BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 916
	By: Seliger
	Local Government
	6/1/2021
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, local governments around the state hire and retain chief appraisers. However, there is not a uniform way for those local entities to inquire on the previous performance of an applicant. If a chief appraiser is unable to pass a methods and assistance program audit and subsequent property value studies, public school districts located within the county often lose funding even though the school district and its students are not at fault.

S.B. 916 requires the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to provide an inquiring local government entity information on whether the registered appraiser who is being considered for appointment as chief appraiser for the entity's appraisal district has received a notation of noncompliance.

(Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 916 amends current law relating to certain information regarding appraisal district noncompliance and property values in the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records of a professional property tax appraiser serving as chief appraiser for the district.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 1 (Section 1151.109, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 1151, Occupations Code, by adding Section 1151.109, as follows:

Sec. 1151.109. INFORMATION ON APPRAISAL DISTRICT REVIEWS. (a) Requires the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) by rule to require the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to include in the record of the registered professional appraiser who serves as chief appraiser for an appraisal district at the time the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller) finalizes the biennial review of the appraisal district's performance under Section 5.102(c) (relating to requiring the comptroller to notify the appraisal district in writing at the conclusion of the review of its performance), Tax Code, an electronic link to:

(1) the comptroller's report for the review; and

(2) each property value study the comptroller conducts under Subchapter M (Study of School District Property Values), Chapter 403 (Comptroller of Public Accounts), Government Code, that is used in the review.

(b) Authorizes an appraisal district to request from TDLR information on a registered professional appraiser whom the board of directors of the appraisal district is considering for appointment as chief appraiser of the appraisal district. Requires TDLR to inform the requestor of the status of any compliance efforts of an appraisal district under Section 5.102(d) (relating to requiring the comptroller to notify TDLR if the appraisal district fails to comply with certain recommendations and the comptroller finds that the board of directors of the appraisal district failed to take certain actions), Tax Code, for previous reviews in which the appraiser served as chief appraiser of that appraisal district.

SECTION 2. Requires TCLR, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules to implement Section 1151.109, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2021.