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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the selection and authority of the board of directors of |
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an appraisal district in certain counties; authorizing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by |
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adding Sections 6.0301 and 6.0302 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 6.0301. ELECTED APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county |
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that: |
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(1) has a population of more than 400,000; and |
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(2) is adjacent to a county with a population of more |
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than 3.3 million and no other counties with a population of more |
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than 300,000. |
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(b) Sections 6.03, 6.031, 6.033, 6.034, 6.037, and 6.10 do |
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not apply to an appraisal district established in a county to which |
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this section applies. |
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(c) The appraisal district established in a county to which |
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this section applies is governed by a board of elected |
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directors. One director is elected from each of the four |
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commissioners precincts in the county in which the appraisal |
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district is established and one director is elected at large from |
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the county. The county assessor-collector serves as a nonvoting |
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director. The county assessor-collector is ineligible to serve if |
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the board enters into a contract under Section 6.05(b) or if the |
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commissioners court of the county enters into a contract under |
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Section 6.24(b). The directors other than the county |
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assessor-collector are elected at the general election for state |
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and county officers and serve two-year terms beginning on January 1 |
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of odd-numbered years. |
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(d) To be eligible to serve on the board of directors of an |
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appraisal district established in a county to which this section |
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applies, an individual other than the county assessor-collector |
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must: |
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(1) be a resident of: |
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(A) the commissioners precinct from which the |
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office is elected, in the case of a director elected from a |
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commissioners precinct; or |
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(B) the county in which the appraisal district is |
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established, in the case of a director elected at large; and |
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(2) have resided in the appraisal district for at |
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least two years immediately preceding the date the individual takes |
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office. |
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(e) A vacancy on the board of directors of an appraisal |
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district established in a county to which this section applies, |
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other than a vacancy in the position held by the county |
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assessor-collector, is filled for the remainder of the unexpired |
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term by appointment by the commissioners court of the county in |
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which the appraisal district is established. An individual |
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appointed to fill a vacancy on the board of directors must meet the |
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qualifications of the vacated position. |
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(f) If as a result of a change in the boundaries of a |
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commissioners precinct an individual serving as a director no |
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longer resides in the precinct from which the office is elected, the |
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individual is not for that reason disqualified from office during |
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the remainder of the term of office being served at the time the |
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boundary change takes effect. If as a result of a change in the |
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boundaries of a commissioners precinct an individual elected as a |
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director before the boundary change to a term that begins after the |
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boundary change no longer resides in the precinct from which |
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elected, the individual is not for that reason disqualified from |
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serving the term to which elected. |
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(g) For an appraisal district established in a county to |
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which this section applies, a reference in Sections 6.051, 6.06, |
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6.061, and 6.063 to the taxing units entitled to vote on the |
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appointment of members of the board of directors of the appraisal |
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district means the taxing units that participate in the appraisal |
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district. |
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Sec. 6.0302. BALLOT PROCEDURES FOR APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD |
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MEMBER; FILING FEE. (a) This section applies only to a member of |
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the board of directors of an appraisal district required to be |
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elected under Section 6.0301. |
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(b) Except as provided by this section, Chapter 144, |
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Election Code, applies to a candidate for the office of member of |
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the board of directors of an appraisal district. |
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(c) An application for a place on the ballot must be filed |
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with the county judge of the county for which the appraisal district |
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is established and be accompanied by a filing fee of $1,250. |
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(d) A filing fee received under this section shall be |
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deposited in the county treasury to the credit of the county general |
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fund. |
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SECTION 2. Section 6.036, Tax Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) An individual is not eligible to be a candidate for a |
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position on the board of directors of an appraisal district |
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established in a county to which Section 6.0301 applies if the |
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individual or a business entity in which the individual has a |
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substantial interest is a party to a contract described by |
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Subsection (a) of this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 6.15(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a routine |
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communication between the chief appraiser and the county |
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assessor-collector that relates to the administration of an |
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appraisal roll, including a communication made in connection with |
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the certification, correction, or collection of an account, |
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regardless of whether the county assessor-collector serves on [was |
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appointed to] the board of directors of the appraisal district [or |
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serves as a nonvoting director]. |
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SECTION 4. (a) The directors of an appraisal district |
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established in a county described by Section 6.0301, Tax Code, as |
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added by this Act, shall be elected as provided by that section |
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beginning with the general election conducted in 2024. Members |
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then elected take office January 1, 2025. |
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(b) The change in the manner of selection of appraisal |
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district directors made by this Act for an appraisal district |
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established in a county described by Section 6.0301, Tax Code, as |
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added by this Act, does not affect the selection of directors who |
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serve on the board of directors before January 1, 2025. |
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(c) The term of an appraisal district director serving on |
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December 31, 2024, in an appraisal district established in a county |
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described by Section 6.0301, Tax Code, as added by this Act, expires |
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on January 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 5. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this |
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section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2025. |
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(b) This section, Section 6.0302, Tax Code, as added by this |
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Act, and Section 4 of this Act take effect September 1, 2023. |