By: Nichols S.B. No. 1851
 
  (Harris, et al.)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the penalty for noncompliance with certain audit
  requirements by a municipality.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 103, Local Government Code, is amended
  by adding Section 103.005 to read as follows:
         Sec. 103.005.  ANNUAL AUDIT AND FILING OF FINANCIAL
  STATEMENT; PENALTY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "No-new-revenue tax rate" means the
  no-new-revenue tax rate calculated under Chapter 26, Tax Code.
               (2)  "Tax year" has the meaning assigned by Section
  1.04, Tax Code.
         (b)  A person may submit a complaint to the attorney general
  of a suspected violation of Section 103.001 or 103.003.
         (c)  Notwithstanding any other law, if the attorney general
  determines that a municipality has not had its records and accounts
  audited and an annual financial statement prepared based on the
  audit as required by Section 103.001 or has not filed the financial
  statement and the auditor's opinion on the statement in the office
  of the municipal secretary or clerk before the 180th day after the
  last day of the municipality's fiscal year as required by Section
  103.003, the municipality may not adopt an ad valorem tax rate that
  exceeds the municipality's no-new-revenue tax rate:
               (1)  for the tax year that begins on or after the date
  of the attorney general's determination; or
               (2)  for a subsequent tax year that begins before the
  date the municipality has had an annual audit completed and
  financial statement prepared or filed the financial statement and
  auditor's opinion on the financial statement with the municipal
  clerk, as applicable.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to the adoption of an ad
  valorem tax rate for a tax year that begins on or after the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.