Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1309 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/28/2019

                    86R2703 TJB-D
 By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1309


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the assessment and collection of ad valorem taxes
 imposed by a school district.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 11.1511(c), Education Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (c)  The board may:
 (1)  issue bonds and levy, pledge, assess, and collect
 an annual ad valorem tax to pay the principal and interest on the
 bonds as authorized under Sections 45.001 and 45.003;
 (2)  levy, assess, and collect an annual ad valorem tax
 for maintenance and operation of the district as authorized under
 Sections 45.002 and 45.003; and
 (3)  [employ a person to assess or collect the
 district's taxes as authorized under Section 45.231; and
 [(4)]  enter into contracts as authorized under this
 code or other law and delegate contractual authority to the
 superintendent as appropriate.
 SECTION 2.  Section 45.231, Education Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 Sec. 45.231.  [EMPLOYMENT OF] ASSESSOR AND COLLECTOR. [(a)]
 The assessor and collector for [board of trustees of] an
 independent school district is the county assessor-collector for
 the county in which the property subject to taxation by the school
 district is located [may employ a person to assess or collect the
 school district's taxes and may compensate the person as the board
 of trustees considers appropriate].
 [(b)     This section does not prohibit an independent school
 district from providing for the assessment or collection of the
 school district's taxes under a method authorized by Subchapter B,
 Chapter 6, Tax Code.]
 SECTION 3.  Sections 6.22(a) and (b), Tax Code, are amended
 to read as follows:
 (a)  The assessor and collector for a taxing unit other than
 a county, school district, or [a] home-rule municipality [city] are
 determined by the law creating or authorizing creation of the
 taxing unit.
 (b)  The assessor and collector for a home-rule municipality
 [city] are determined by the municipality's [city's] charter and
 ordinances.
 SECTION 4.  Section 6.23, Tax Code, is amended by adding
 Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
 (a-1)  The county assessor-collector shall assess and
 collect taxes on property in the county for each school district
 located in the county.
 SECTION 5.  Section 6.27(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as
 follows:
 (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), the county
 assessor-collector is entitled to a reasonable fee, which may not
 exceed the actual costs incurred, for assessing and collecting
 taxes for a taxing unit as required by [pursuant to] Section
 6.23(a)(1), (2), or (3) or (a-1).
 SECTION 6.  Section 45.232, Education Code, is repealed.
 SECTION 7.  The changes in law made by this Act do not apply
 to an independent school district during the term of a contract
 entered into by the school district before the effective date of
 this Act that requires a person other than an employee of the school
 district to assess, collect, or assess and collect ad valorem taxes
 imposed by the school district.
 SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.