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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the study of school district property values conducted |
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by the comptroller of public accounts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 403.302, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) In conducting the study, the comptroller shall |
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determine the taxable value of property in each school district: |
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(1) using, if appropriate, samples selected through |
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generally accepted sampling techniques; |
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(2) according to generally accepted standard |
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valuation, statistical compilation, and analysis techniques; and |
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(3) [ensuring that different levels of appraisal on |
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sold and unsold property do not adversely affect the accuracy of the |
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study; and |
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[(4)] ensuring that different levels of appraisal |
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resulting from protests determined under Section 41.43, Tax Code, |
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are appropriately adjusted in the study. |
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(b-1) In conducting a study to determine the values for a |
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tax year, the comptroller may consider a sale of property only if |
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the sale occurred during the preceding tax year. |
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(c) If after conducting the study the comptroller |
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determines that the local value for a school district is valid, the |
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local value is presumed to represent taxable value for the school |
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district. In the absence of that presumption, taxable value for a |
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school district is the state value for the school district |
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determined by the comptroller under Subsections (a) and (b) unless |
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the local value exceeds the state value, in which case the taxable |
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value for the school district is the district's local value. In |
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determining whether the local value for a school district is valid, |
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the comptroller shall use a margin of error that has a range, the |
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upper limit of which is 105 percent of the state value and the lower |
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limit of which is 90 percent of the state value, [does not exceed |
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five percent] unless the comptroller determines that the size of |
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the sample of properties necessary to make the determination makes |
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the use of such a margin of error not feasible, in which case the |
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comptroller may use a larger margin of error. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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the annual study conducted under Section 403.302, Government Code, |
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for a tax year that begins on or after January 1, 2024. The annual |
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study for a tax year that begins before that date is covered by the |
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law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
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the prior law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |