BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3575
89R21666 MZM-D	By: Noble et al. (West)
	Local Government
	5/18/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The 88th Legislature, in its 2nd Called Session, passed S.B. 2, which, among other things, provided for both the appointment and the election of members of the board of directors of tax appraisal districts in counties with populations of 75,000 or more. The bill author has informed the committee that a candidate for an elected position on such a board currently must file their ballot application with the county judge. However, a March 20, 2024, ethics advisory opinion from the Texas Ethics Commission opines that "a candidate for an appraisal district's board of directors must file campaign treasurer appointments�with the clerk or secretary of the appraisal district" and sets out the reasoning for this opinion. H.B. 3575 seeks to ensure a consistent process for the board candidates' filings of campaign treasurer appointments and for an application for a place on the ballot and to ensure that those board candidates and the candidates for a county office, precinct office, and district office other than a district office filled by voters of more than one county all file with either the county clerk or a county elections administrator, if the applicable county has that position. 

H.B. 3575 amends current law relating to the filing of a campaign treasurer appointment and an application for a place on the ballot by a candidate for the board of directors of an appraisal district.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 252.005, Election Code, as follows:

Sec. 252.005. AUTHORITY WITH WHOM APPOINTMENT FILED: CANDIDATE. Requires an individual to file a campaign treasurer appointment for the individual's own candidacy with certain entities, including the county clerk or, for counties having the position, the county elections administrator, if the appointment is made for candidacy for certain positions, including an elected position on the board of directors of an appraisal district to which Section 6.0301 (Board of Directors in Populous Counties), Tax Code, applies, or, except as otherwise provided by this section, certain additional entities. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 6.032(b), Tax Code, to require that an application for a place on the ballot be filed with the county clerk or, for counties having the position, the county elections administrator, rather than with the county judge, of the county in which the appraisal district is established and be accompanied by certain additional components.

SECTION 3. Makes application of Section 252.005 (Authority With Whom Appointment Filed: Candidate), Election Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 4. Makes application of Section 6.032 (Ballot Procedures for Elected Directors; Filing Fee or Petition), Tax Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.