Texas House Bill HB1081

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to the correction of an ad valorem tax appraisal roll and related appraisal records.

Impact

The adoption of HB 1081 is expected to streamline the process for property owners seeking to rectify appraisal inaccuracies, potentially leading to fairer property tax assessments. The ability to correct errors over multiple tax years represents a significant change, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on property owners who may have been over-assessed. This flexibility might encourage more property owners to participate in the appraisal review process, ultimately influencing local tax revenues.

Summary

House Bill 1081 introduces amendments to the Tax Code regarding the correction of ad valorem tax appraisal rolls and related records. Specifically, it allows property owners to request changes to the appraisal roll for the current tax year and the two preceding years if they can demonstrate that inaccuracies are the result of errors or omissions in their filed statements. The bill imposes specific conditions under which these corrections can be made, such as not permitting changes if a property owner has failed to file necessary documents on time or has already engaged in a protest process regarding the appraisal.

Contention

There may be points of contention regarding the bill, notably the potential impact on local taxing districts' revenues. Critics could argue that allowing retroactive corrections might disrupt expected revenue flows, especially if numerous property owners seek adjustments for past years. Proponents, however, maintain that the legislation is necessary to correct genuine inaccuracies that unjustly penalize property owners and do not reflect true property values.