MINUTES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM, SELECT

Thursday, September 20, 2018

10:00 AM

Capitol Extension, Room E1.012

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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Property Tax Reform, Select was held on Thursday, September 20, 2018, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.

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MEMBERS PRESENT:	MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Paul Bettencourt, Chair	Senator Brandon Creighton
Senator Kelly Hancock
Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Senator Charles Perry
Senator Van Taylor

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The chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 AM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:

Chairman Bettencourt made opening remarks.

The chair laid out the following interim charge:

Study and recommend ways to enhance voter engagement in local government decisions around budgets and property tax rates through digital media and social media. Determine how budget and tax rate information should be formatted for effective communication through digital and social media. Identify the ways in which digital and social media present new opportunities for voters to give feedback to local governments. Identify best practices among local governments in Texas and in other states.

The chair then called invited testimony (see attached witness list).

The chair then opened public testimony (see attached witness list).

The chair then laid out the following interim charge:

Evaluate whether existing libraries of property tax data and collection methods are adequate for studying local property tax outcomes and identifying drivers of growing property tax levies. Determine the scope of existing data, where it is stored, and how it is made available to the public. Determine whether existing, available data is adequate for the needs of the legislature and the public. Review existing procedures for the collection and verification of data. Receive recommendations from the comptroller regarding the collection, verification, and publication of property tax data.

The chair then called invited testimony (see attached witness list).

Senator Lucio, Jr. assumed the chair.

The chair then opened public testimony (see attached witness list).

Senator Bettencourt resumed the chair.

The chair then laid out the following interim charge:

Evaluate the operations of appraisal review boards (ARBs), specifically the training and expertise of members concerning appraisal standards and law, ethics, and meeting procedures. Determine whether ARB operations are sufficiently independent of central appraisal districts and taxing units and whether ARBs and/or chief appraisers should be elected.

The chair then called invited testimony (see attached witness list).

The chair then opened public testimony (see attached witness list).

The chair then closed public testimony on all charges.

There being no further business, at 3:52 PM Senator Bettencourt moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

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Senator Paul Bettencourt, Chair

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Daniel Warner, Clerk