HBA-JRA S.B. 379 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 379
By: Cain (Hilbert)
Ways & Means
3/17/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The current provisions applying to a person's eligibility to serve on an
appraisal review board in a county with a population of more than 300,000
were approved in 1995 in an effort to make appraisal review boards more
independent. However, a similar bill featured the same restrictions, but
applied to all counties regardless of population.  S.B. 379 establishes
separate restrictions on eligibility to serve on appraisal review boards in
counties with populations of more than 300,000 and counties with
populations of less than 300,000. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 6.41(c), Tax Code, to delete certain eligibility
requirements for a member of an appraisal district board. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 6.412, Tax Code, by amending Subsection (c) and
adding Subsections (d) and (e), as follows: 

(c)  Provides that a person is ineligible to serve on an appraisal review
board if the person is a member of the board of directors, officer, or
employee of the appraisal district, an employee of the Comptroller of
Public Accounts, or a member of the governing body, officer, or employee of
a taxing unit. 

(d)  Provides that a person is ineligible to serve on an appraisal review
board of an appraisal district established for a county with a population
of more than 300,000 if the person has served for all or part of three
previous terms as a board member or auxiliary board member on the appraisal
review board or if less than four years have passed since the person served
as a member of the governing body or officer of a taxing unit for which the
appraisal district appraises property. 

(e)  Provides that in an appraisal district established for a county with a
population of less than 300,000, a person who has served for all or part of
three previous terms as a board member or auxiliary board member on the
appraisal review board is ineligible to serve on the appraisal review board
during a term that begins on the next January 1 following the third of
those consecutive terms. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.