By: Schofield (Senate Sponsor - Bettencourt) H.B. No. 3389
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2017;
May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
May 15, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
Nays 0; May 15, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to fees taxed as costs of suit for certain delinquent tax
suits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 33.73, Tax Code, is amended by adding
Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The district clerk shall collect the fees taxed as costs
of suit and award the fees to the master as required under
Subsection (b) in each delinquent tax suit for which a master is
appointed under Section 33.71, regardless of the disposition of the
suit subject to this subsection. Fees may not be collected or
awarded in a suit dismissed by the master unless the master:
(1) held at least one hearing on the suit; or
(2) prepared for the suit for at least a number of
hours equivalent to the time typically required to conduct a
hearing.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a delinquent tax suit for which a master is appointed that is
filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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