By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1041
(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2015; March 11, 2015, read
first time and referred to Committee on Finance; May 6, 2015,
reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 1;
May 6, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to required disclosures in ballot proposition language
authorizing political subdivisions to issue bonds or impose or
change a tax.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 52.072, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (e) and
any other requirement imposed by law for a proposition, including a
provision prescribing the proposition language, a proposition
submitted to the voters for approval of the issuance of bonds or the
imposition, increase, or reduction of a tax shall for any political
subdivision, including municipalities, counties, school districts,
and special taxing districts, specifically state, as applicable:
(1) with respect to a proposition seeking voter
approval of the issuance of bonds:
(A) the total amount of the political
subdivision's debt currently outstanding;
(B) the total amount of the political
subdivision's current debt payments;
(C) the amount of taxes required to be imposed on
a homestead with a value equal to the median homestead value in the
political subdivision, as computed by the appraisal district, to
repay the political subdivision's current debt obligations; and
(D) the estimated tax burden that would be
imposed on a homestead with a value equal to the median homestead
value in the political subdivision, as computed by the appraisal
district, to repay the bonds to be authorized, if approved;
(2) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the imposition or increase of a tax:
(A) the estimated additional tax burden that
would be imposed on a homestead with a value equal to the median
homestead value in the political subdivision, as computed by the
appraisal district, after the imposition or increase of the tax, if
approved; and
(B) a detailed description of the purposes for
which the tax is to be imposed or increased, if approved; or
(3) with respect to a proposition that only seeks
voter approval of the reduction of a tax, the estimated tax
reduction for a homestead with a value equal to the median homestead
value in the political subdivision, as computed by the appraisal
district, if the reduction of the tax is approved.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a ballot for an election ordered on or after the effective date of
this Act. An election ordered before the effective date of this Act
is governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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