Your property tax burden is decided by your locally elected officials, and all inquiries concerning your taxes should be directed to those officials";

(6) [(7)] a detailed explanation of the time and procedure for protesting the value;

(7) [(8)] the date and place the appraisal review board will begin hearing protests; and

(8) [(9)] a brief explanation that the governing body of each taxing unit decides whether or not taxes on the property will increase and the appraisal district only determines the value of the property.

(i) Delivery with a notice required by Subsection (a) or (g) of a copy of the pamphlet published by the comptroller under Section 5.06 or a copy of the notice published by the chief appraiser under Section 41.70 is sufficient to comply with the requirement that the notice include the information specified by Subsection (b)(6) [(b)(7)] or (g)(3), as applicable.

SECTION 9. Section 26.012(9), Tax Code, is redesignated as Section 26.012(18), Tax Code, and amended to read as follows:

(18) "No-new-revenue [(9) "Effective] maintenance and operations rate" means a rate expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value and calculated according to the following formula: NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE = (LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LAST YEAR'S DEBT LEVY - LAST YEAR'S JUNIOR COLLEGE LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)

SECTION 10. The heading to Section 26.04, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 26.04. SUBMISSION OF ROLL TO GOVERNING BODY; NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] AND ROLLBACK TAX RATES.

SECTION 11. Section 26.04, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (e-1), (f), (g), (i), and (j) and adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), (e-2), (e-3), and (e-4) to read as follows:

(b) The assessor shall submit the appraisal roll for the unit showing the total appraised, assessed, and taxable values of all property and the total taxable value of new property to the governing body of the unit by August 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable. By August 1 or as soon thereafter as practicable, the taxing unit's collector shall certify [an estimate of] the anticipated collection rate, as defined by Subsection (h), for the current year to the governing body. If the collector certified an anticipated collection rate in the preceding year and the actual collection rate in that year exceeded the anticipated rate, the collector shall also certify the amount of debt taxes collected in excess of the anticipated amount in the preceding year.

(c) An officer or employee designated by the governing body shall calculate the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and the rollback tax rate for the unit, where:

(1) "No-new-revenue [Effective] tax rate" means a rate expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value calculated according to the following formula:

NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE = (LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LOST PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)

; and

(2) "Rollback tax rate" means a rate expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value calculated according to the following formula:

ROLLBACK TAX RATE = (NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE x 1.08) + CURRENT DEBT RATE

(d) The no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate for a county is the sum of the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rates calculated for each type of tax the county levies and the rollback tax rate for a county is the sum of the rollback tax rates calculated for each type of tax the county levies.

(d-1) The designated officer or employee shall use the tax rate calculation forms prescribed by the comptroller under Section 5.07 in calculating the no-new-revenue tax rate and the rollback tax rate.

(d-2) The designated officer or employee may not submit the no-new-revenue tax rate and the rollback tax rate to the governing body of the taxing unit and the unit may not adopt a tax rate until the designated officer or employee certifies on the tax rate calculation forms that the designated officer or employee has accurately calculated the tax rates and has used values that are the same as the values shown in the unit's certified appraisal roll in performing the calculations.

(e) By August 7 or as soon thereafter as practicable, the designated officer or employee shall submit the rates to the governing body. The designated officer or employee [He] shall deliver by mail to each property owner in the unit, [or] publish in a newspaper, or post prominently on the home page of the unit's Internet website, if applicable, in the form prescribed by the comptroller:

(1) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate, the rollback tax rate, and an explanation of how they were calculated;

(2) the estimated amount of interest and sinking fund balances and the estimated amount of maintenance and operation or general fund balances remaining at the end of the current fiscal year that are not encumbered with or by corresponding existing debt obligation;

(3) a schedule of the unit's debt obligations showing:

(A) the amount of principal and interest that will be paid to service the unit's debts in the next year from property tax revenue, including payments of lawfully incurred contractual obligations providing security for the payment of the principal of and interest on bonds and other evidences of indebtedness issued on behalf of the unit by another political subdivision and, if the unit is created under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, payments on debts that the unit anticipates to incur in the next calendar year;

(B) the amount by which taxes imposed for debt are to be increased because of the unit's anticipated collection rate; and

(C) the total of the amounts listed in Paragraphs (A)-(B), less any amount collected in excess of the previous year's anticipated collections certified as provided in Subsection (b);

(4) the amount of additional sales and use tax revenue anticipated in calculations under Section 26.041;

(5) a statement that the adoption of a tax rate equal to the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate would result in an increase or decrease, as applicable, in the amount of taxes imposed by the unit as compared to last year's levy, and the amount of the increase or decrease;

(6) in the year that a taxing unit calculates an adjustment under Subsection (i) or (j), a schedule that includes the following elements:

(A) the name of the unit discontinuing the department, function, or activity;

(B) the amount of property tax revenue spent by the unit listed under Paragraph (A) to operate the discontinued department, function, or activity in the 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made; and

(C) the name of the unit that operates a distinct department, function, or activity in all or a majority of the territory of a taxing unit that has discontinued operating the distinct department, function, or activity; and

(7) in the year following the year in which a taxing unit raised its rollback tax rate as required by Subsection (j), a schedule that includes the following elements:

(A) the amount of property tax revenue spent by the unit to operate the department, function, or activity for which the taxing unit raised the rollback tax rate as required by Subsection (j) for the 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made; and

(B) the amount published by the unit in the preceding tax year under Subdivision (6)(B).

(e-1) The tax rate certification requirements imposed by Subsection (d-2) and the notice requirements imposed by Subsections (e)(1)-(6) do not apply to a school district.

(e-2) By August 7 or as soon thereafter as practicable, the chief appraiser of each appraisal district shall deliver by regular mail or e-mail to each owner of property located in the appraisal district a notice that the estimated amount of taxes to be imposed on the owner's property by each taxing unit in which the property is located may be found in the property tax database maintained by the appraisal district under Section 26.17. The notice must include:

(1) the following statement:

"PROPOSED (tax year) PROPERTY TAX BILL INFORMATION

"Information concerning the property taxes that may be imposed on your property by local taxing units, the dates and locations of any public hearings on the tax rates of the taxing units, and the dates and locations of meetings of the governing bodies of the taxing units to vote on the tax rates, together with other important property tax information, may be found at the website listed below:

"(address of the Internet website at which the information may be found).";

(2) a statement that the property owner may request from the county assessor-collector contact information for the assessor for each taxing unit in which the property is located, who must provide the information described by this subsection to the owner on request; and

(3) the address and telephone number of the county assessor-collector.

(e-3) The heading of the statement described by Subsection (e-2)(1) must be in bold, capital letters in typeset larger than that used in the other provisions of the notice.

(e-4) The comptroller may adopt rules regarding the format and delivery of the notice required by Subsection (e-2).

(f) If as a result of consolidation of taxing units a taxing unit includes territory that was in two or more taxing units in the preceding year, the amount of taxes imposed in each in the preceding year is combined for purposes of calculating the no-new-revenue [effective] and rollback tax rates under this section.

(g) A person who owns taxable property is entitled to an injunction prohibiting the taxing unit in which the property is taxable from adopting a tax rate if the assessor or designated officer or employee of the unit, the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district, or the taxing unit, as applicable, has not complied with the computation, [or] publication, or posting requirements of this section or Section 26.17 or 26.18 [and the failure to comply was not in good faith].

(i) This subsection applies to a taxing unit that has agreed by written contract to transfer a distinct department, function, or activity to another taxing unit and discontinues operating that distinct department, function, or activity if the operation of that department, function, or activity in all or a majority of the territory of the taxing unit is continued by another existing taxing unit or by a new taxing unit. The rollback tax rate of a taxing unit to which this subsection applies in the first tax year in which a budget is adopted that does not allocate revenue to the discontinued department, function, or activity is calculated as otherwise provided by this section, except that last year's levy used to calculate the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate of the unit is reduced by the amount of maintenance and operations tax revenue spent by the taxing unit to operate the department, function, or activity for the 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made and in which the unit operated the discontinued department, function, or activity. If the unit did not operate that department, function, or activity for the full 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made, the unit shall reduce last year's levy used for calculating the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate of the unit by the amount of the revenue spent in the last full fiscal year in which the unit operated the discontinued department, function, or activity.

(j) This subsection applies to a taxing unit that had agreed by written contract to accept the transfer of a distinct department, function, or activity from another taxing unit and operates a distinct department, function, or activity if the operation of a substantially similar department, function, or activity in all or a majority of the territory of the taxing unit has been discontinued by another taxing unit, including a dissolved taxing unit. The rollback tax rate of a taxing unit to which this subsection applies in the first tax year after the other taxing unit discontinued the substantially similar department, function, or activity in which a budget is adopted that allocates revenue to the department, function, or activity is calculated as otherwise provided by this section, except that last year's levy used to calculate the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate of the unit is increased by the amount of maintenance and operations tax revenue spent by the taxing unit that discontinued operating the substantially similar department, function, or activity to operate that department, function, or activity for the 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made and in which the unit operated the discontinued department, function, or activity. If the unit did not operate the discontinued department, function, or activity for the full 12 months preceding the month in which the calculations required by this chapter are made, the unit may increase last year's levy used to calculate the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate by an amount not to exceed the amount of property tax revenue spent by the discontinuing unit to operate the discontinued department, function, or activity in the last full fiscal year in which the discontinuing unit operated the department, function, or activity.

SECTION 12. Sections 26.041(a), (b), (c), (e), (g), and (h), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In the first year in which an additional sales and use tax is required to be collected, the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and rollback tax rate for the unit are calculated according to the following formulas:

NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LOST PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] - SALES TAX GAIN RATE and

ROLLBACK TAX RATE = (NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE x 1.08) + CURRENT DEBT RATE - SALES TAX GAIN RATE where "sales tax gain rate" means a number expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the revenue that will be generated by the additional sales and use tax in the following year as calculated under Subsection (d) [of this section] by the current total value.

(b) Except as provided by Subsections (a) and (c) [of this section], in a year in which a taxing unit imposes an additional sales and use tax, the rollback tax rate for the unit is calculated according to the following formula, regardless of whether the unit levied a property tax in the preceding year:

ROLLBACK TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x 1.08) / ([TOTAL] CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] + (CURRENT DEBT RATE - SALES TAX REVENUE RATE) where "last year's maintenance and operations expense" means the amount spent for maintenance and operations from property tax and additional sales and use tax revenues in the preceding year, and "sales tax revenue rate" means a number expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the revenue that will be generated by the additional sales and use tax in the current year as calculated under Subsection (d) [of this section] by the current total value.

(c) In a year in which a taxing unit that has been imposing an additional sales and use tax ceases to impose an additional sales and use tax, the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and rollback tax rate for the unit are calculated according to the following formulas:

NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S LEVY - LOST PROPERTY LEVY) / (CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] + SALES TAX LOSS RATE and

ROLLBACK TAX RATE = [(LAST YEAR'S MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS EXPENSE x 1.08) / ([TOTAL] CURRENT TOTAL VALUE - NEW PROPERTY VALUE)] + CURRENT DEBT RATE where "sales tax loss rate" means a number expressed in dollars per $100 of taxable value, calculated by dividing the amount of sales and use tax revenue generated in the last four quarters for which the information is available by the current total value and "last year's maintenance and operations expense" means the amount spent for maintenance and operations from property tax and additional sales and use tax revenues in the preceding year.

(e) If a city that imposes an additional sales and use tax receives payments under the terms of a contract executed before January 1, 1986, in which the city agrees not to annex certain property or a certain area and the owners or lessees of the property or of property in the area agree to pay at least annually to the city an amount determined by reference to all or a percentage of the property tax rate of the city and all or a part of the value of the property subject to the agreement or included in the area subject to the agreement, the governing body, by order adopted by a majority vote of the governing body, may direct the designated officer or employee to add to the no-new-revenue [effective] and rollback tax rates the amount that, when applied to the total taxable value submitted to the governing body, would produce an amount of taxes equal to the difference between the total amount of payments for the tax year under contracts described by this subsection under the rollback tax rate calculated under this section and the total amount of payments for the tax year that would have been obligated to the city if the city had not adopted an additional sales and use tax.

(g) If the rate of the additional sales and use tax is increased, the designated officer or employee shall make two projections, in the manner provided by Subsection (d) [of this section], of the revenue generated by the additional sales and use tax in the following year. The first projection must take into account the increase and the second projection must not take into account the increase. The designated officer or employee shall then subtract the amount of the result of the second projection from the amount of the result of the first projection to determine the revenue generated as a result of the increase in the additional sales and use tax. In the first year in which an additional sales and use tax is increased, the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate for the unit is the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate before the increase minus a number the numerator of which is the revenue generated as a result of the increase in the additional sales and use tax, as determined under this subsection, and the denominator of which is the current total value minus the new property value.

(h) If the rate of the additional sales and use tax is decreased, the designated officer or employee shall make two projections, in the manner provided by Subsection (d) [of this section], of the revenue generated by the additional sales and use tax in the following year. The first projection must take into account the decrease and the second projection must not take into account the decrease. The designated officer or employee shall then subtract the amount of the result of the first projection from the amount of the result of the second projection to determine the revenue lost as a result of the decrease in the additional sales and use tax. In the first year in which an additional sales and use tax is decreased, the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate for the unit is the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate before the decrease plus a number the numerator of which is the revenue lost as a result of the decrease in the additional sales and use tax, as determined under this subsection, and the denominator of which is the current total value minus the new property value.

SECTION 13. The heading to Section 26.043, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 26.043. ROLLBACK AND NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATES [RATE] IN CITY IMPOSING MASS TRANSIT SALES AND USE TAX.

SECTION 14. Sections 26.043(a) and (b), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In the tax year in which a city has set an election on the question of whether to impose a local sales and use tax under Subchapter H, Chapter 453, Transportation Code, the officer or employee designated to make the calculations provided by Section 26.04 may not make those calculations until the outcome of the election is determined. If the election is determined in favor of the imposition of the tax, the representative shall subtract from the city's rollback and no-new-revenue [effective] tax rates the amount that, if applied to the city's current total value, would impose an amount equal to the amount of property taxes budgeted in the current tax year to pay for expenses related to mass transit services.

(b) In a tax year to which this section applies, a reference in this chapter to the city's no-new-revenue [effective] or rollback tax rate refers to that rate as adjusted under this section.

SECTION 15. The heading to Section 26.044, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 26.044. NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE TO PAY FOR STATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE MANDATE.

SECTION 16. Sections 26.044(a), (b), and (c), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The first time that a county adopts a tax rate after September 1, 1991, in which the state criminal justice mandate applies to the county, the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operation rate for the county is increased by the rate calculated according to the following formula:

(State Criminal Justice Mandate) / (Current Total Value - New Property Value)

(b) In the second and subsequent years that a county adopts a tax rate, if the amount spent by the county for the state criminal justice mandate increased over the previous year, the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operation rate for the county is increased by the rate calculated according to the following formula:

(This Year's State Criminal Justice Mandate - Previous Year's State Criminal Justice Mandate) / (Current Total Value - New Property Value)

(c) The county shall include a notice of the increase in the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operation rate provided by this section, including a description and amount of the state criminal justice mandate, in the information published under Section 26.04(e) and Section 26.06(b) [of this code].

SECTION 17. Sections 26.0441(a), (b), and (c), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In the first tax year in which a taxing unit adopts a tax rate after January 1, 2000, and in which the enhanced minimum eligibility standards for indigent health care established under Section 61.006, Health and Safety Code, apply to the taxing unit, the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate for the taxing unit is increased by the rate computed according to the following formula:

Amount of Increase = Enhanced Indigent Health Care Expenditures / (Current Total Value - New Property Value)

(b) In each subsequent tax year, if the taxing unit's enhanced indigent health care expenses exceed the amount of those expenses for the preceding year, the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate for the taxing unit is increased by the rate computed according to the following formula:

Amount of Increase = (Current Tax Year's Enhanced Indigent Health Care Expenditures - Preceding Tax Year's Indigent Health Care Expenditures) / (Current Total Value - New Property Value)

(c) The taxing unit shall include a notice of the increase in its no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate provided by this section, including a brief description and the amount of the enhanced indigent health care expenditures, in the information published under Section 26.04(e) and, if applicable, Section 26.06(b).

SECTION 18. Section 26.05, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g) and adding Subsections (d-1) and (d-2) 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 vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds the no-new-revenue [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 no-new-revenue [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 no-new-revenue [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 no-new-revenue [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 no-new-revenue [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 NO-NEW-REVENUE [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 no-new-revenue [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 NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE) PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $(Insert amount)."

(c) If the governing body of a taxing unit does not adopt a tax rate before the date required by Subsection (a), the tax rate for the taxing unit for that tax year is the lower of the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate calculated for that tax year or the tax rate adopted by the taxing unit for the preceding tax year. A tax rate established by this subsection is treated as an adopted tax rate. Before the fifth day after the establishment of a tax rate by this subsection, the governing body of the taxing unit must ratify the applicable tax rate in the manner required by Subsection (b).

(d) The governing body of a taxing unit other than a school district may not adopt a tax rate that exceeds the lower of the rollback tax rate or the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate calculated as provided by this chapter until the governing body has held two public hearings on the proposed tax rate and has otherwise complied with Section 26.06 and Section 26.065. The governing body of a taxing unit shall reduce a tax rate set by law or by vote of the electorate to the lower of the rollback tax rate or the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and may not adopt a higher rate unless it first complies with Section 26.06.

(d-1) The governing body of a taxing unit may not hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate or a public meeting to adopt a tax rate until the 14th day after the date the officer or employee designated by the governing body of the unit to calculate the no-new-revenue tax rate and the rollback tax rate for the unit complies with Section 26.17.

(d-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the governing body of a taxing unit other than a school district may not adopt a tax rate until:

(1) the chief appraiser of each appraisal district in which the taxing unit participates has:

(A) delivered the notice required by Section 26.04(e-2); and

(B) incorporated the tax rate calculation forms submitted to the appraisal district under Section 26.17(d)(2) by the designated officer or employee of the taxing unit into the property tax database maintained by the chief appraiser and made them available to the public;

(2) the designated officer or employee of the taxing unit has entered in the property tax database maintained by the chief appraiser the information described by Section 26.17(b) for the current tax year; and

(3) the taxing unit has posted the information described by Section 26.18 on the Internet website used by the taxing unit for that purpose.

(e) A person who owns taxable property is entitled to an injunction restraining the collection of taxes by a taxing unit in which the property is taxable if the taxing unit has not complied with the requirements of this section or Section 26.04 [and the failure to comply was not in good faith]. An action to enjoin the collection of taxes must be filed not later than the 15th day after the date the taxing unit adopts a tax rate. A property owner is not required to pay the taxes imposed by a taxing unit on the owner's property while an action filed by the property owner to enjoin the collection of taxes imposed by the taxing unit on the owner's property is pending. If the property owner pays the taxes and subsequently prevails in the action, the property owner is entitled to a refund of the taxes paid, together with reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. The property owner is not required to apply to the collector for the taxing unit to receive the refund [prior to the date a taxing unit delivers substantially all of its tax bills].

(g) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the governing body of a school district that elects to adopt a tax rate before the adoption of a budget for the fiscal year that begins in the current tax year may adopt a tax rate for the current tax year before receipt of the certified appraisal roll for the school district if the chief appraiser of the appraisal district in which the school district participates has certified to the assessor for the school district an estimate of the taxable value of property in the school district as provided by Section 26.01(e). If a school district adopts a tax rate under this subsection, the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and the rollback tax rate of the district shall be calculated based on the certified estimate of taxable value.

SECTION 19. Sections 26.052(c) and (e), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(c) A taxing unit to which this section applies may provide public notice of its proposed tax rate in one [either] of the following methods not later than the seventh day before the date on which the tax rate is adopted:

(1) mailing a notice of the proposed tax rate to each owner of taxable property in the taxing unit; [or]

(2) publishing notice of the proposed tax rate in the legal notices section of a newspaper having general circulation in the taxing unit; or

(3) posting notice of the proposed tax rate prominently on the home page of the Internet website maintained by the taxing unit, if applicable.

(e) Public notice provided under Subsection (c) must specify:

(1) the tax rate that the governing body proposes to adopt;

(2) the date, time, and location of the meeting of the governing body of the taxing unit at which the governing body will consider adopting the proposed tax rate; and

(3) if the proposed tax rate for the taxing unit exceeds the unit's no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate calculated as provided by Section 26.04, a statement substantially identical to the following: "The proposed tax rate would increase total taxes in (name of taxing unit) by (percentage by which the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate)."

SECTION 20. Sections 26.06(b), (c), (d), and (e), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The notice of a public hearing may not be smaller than one-quarter page of a standard-size or a tabloid-size newspaper, and the headline on the notice must be in 24-point or larger type. The notice must contain a statement in the following form:

"NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE

"The (name of the taxing unit) will hold two public hearings on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by (percentage by which proposed tax rate exceeds lower of rollback tax rate or no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate calculated under this chapter) percent. Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property [and the tax rate that is adopted]. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

"The first public hearing will be held on (date and time) at (meeting place).

"The second public hearing will be held on (date and time) at (meeting place).

"(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how each voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase or, if one or more were absent, indicating the absences.)

"The average taxable value of a residence homestead in (name of taxing unit) last year was $____ (average taxable value of a residence homestead in the taxing unit for the preceding tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older). Based on last year's tax rate of $____ (preceding year's adopted tax rate) per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed last year on the average home was $____ (tax on average taxable value of a residence homestead in the taxing unit for the preceding tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older).

"The average taxable value of a residence homestead in (name of taxing unit) this year is $____ (average taxable value of a residence homestead in the taxing unit for the current tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older). If the governing body adopts the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate for this year of $____ (no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate) per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $____ (tax on average taxable value of a residence homestead in the taxing unit for the current tax year, disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older).

"If the governing body adopts the proposed tax rate of $____ (proposed tax rate) per $100 of taxable value, the amount of taxes imposed this year on the average home would be $____ (tax on the average taxable value of a residence in the taxing unit for the current year disregarding residence homestead exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older).

"Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hearings and express their views."

(c) The notice of a public hearing under this section may be delivered by mail to each property owner in the unit, [or may be] published in a newspaper, or posted prominently on the home page of the Internet website operated by the unit, if applicable. If the notice is published in a newspaper, it may not be in the part of the paper in which legal notices and classified advertisements appear. If the taxing unit posts the notice on [operates] an Internet website operated by the unit, the notice must be posted on the website from the date the notice is first posted [published] until the second public hearing is concluded.

(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 no-new-revenue [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)."

(e) The meeting to vote on the tax increase may not be earlier than the third day or later than the 14th day after the date of the second public hearing. The meeting must be held inside the boundaries of the taxing unit in a publicly owned building or, if a suitable publicly owned building is not available, in a suitable building to which the public normally has access. If the governing body does not adopt a tax rate that exceeds the lower of the rollback tax rate or the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate by the 14th day, it must give a new notice under Subsection (d) before it may adopt a rate that exceeds the lower of the rollback tax rate or the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate.

SECTION 21. Section 26.065(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) If the taxing unit owns, operates, or controls an Internet website, the unit shall post notice of the public hearing prominently on the home page of the website continuously for at least seven days immediately before the public hearing on the proposed tax rate increase and at least seven days immediately before the date of the vote proposing the increase in the tax rate.

SECTION 22. Sections 26.08(g), (n), and (p), Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:

(g) In a school district that received distributions from an equalization tax imposed under former Chapter 18, Education Code, the no-new-revenue [effective] rate of that tax as of the date of the county unit system's abolition is added to the district's rollback tax rate.

(n) For purposes of this section, the rollback tax rate of a school district whose maintenance and operations tax rate for the 2005 tax year was $1.50 or less per $100 of taxable value is:

(1) for the 2006 tax year, the sum of the rate that is equal to 88.67 percent of the maintenance and operations tax rate adopted by the district for the 2005 tax year, the rate of $0.04 per $100 of taxable value, and the district's current debt rate; and

(2) for the 2007 and subsequent tax years, the lesser of the following:

(A) the sum of the following:

(i) the rate per $100 of taxable value that is equal to the product of the state compression percentage, as determined under Section 42.2516, Education Code, for the current year and $1.50;

(ii) the rate of $0.04 per $100 of taxable value;

(iii) the rate that is equal to the sum of the differences for the 2006 and each subsequent tax year between the adopted tax rate of the district for that year if the rate was approved at an election under this section and the rollback tax rate of the district for that year; and

(iv) the district's current debt rate; or

(B) the sum of the following:

(i) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate of the district as computed under Subsection (i) [or (k), as applicable];

(ii) the rate per $100 of taxable value that is equal to the product of the state compression percentage, as determined under Section 42.2516, Education Code, for the current year and $0.06; and

(iii) the district's current debt rate.

(p) Notwithstanding Subsections (i), (n), and (o), if for the preceding tax year a school district adopted a maintenance and operations tax rate that was less than the district's no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate for that preceding tax year, the rollback tax rate of the district for the current tax year is calculated as if the district adopted a maintenance and operations tax rate for the preceding tax year that was equal to the district's no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate for that preceding tax year.

SECTION 23. Section 26.08(i), Tax Code, as effective September 1, 2017, is amended to read as follows:

(i) For purposes of this section, the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate of a school district is the tax rate that, applied to the current total value for the district, would impose taxes in an amount that, when added to state funds that would be distributed to the district under Chapter 42, Education Code, for the school year beginning in the current tax year using that tax rate, would provide the same amount of state funds distributed under Chapter 42, Education Code, and maintenance and operations taxes of the district per student in weighted average daily attendance for that school year that would have been available to the district in the preceding year if the funding elements for Chapters 41 and 42, Education Code, for the current year had been in effect for the preceding year.

SECTION 24. Section 26.16, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a) The county assessor-collector for each county that maintains an Internet website shall post on the website of the county the following information for the most recent five tax years beginning with the 2012 tax year for each taxing unit all or part of the territory of which is located in the county:

(1) the adopted tax rate;

(2) the maintenance and operations rate;

(3) the debt rate;

(4) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate;

(5) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate; and

(6) the rollback tax rate.

(a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a), a reference to the no-new-revenue tax rate or the no-new-revenue maintenance and operations rate includes the equivalent effective tax rate or effective maintenance and operations rate for a preceding year. This subsection expires January 1, 2024.

(d) The county assessor-collector shall post immediately below the table prescribed by Subsection (c) the following statement:

"The county is providing this table of property tax rate information as a service to the residents of the county. Each individual taxing unit is responsible for calculating the property tax rates listed in this table pertaining to that taxing unit and providing that information to the county.

"The adopted tax rate is the tax rate adopted by the governing body of a taxing unit.

"The maintenance and operations rate is the component of the adopted tax rate of a taxing unit that will impose the amount of taxes needed to fund maintenance and operation expenditures of the unit for the following year.

"The debt rate is the component of the adopted tax rate of a taxing unit that will impose the amount of taxes needed to fund the unit's debt service for the following year.

"The no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of revenue in the current tax year as was generated by a taxing unit's adopted tax rate in the preceding tax year from property that is taxable in both the current tax year and the preceding tax year.

"The no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of revenue for maintenance and operations in the current tax year as was generated by a taxing unit's maintenance and operations rate in the preceding tax year from property that is taxable in both the current tax year and the preceding tax year.

"The rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate a taxing unit may adopt before requiring voter approval at an election. In the case of a taxing unit other than a school district, the voters by petition may require that a rollback election be held if the unit adopts a tax rate in excess of the unit's rollback tax rate. In the case of a school district, an election will automatically be held if the district wishes to adopt a tax rate in excess of the district's rollback tax rate."

SECTION 25. Chapter 26, Tax Code, is amended by adding Sections 26.17 and 26.18 to read as follows:

Sec. 26.17. DATABASE OF PROPERTY-TAX-RELATED INFORMATION. (a) The chief appraiser of each appraisal district shall create and maintain a property tax database that:

(1) is identified by the name of the county in which the appraisal district is established instead of the name of the appraisal district;

(2) contains information that is provided by designated officers or employees of the taxing units that are located in the appraisal district in the manner required by rules adopted by the comptroller;

(3) is continuously updated as preliminary and revised data become available to and are provided by the designated officers or employees of taxing units;

(4) is accessible to the public; and

(5) is searchable by property address and owner.

(b) The database must include, with respect to each property listed on the appraisal roll for the appraisal district:

(1) the property's identification number;

(2) the property's market value;

(3) the property's taxable value;

(4) the name of each taxing unit in which the property is located;

(5) for each taxing unit other than a school district in which the property is located:

(A) the no-new-revenue tax rate; and

(B) the rollback tax rate;

(6) for each school district in which the property is located:

(A) the rate to maintain the same amount of state and local revenue per weighted student that the district received in the school year beginning in the preceding tax year; and

(B) the rollback tax rate;

(7) the tax rate proposed by the governing body of each taxing unit in which the property is located;

(8) for each taxing unit other than a school district in which the property is located, the taxes that would be imposed on the property if the unit adopted a tax rate equal to:

(A) the no-new-revenue tax rate; and

(B) the proposed tax rate;

(9) for each school district in which the property is located, the taxes that would be imposed on the property if the district adopted a tax rate equal to:

(A) the rate to maintain the same amount of state and local revenue per weighted student that the district received in the school year beginning in the preceding tax year; and

(B) the proposed tax rate;

(10) for each taxing unit other than a school district in which the property is located, the difference between the amount calculated under Subdivision (8)(A) and the amount calculated under Subdivision (8)(B);

(11) for each school district in which the property is located, the difference between the amount calculated under Subdivision (9)(A) and the amount calculated under Subdivision (9)(B);

(12) the date and location of each public hearing, if applicable, on the proposed tax rate to be held by the governing body of each taxing unit in which the property is located; and

(13) the date and location of the public meeting at which the tax rate will be adopted to be held by the governing body of each taxing unit in which the property is located.

(c) The database must provide a link to the Internet website used by each taxing unit in which the property is located to post the information described by Section 26.18.

(d) The officer or employee designated by the governing body of each taxing unit to calculate the no-new-revenue tax rate and the rollback tax rate for the unit must electronically:

(1) enter in the database the information described by Subsection (b) as the information becomes available; and

(2) submit to the appraisal district the tax rate calculation forms prepared under Section 26.04(d-1) at the same time the designated officer or employee submits the tax rates to the governing body of the unit under Section 26.04(e).

(e) The chief appraiser shall deliver by e-mail to the designated officer or employee confirmation of receipt of the tax rate calculation forms submitted under Subsection (d)(2). The chief appraiser shall incorporate the forms into the database and make them available to the public not later than the third day after the date the chief appraiser receives them.

Sec. 26.18. POSTING OF TAX RATE AND BUDGET INFORMATION BY TAXING UNIT ON WEBSITE. Each taxing unit shall maintain an Internet website or have access to a generally accessible Internet website that may be used for the purposes of this section. Each taxing unit shall post or cause to be posted on the Internet website the following information in a format prescribed by the comptroller:

(1) the name of each member of the governing body of the taxing unit;

(2) the mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the taxing unit;

(3) the official contact information for each member of the governing body of the taxing unit, if that information is different from the information described by Subdivision (2);

(4) the taxing unit's budget for the preceding two years;

(5) the taxing unit's proposed or adopted budget for the current year;

(6) the change in the amount of the taxing unit's budget from the preceding year to the current year, by dollar amount and percentage;

(7) in the case of a taxing unit other than a school district, the amount of property tax revenue budgeted for maintenance and operations for:

(A) the preceding two years; and

(B) the current year;

(8) in the case of a taxing unit other than a school district, the amount of property tax revenue budgeted for debt service for:

(A) the preceding two years; and

(B) the current year;

(9) the tax rate for maintenance and operations adopted by the taxing unit for the preceding two years;

(10) in the case of a taxing unit other than a school district, the tax rate for debt service adopted by the unit for the preceding two years;

(11) in the case of a school district, the interest and sinking fund tax rate adopted by the district for the preceding two years;

(12) the tax rate for maintenance and operations proposed by the taxing unit for the current year;

(13) in the case of a taxing unit other than a school district, the tax rate for debt service proposed by the unit for the current year;

(14) in the case of a school district, the interest and sinking fund tax rate proposed by the district for the current year; and

(15) the most recent financial audit of the taxing unit.

SECTION 26. Section 41.03(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A taxing unit is entitled to challenge before the appraisal review board:

(1) [the level of appraisals of any category of property in the district or in any territory in the district, but not the appraised value of a single taxpayer's property;

[(2)] an exclusion of property from the appraisal records;

(2) [(3)] a grant in whole or in part of a partial exemption;

(3) [(4)] a determination that land qualifies for appraisal as provided by Subchapter C, D, E, or H, Chapter 23; or

(4) [(5)] failure to identify the taxing unit as one in which a particular property is taxable.

SECTION 27. Section 41.44(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) A notice of protest is sufficient if it identifies the protesting property owner, including a person claiming an ownership interest in the property even if that person is not listed on the appraisal records as an owner of the property, identifies the property that is the subject of the protest, and indicates apparent dissatisfaction with some determination of the appraisal office. The notice need not be on an official form, but the comptroller shall prescribe a form that provides for more detail about the nature of the protest. The form must permit a property owner to include each property in the appraisal district that is the subject of a protest. The form must permit a property owner to request that the protest be heard by a special panel established under Section 6.425 if the protest will be determined by an appraisal review board to which that section applies and the property is described by Section 6.425(b). The comptroller, each appraisal office, and each appraisal review board shall make the forms readily available and deliver one to a property owner on request.

SECTION 28. Section 41.45, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), and (d-3) to read as follows:

(d) This subsection does not apply to a special panel established under Section 6.425. An appraisal review board consisting of more than three members may sit in panels of not fewer than three members to conduct protest hearings. [However, the determination of a protest heard by a panel must be made by the board.] If the recommendation of a panel is not accepted by the board, the board may refer the matter for rehearing to a panel composed of members who did not hear the original protest [hearing] or, if there are not at least three members who did not hear the original protest, the board may determine the protest. [Before determining a protest or conducting a rehearing before a new panel or the board, the board shall deliver notice of the hearing or meeting to determine the protest in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter.]

(d-1) An appraisal review board to which Section 6.425 applies shall sit in special panels established under that section to conduct protest hearings. A special panel may conduct a protest hearing relating to property only if the property is described by Section 6.425(b) and the property owner has requested that a special panel conduct the hearing or if the protest is assigned to the special panel under Section 6.425(f). If the recommendation of a special panel is not accepted by the board, the board may refer the matter for rehearing to another special panel composed of members who did not hear the original protest or, if there are not at least three other special panel members who did not hear the original protest, the board may determine the protest.

(d-2) The determination of a protest heard by a panel under Subsection (d) or (d-1) must be made by the board.

(d-3) The board must deliver notice of a hearing or meeting to determine a protest heard by a panel, or to rehear a protest, under Subsection (d) or (d-1) in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter.

SECTION 29. Section 41.66, Tax Code, is amended by amending Subsection (k) and adding Subsection (k-1) to read as follows:

(k) This subsection does not apply to a special panel established under Section 6.425. If an appraisal review board sits in panels to conduct protest hearings, protests shall be randomly assigned to panels, except that the board may consider the type of property subject to the protest or the ground of the protest for the purpose of using the expertise of a particular panel in hearing protests regarding particular types of property or based on particular grounds. If a protest is scheduled to be heard by a particular panel, the protest may not be reassigned to another panel without the consent of the property owner or designated agent. If the appraisal review board has cause to reassign a protest to another panel, a property owner or designated agent may agree to reassignment of the protest or may request that the hearing on the protest be postponed. The board shall postpone the hearing on that request. A change of members of a panel because of a conflict of interest, illness, or inability to continue participating in hearings for the remainder of the day does not constitute reassignment of a protest to another panel.

(k-1) On the request of a property owner, an appraisal review board to which Section 6.425 applies shall assign a protest relating to property described by Section 6.425(b) to a special panel. In addition, the chairman of the appraisal review board may assign a protest relating to property not described by Section 6.425(b) to a special panel as authorized by Section 6.425(f). Protests assigned to special panels shall be randomly assigned to those panels. If a protest is scheduled to be heard by a particular special panel, the protest may not be reassigned to another special panel without the consent of the property owner or designated agent. If the board has cause to reassign a protest to another special panel, a property owner or designated agent may agree to reassignment of the protest or may request that the hearing on the protest be postponed. The board shall postpone the hearing on that request. A change of members of a special panel because of a conflict of interest, illness, or inability to continue participating in hearings for the remainder of the day does not constitute reassignment of a protest to another special panel.

SECTION 30. Section 45.105(e), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(e) The governing body of an independent school district that governs a junior college district under Subchapter B, Chapter 130, in a county with a population of more than two million may dedicate a specific percentage of the local tax levy to the use of the junior college district for facilities and equipment or for the maintenance and operating expenses of the junior college district. To be effective, the dedication must be made by the governing body on or before the date on which the governing body adopts its tax rate for a year. The amount of local tax funds derived from the percentage of the local tax levy dedicated to a junior college district from a tax levy may not exceed the amount that would be levied by five percent of the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate for the tax year calculated as provided by Section 26.04, Tax Code, on all property taxable by the school district. All real property purchased with these funds is the property of the school district, but is subject to the exclusive control of the governing body of the junior college district for as long as the junior college district uses the property for educational purposes.

SECTION 31. Section 102.007(d), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) An adopted budget must contain a cover page that includes:

(1) one of the following statements in 18-point or larger type that accurately describes the adopted budget:

(A) "This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of increase), which is a (insert percentage increase) percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(B) "This budget will raise less revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of decrease), which is a (insert percentage decrease) percent decrease from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll)."; or

(C) "This budget will raise the same amount of revenue from property taxes as last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(2) the record vote of each member of the governing body by name voting on the adoption of the budget;

(3) the municipal property tax rates for the preceding fiscal year, and each municipal property tax rate that has been adopted or calculated for the current fiscal year, including:

(A) the property tax rate;

(B) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate;

(C) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate;

(D) the rollback tax rate; and

(E) the debt rate; and

(4) the total amount of municipal debt obligations.

SECTION 32. Section 111.008(d), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) An adopted budget must contain a cover page that includes:

(1) one of the following statements in 18-point or larger type that accurately describes the adopted budget:

(A) "This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of increase), which is a (insert percentage increase) percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(B) "This budget will raise less revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of decrease), which is a (insert percentage decrease) percent decrease from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll)."; or

(C) "This budget will raise the same amount of revenue from property taxes as last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(2) the record vote of each member of the commissioners court by name voting on the adoption of the budget;

(3) the county property tax rates for the preceding fiscal year, and each county property tax rate that has been adopted or calculated for the current fiscal year, including:

(A) the property tax rate;

(B) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate;

(C) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate;

(D) the rollback tax rate; and

(E) the debt rate; and

(4) the total amount of county debt obligations.

SECTION 33. Section 111.039(d), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(d) An adopted budget must contain a cover page that includes:

(1) one of the following statements in 18-point or larger type that accurately describes the adopted budget:

(A) "This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of increase), which is a (insert percentage increase) percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(B) "This budget will raise less revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of decrease), which is a (insert percentage decrease) percent decrease from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll)."; or

(C) "This budget will raise the same amount of revenue from property taxes as last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(2) the record vote of each member of the commissioners court by name voting on the adoption of the budget;

(3) the county property tax rates for the preceding fiscal year, and each county property tax rate that has been adopted or calculated for the current fiscal year, including:

(A) the property tax rate;

(B) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate;

(C) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate;

(D) the rollback tax rate; and

(E) the debt rate; and

(4) the total amount of county debt obligations.

SECTION 34. Section 111.068(c), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) An adopted budget must contain a cover page that includes:

(1) one of the following statements in 18-point or larger type that accurately describes the adopted budget:

(A) "This budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of increase), which is a (insert percentage increase) percent increase from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(B) "This budget will raise less revenue from property taxes than last year's budget by an amount of (insert total dollar amount of decrease), which is a (insert percentage decrease) percent decrease from last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll)."; or

(C) "This budget will raise the same amount of revenue from property taxes as last year's budget. The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is (insert amount computed by multiplying the proposed tax rate by the value of new property added to the roll).";

(2) the record vote of each member of the commissioners court by name voting on the adoption of the budget;

(3) the county property tax rates for the preceding fiscal year, and each county property tax rate that has been adopted or calculated for the current fiscal year, including:

(A) the property tax rate;

(B) the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate;

(C) the no-new-revenue [effective] maintenance and operations tax rate;

(D) the rollback tax rate; and

(E) the debt rate; and

(4) the total amount of county debt obligations.

SECTION 35. Sections 140.010(a), (d), (e), and (f), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate" and "rollback tax rate" mean the no-new-revenue [effective] tax rate and rollback tax rate of a county or municipality, as applicable, as calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code.

(d) A county or municipality that proposes a property tax rate that does not exceed the lower of the no-new-revenue [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 by the governing body of (insert name of county or municipality).

PROPOSED TAX RATE $______ per $100

PRECEDING YEAR'S TAX RATE $______ per $100

NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE $______ per $100 "The no-new-revenue [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.

"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)"

(e) A county or municipality that proposes a property tax rate that exceeds the lower of the no-new-revenue [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 no-new-revenue [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

NO-NEW-REVENUE [EFFECTIVE] TAX RATE$______ per $100

ROLLBACK TAX RATE$______ per $100 "The no-new-revenue [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 the voters are entitled to petition for an election to limit the rate that may be approved to the rollback tax 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:

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

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

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

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

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

(B) [(ii)] the municipality, in the case of notice provided by a municipality; or [and]

(3) posting [(2) post] the notice prominently on the home page of 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 36. Section 8876.152(b), Special District Local Laws Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Sections 49.236(a)(1) and (2) and (b) [Section 49.236], Water Code, apply [as added by Chapter 248 (H.B. 1541), Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, applies] to the district.

SECTION 37. Section 49.236(a), Water Code, as added by Chapter 335 (S.B. 392), Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Before the board adopts an ad valorem tax rate for the district for debt service, operation and maintenance purposes, or contract purposes, the board shall give notice of each meeting of the board at which the adoption of a tax rate will be considered. The notice must:

(1) contain a statement in substantially the following form:

"NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE

"The (name of the district) will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year (year of tax levy) on (date and time) at (meeting place). Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property [and the tax rate that is adopted]. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

"(Names of all board members and, if a vote was taken, an indication of how each voted on the proposed tax rate and an indication of any absences.)";

(2) contain the following information:

(A) the district's total adopted tax rate for the preceding year and the proposed tax rate, expressed as an amount per $100;

(B) the difference, expressed as an amount per $100 and as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the proposed tax rate compared to the adopted tax rate for the preceding year;

(C) the average appraised value of a residence homestead in the district in the preceding year and in the current year; the district's total homestead exemption, other than an exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older, applicable to that appraised value in each of those years; and the average taxable value of a residence homestead in the district in each of those years, disregarding any homestead exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older;

(D) the amount of tax that would have been imposed by the district in the preceding year on a residence homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a residence homestead in that year, disregarding any homestead exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older;

(E) the amount of tax that would be imposed by the district in the current year on a residence homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a residence homestead in that year, disregarding any homestead exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older, if the proposed tax rate is adopted; [and]

(F) the difference between the amounts of tax calculated under Paragraphs (D) and (E), expressed in dollars and cents and described as the annual percentage increase or decrease, as applicable, in the tax to be imposed by the district on the average residence homestead in the district in the current year if the proposed tax rate is adopted; and

(G) if the proposed combined debt service, operation and maintenance, and contract tax rate would authorize the qualified voters of the district by petition to require a rollback election to be held in the district, a description of the purpose of the proposed tax increase; and

(3) contain a statement in substantially the following form:

"NOTICE OF TAXPAYERS' RIGHT TO ROLLBACK ELECTION

"If taxes on the average residence homestead increase by more than eight percent, the qualified voters of the district by petition may require that an election be held to determine whether to reduce the operation and maintenance tax rate to the rollback tax rate under Section 49.236(d), Water Code."

SECTION 38. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Section 49.236, Water Code, as added by Chapter 248 (H.B. 1541), Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003; and

(2) Section 49.2361, Water Code.

SECTION 39. The changes in law made by this Act relating to the ad valorem tax rate of a taxing unit apply beginning with the 2018 tax year.

SECTION 40. (a) The comptroller shall comply with Sections 5.07(f), (g), (h), and (i), Tax Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after January 1, 2018.

(b) The comptroller shall comply with Section 5.091, Tax Code, as amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 2021.

SECTION 41. Section 6.41(d-9), Tax Code, as amended by this Act, and Section 6.41(d-10), Tax Code, as added by this Act, apply only to the appointment of appraisal review board members to terms beginning on or after January 1, 2019.

SECTION 42. (a) An appraisal district established in a county with a population of 120,000 or more and each taxing unit located wholly or partly in such an appraisal district shall comply with Sections 26.04(e-2), 26.17, and 26.18, Tax Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2019 tax year.

(b) An appraisal district established in a county with a population of less than 120,000 and each taxing unit located wholly in such an appraisal district shall comply with Sections 26.04(e-2), 26.17, and 26.18, Tax Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2020 tax year.

SECTION 43. Section 41.03(a), Tax Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a challenge under Chapter 41, Tax Code, for which a challenge petition is filed on or after January 1, 2018. A challenge under Chapter 41, Tax Code, for which a challenge petition was filed before January 1, 2018, is governed by the law in effect on the date the challenge petition was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 44. Sections 41.45 and 41.66, Tax Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to a protest filed under Chapter 41, Tax Code, on or after January 1, 2019. A protest filed under that chapter before January 1, 2019, is governed by the law in effect on the date the protest was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 45. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2018.

(b) The following provisions take effect September 1, 2018:

(1) Sections 6.41(b) and (d-9), Tax Code, as amended by this Act;

(2) Sections 6.41(b-1), (b-2), and (d-10), Tax Code, as added by this Act;

(3) Section 6.414(d), Tax Code, as amended by this Act;

(4) Section 6.425, Tax Code, as added by this Act;

(5) Section 41.44(d), Tax Code, as amended by this Act;

(6) Section 41.45(d), Tax Code, as amended by this Act;

(7) Sections 41.45(d-1), (d-2), and (d-3), Tax Code, as added by this Act;

(8) Section 41.66(k), Tax Code, as amended by this Act; and

(9) Section 41.66(k-1), Tax Code, as added by this Act.

(c) The following provisions take effect January 1, 2019:

(1) Sections 26.04(d-1), (d-2), (e-2), (e-3), and (e-4), Tax Code, as added by this Act;

(2) Sections 26.04(e-1) and (g), Tax Code, as amended by this Act;

(3) Sections 26.05(d-1) and (d-2), Tax Code, as added by this Act; and

(4) Section 26.05(e), Tax Code, as amended by this Act.