HBA-LJP S.B. 337 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 337
By: Madla
Ways & Means
4/19/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, an appraisal district is governed by a board of
directors that is composed of a county assessor-collector and persons
appointed by applicable governing bodies of municipalities, conservation
and reclamation districts, and school districts.  However, a hospital
district that participates in an appraisal district and is required to pay
taxes imposed by the appraisal district is not authorized to have a
representative on the board of directors of the appraisal district.  Senate
Bill 337 entitles certain hospital districts to vote for the board of
directors of an appraisal district. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 337 amends the Tax Code to entitle a hospital district, under
certain conditions, to vote for the board of directors of an appraisal
district.  The bill applies only if the hospital district is located in a
county with a population of less than 20,000 that is designated in its
entirety as a medically underserved area by the Texas Department of Health,
and the total amount of property taxes imposed in the appraisal district by
the hospital district for the preceding tax year is at least 10 percent of
the sum of the total amount of property taxes imposed in the appraisal
district for that year by each taxing unit that participates in the
appraisal district.  The bill requires the chief appraiser to deliver
notice to the presiding officer of the governing body of each hospital
district participating in an appraisal district that is entitled to vote
regarding the number of votes to which the hospital district is entitled. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  The provisions apply to the selection of appraisal
district directors for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2002.