85R1352 SMH-F
By: Faircloth H.B. No. 1728
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the procedure for the adoption of an ad valorem tax rate
by certain special districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 26.05(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
follows:
(a) The governing body of each taxing unit, before the later
of September 30 or the 60th day after the date the certified
appraisal roll is received by the taxing unit, shall adopt a tax
rate for the current tax year and shall notify the assessor for the
unit of the rate adopted. The tax rate consists of two components,
each of which must be approved separately. The components are:
(1) for a taxing unit other than a school district, the
rate that, if applied to the total taxable value, will impose the
total amount calculated [published] under Section 26.04(e)(3)(C),
less any amount of additional sales and use tax revenue that will be
used to pay debt service, or, for a school district, the rate
calculated under Section 44.004(c)(5)(A)(ii)(b), Education Code;
and
(2) the rate that, if applied to the total taxable
value, will impose the amount of taxes needed to fund maintenance
and operation expenditures of the unit for the next year.
SECTION 2. Section 49.107(g), Water Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(g) Except as provided by Section 49.236 of this code,
Sections 26.04(c)-(j), 26.05(b), (c), (d), and (e) [26.04, 26.05],
and 26.07, Tax Code, do not apply to a tax levied and collected
under this section or an ad valorem tax levied and collected for the
payment of the interest on and principal of bonds issued by a
district.
SECTION 3. Section 49.108(f), Water Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(f) Except as provided by Section 49.236 of this code,
Sections 26.04(c)-(j), 26.05(b), (c), (d), and (e) [26.04, 26.05],
and 26.07, Tax Code, do not apply to a tax levied and collected for
payments made under a contract approved in accordance with this
section.
SECTION 4. Sections 49.236(a) and (d), Water Code, as added
by Chapter 335 (S.B. 392), Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2003, are amended to read as follows:
(a) Before the board adopts an ad valorem tax rate for the
district for debt service, operation and maintenance purposes, or
contract purposes, the board shall give notice of each meeting of
the board at which the adoption of a tax rate will be considered.
The notice must:
(1) contain a statement in substantially the following
form:
"NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE
"The (name of the district) will hold a public hearing on a
proposed tax rate for the tax year (year of tax levy) on (date and
time) at (meeting place). Your individual taxes may increase or
decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your
property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other
property and the tax rate that is adopted.
"(Names of all board members and, if a vote was taken, an
indication of how each voted on the proposed tax rate and an
indication of any absences.)";
(2) contain the following information:
(A) the district's total adopted tax rate for the
preceding year and the proposed tax rate, expressed as an amount per
$100;
(B) the difference, expressed as an amount per
$100 and as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the
proposed tax rate compared to the adopted tax rate for the preceding
year;
(C) the average appraised value of a residence
homestead in the district in the preceding year and in the current
year; the district's total homestead exemption, other than an
exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
age or older, applicable to that appraised value in each of those
years; and the average taxable value of a residence homestead in
the district in each of those years, disregarding any homestead
exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
age or older;
(D) the amount of tax that would have been
imposed by the district in the preceding year on a residence
homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a residence
homestead in that year, disregarding any homestead exemption
available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or
older;
(E) the amount of tax that would be imposed by the
district in the current year on a residence homestead appraised at
the average appraised value of a residence homestead in that year,
disregarding any homestead exemption available only to disabled
persons or persons 65 years of age or older, if the proposed tax
rate is adopted; [and]
(F) the difference between the amounts of tax
calculated under Paragraphs (D) and (E), expressed in dollars and
cents and described as the annual percentage increase or decrease,
as applicable, in the tax to be imposed by the district on the
average residence homestead in the district in the current year if
the proposed tax rate is adopted; and
(G) if the proposed combined debt service,
operation and maintenance, and contract tax rate exceeds the
rollback tax rate, a description of the purpose of the proposed tax
increase; and
(3) contain a statement in substantially the following
form:
"NOTICE OF TAXPAYERS' RIGHT TO ROLLBACK ELECTION
"If operation and maintenance taxes on the average residence
homestead increase by more than eight percent, the qualified voters
of the district by petition may require that an election be held to
determine whether to reduce the combined debt service, operation
and maintenance, and contract tax rate to the rollback tax rate
under Section 49.236(d), Water Code."
(d) If the governing body of a district adopts a combined
debt service, operation and maintenance, and contract tax rate that
exceeds the rollback tax rate [would impose more than 1.08 times the
amount of tax imposed by the district in the preceding year on a
residence homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a
residence homestead in the district in that year, disregarding any
homestead exemption available only to disabled persons or persons
65 years of age or older], the qualified voters of the district by
petition may require that an election be held to determine whether
or not to reduce the tax rate adopted for the current year to the
rollback tax rate in accordance with the procedures provided by
Sections 26.07(b)-(g) and 26.081, Tax Code. For purposes of
Sections 26.07(b)-(g) and this section [subsection], the rollback
tax rate is the sum of the following tax rates:
(1) the current year's debt service tax rate;
(2) the current year's [and] contract tax rate; and
(3) [rates plus] the operation and maintenance tax
rate that would impose 1.08 times the amount of the operation and
maintenance tax imposed by the district in the preceding year on a
residence homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a
residence homestead in the district in that year, disregarding any
homestead exemption available only to disabled persons or persons
65 years of age or older.
SECTION 5. Section 8876.152(b), Special District Local Laws
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) Sections 49.236(a)(1) and (2) and (b) [Section 49.236],
Water Code, apply [as added by Chapter 248 (H.B. 1541), Acts of the
78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, applies] to the district.
SECTION 6. The following provisions are repealed:
(1) Section 49.236, Water Code, as added by Chapter
248 (H.B. 1541), Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session,
2003; and
(2) Section 49.2361, Water Code.
SECTION 7. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies to
the ad valorem tax rate of a district as defined by Section 49.001,
Water Code, beginning with the 2017 tax year, except as provided by
Subsection (b) of this section.
(b) If the governing body of a district adopted an ad
valorem tax rate for the district for the 2017 tax year before the
effective date of this Act, the change in law made by this Act
applies to the ad valorem tax rate of that district beginning with
the 2018 tax year, and the law in effect when the tax rate was
adopted applies to the 2017 tax year with respect to that district.
SECTION 8. 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, 2017.