83R23479 DDT-D By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 359 (Eiland) Substitute the following for S.B. No. 359: No. A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the selection of certain members of the board of directors of an appraisal district. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subsections (c) and (e), Section 6.03, Tax Code, are amended to read as follows: (c) Members of the board of directors other than a county assessor-collector serving as a nonvoting director are appointed by vote of the governing bodies of the incorporated cities and towns, the school districts, the junior college districts, and, if entitled to vote, the conservation and reclamation districts that participate in the district and of the county. A governing body may cast all its votes for one candidate or distribute them among candidates for any number of directorships. Conservation and reclamation districts are not entitled to vote unless at least one conservation and reclamation district in the district delivers to the chief appraiser a written request to nominate and vote on the board of directors by June 1 of each odd-numbered year. On receipt of a request, the chief appraiser shall certify a list by June 15 of all eligible conservation and reclamation districts that are imposing taxes and that participate in the district. (e) The chief appraiser shall calculate the number of votes to which each taxing unit other than a conservation and reclamation district is entitled and shall deliver written notice to each of those units of its voting entitlement before October 1 of each odd-numbered year. The chief appraiser shall deliver the notice: (1) to the county judge and each commissioner of the county served by the appraisal district; (2) to the presiding officer of the governing body of each city or town participating in the appraisal district, to the city manager of each city or town having a city manager, and to the city secretary or clerk, if there is one, of each city or town that does not have a city manager; [and] (3) to the presiding officer of the governing body of each school district participating in the district and to the superintendent of those school districts; and (4) to the presiding officer of the governing body of each junior college district participating in the district and to the president, chancellor, or other chief executive officer of those junior college districts. SECTION 2. Section 6.031, Tax Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: (b-1) If an appraisal district increases the number of members on the board of directors of the district or changes the method or procedure for appointing the members as provided by this section, the board of directors by resolution shall provide for the junior college districts that participate in the appraisal district to collectively participate in the selection of directors in the same manner as the school district that imposes the lowest total dollar amount of property taxes in the appraisal district among all of the school districts that participate in the appraisal district. A resolution adopted under this section is not subject to rejection by a resolution opposing the change filed with the board of directors by a taxing unit under Subsection (a). SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to the selection of appraisal district directors for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2014. The change in law made by this Act does not affect the selection of appraisal district directors for terms beginning before that date. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.