Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1434 Compare Versions

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11 87R7062 TJB-F
22 By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1434
33
44
55 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
66 AN ACT
77 relating to public notice of the availability on the Internet of
88 property-tax-related information.
99 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1010 SECTION 1. Section 44.004(c), Education Code, is amended to
1111 read as follows:
1212 (c) The notice of public meeting to discuss and adopt the
1313 budget and the proposed tax rate may not be smaller than one-quarter
1414 page of a standard-size or a tabloid-size newspaper, and the
1515 headline on the notice must be in 18-point or larger type. Subject
1616 to Subsection (d), the notice must:
1717 (1) contain a statement in the following form:
1818 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE
1919 "The (name of school district) will hold a public meeting at
2020 (time, date, year) in (name of room, building, physical location,
2121 city, state). The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the school
2222 district's budget that will determine the tax rate that will be
2323 adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited." The
2424 statement of the purpose of the meeting must be in bold type. In
2525 reduced type, the notice must state: "The tax rate that is
2626 ultimately adopted at this meeting or at a separate meeting at a
2727 later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown below unless the
2828 district publishes a revised notice containing the same information
2929 and comparisons set out below and holds another public meeting to
3030 discuss the revised notice." In addition, in reduced type, the
3131 notice must state: "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to
3232 your local property tax database on which you can easily access
3333 information regarding your property taxes, including information
3434 about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each
3535 entity that taxes your property.";
3636 (2) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed
3737 Budget with Last Year's Budget," which must show the difference,
3838 expressed as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the
3939 amounts budgeted for the preceding fiscal year and the amount
4040 budgeted for the fiscal year that begins in the current tax year for
4141 each of the following:
4242 (A) maintenance and operations;
4343 (B) debt service; and
4444 (C) total expenditures;
4545 (3) contain a section entitled "Total Appraised Value
4646 and Total Taxable Value," which must show the total appraised value
4747 and the total taxable value of all property and the total appraised
4848 value and the total taxable value of new property taxable by the
4949 district in the preceding tax year and the current tax year as
5050 calculated under Section 26.04, Tax Code;
5151 (4) contain a statement of the total amount of the
5252 outstanding and unpaid bonded indebtedness of the school district;
5353 (5) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed
5454 Rates with Last Year's Rates," which must:
5555 (A) show in rows the tax rates described by
5656 Subparagraphs (i)-(iii), expressed as amounts per $100 valuation of
5757 property, for columns entitled "Maintenance & Operations,"
5858 "Interest & Sinking Fund," and "Total," which is the sum of
5959 "Maintenance & Operations" and "Interest & Sinking Fund":
6060 (i) the school district's "Last Year's
6161 Rate";
6262 (ii) the "Rate to Maintain Same Level of
6363 Maintenance & Operations Revenue & Pay Debt Service," which:
6464 (a) in the case of "Maintenance &
6565 Operations," is the tax rate that, when applied to the current
6666 taxable value for the district, as certified by the chief appraiser
6767 under Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to reflect changes
6868 made by the chief appraiser as of the time the notice is prepared,
6969 would impose taxes in an amount that, when added to state funds to
7070 be distributed to the district under Chapter 48, would provide the
7171 same amount of maintenance and operations taxes and state funds
7272 distributed under Chapter 48 per student in average daily
7373 attendance for the applicable school year that was available to the
7474 district in the preceding school year; and
7575 (b) in the case of "Interest & Sinking
7676 Fund," is the tax rate that, when applied to the current taxable
7777 value for the district, as certified by the chief appraiser under
7878 Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to reflect changes made by
7979 the chief appraiser as of the time the notice is prepared, and when
8080 multiplied by the district's anticipated collection rate, would
8181 impose taxes in an amount that, when added to state funds to be
8282 distributed to the district under Chapter 46 and any excess taxes
8383 collected to service the district's debt during the preceding tax
8484 year but not used for that purpose during that year, would provide
8585 the amount required to service the district's debt; and
8686 (iii) the "Proposed Rate";
8787 (B) contain fourth and fifth columns aligned with
8888 the columns required by Paragraph (A) that show, for each row
8989 required by Paragraph (A):
9090 (i) the "Local Revenue per Student," which
9191 is computed by multiplying the district's total taxable value of
9292 property, as certified by the chief appraiser for the applicable
9393 school year under Section 26.01, Tax Code, and as adjusted to
9494 reflect changes made by the chief appraiser as of the time the
9595 notice is prepared, by the total tax rate, and dividing the product
9696 by the number of students in average daily attendance in the
9797 district for the applicable school year; and
9898 (ii) the "State Revenue per Student," which
9999 is computed by determining the amount of state aid received or to be
100100 received by the district under Chapters 43, 46, and 48 and dividing
101101 that amount by the number of students in average daily attendance in
102102 the district for the applicable school year; and
103103 (C) contain an asterisk after each calculation
104104 for "Interest & Sinking Fund" and a footnote to the section that, in
105105 reduced type, states "The Interest & Sinking Fund tax revenue is
106106 used to pay for bonded indebtedness on construction, equipment, or
107107 both. The bonds, and the tax rate necessary to pay those bonds, were
108108 approved by the voters of this district.";
109109 (6) contain a section entitled "Comparison of Proposed
110110 Levy with Last Year's Levy on Average Residence," which must:
111111 (A) show in rows the information described by
112112 Subparagraphs (i)-(iv), rounded to the nearest dollar, for columns
113113 entitled "Last Year" and "This Year":
114114 (i) "Average Market Value of Residences,"
115115 determined using the same group of residences for each year;
116116 (ii) "Average Taxable Value of Residences,"
117117 determined after taking into account the limitation on the
118118 appraised value of residences under Section 23.23, Tax Code, and
119119 after subtracting all homestead exemptions applicable in each year,
120120 other than exemptions available only to disabled persons or persons
121121 65 years of age or older or their surviving spouses, and using the
122122 same group of residences for each year;
123123 (iii) "Last Year's Rate Versus Proposed
124124 Rate per $100 Value"; and
125125 (iv) "Taxes Due on Average Residence,"
126126 determined using the same group of residences for each year; and
127127 (B) contain the following information: "Increase
128128 (Decrease) in Taxes" expressed in dollars and cents, which is
129129 computed by subtracting the "Taxes Due on Average Residence" for
130130 the preceding tax year from the "Taxes Due on Average Residence" for
131131 the current tax year;
132132 (7) contain the following statement in bold print:
133133 "Under state law, the dollar amount of school taxes imposed on the
134134 residence of a person 65 years of age or older or of the surviving
135135 spouse of such a person, if the surviving spouse was 55 years of age
136136 or older when the person died, may not be increased above the amount
137137 paid in the first year after the person turned 65, regardless of
138138 changes in tax rate or property value.";
139139 (8) contain the following statement in bold print:
140140 "Notice of Voter-Approval Rate: The highest tax rate the district
141141 can adopt before requiring voter approval at an election is (the
142142 school district voter-approval rate determined under Section
143143 26.08, Tax Code). This election will be automatically held if the
144144 district adopts a rate in excess of the voter-approval rate of (the
145145 school district voter-approval rate)."; and
146146 (9) contain a section entitled "Fund Balances," which
147147 must include the estimated amount of interest and sinking fund
148148 balances and the estimated amount of maintenance and operation or
149149 general fund balances remaining at the end of the current fiscal
150150 year that are not encumbered with or by corresponding debt
151151 obligation, less estimated funds necessary for the operation of the
152152 district before the receipt of the first payment under Chapter 48 in
153153 the succeeding school year.
154154 SECTION 2. Section 25.19, Tax Code, is amended by adding
155155 Subsection (m) to read as follows:
156156 (m) A notice required by Subsection (a) or (g) must include
157157 the following statement: "Beginning August 7th, visit
158158 PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local property tax
159159 database on which you can easily access information regarding your
160160 property taxes, including information regarding the amount of taxes
161161 that each entity that taxes your property will impose if the entity
162162 adopts its proposed tax rate. Your local property tax database will
163163 be updated regularly during August and September as local elected
164164 officials propose and adopt the property tax rates that will
165165 determine how much you pay in property taxes."
166166 SECTION 3. Section 26.04(e-2), Tax Code, is amended to read
167167 as follows:
168168 (e-2) By August 7 or as soon thereafter as practicable, the
169169 chief appraiser of each appraisal district shall deliver by regular
170170 mail or e-mail to each owner of property located in the appraisal
171171 district a notice that the estimated amount of taxes to be imposed
172172 on the owner's property by each taxing unit in which the property is
173173 located may be found in the property tax database maintained by the
174174 appraisal district under Section 26.17. The notice must include:
175175 (1) the following [a] statement: "Visit
176176 PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local property tax
177177 database on which you can easily access information regarding your
178178 property taxes, including information regarding the amount of taxes
179179 that each entity that taxes your property will impose if the entity
180180 adopts its proposed tax rate. Your local property tax database will
181181 be updated regularly during August and September as local elected
182182 officials propose and adopt the property tax rates that will
183183 determine how much you pay in property taxes." [directing the
184184 property owner to an Internet website from which the owner may
185185 access information related to the actions taken or proposed to be
186186 taken by each taxing unit in which the property is located that may
187187 affect the taxes imposed on the owner's property];
188188 (2) a statement that the property owner may request
189189 from the county assessor-collector for the county in which the
190190 property is located or, if the county assessor-collector does not
191191 assess taxes for the county, the person who assesses taxes for the
192192 county under Section 6.24(b), contact information for the assessor
193193 for each taxing unit in which the property is located, who must
194194 provide the information described by this subsection to the owner
195195 on request; and
196196 (3) the name, address, and telephone number of the
197197 county assessor-collector for the county in which the property is
198198 located or, if the county assessor-collector does not assess taxes
199199 for the county, the person who assesses taxes for the county under
200200 Section 6.24(b).
201201 SECTION 4. Section 26.052, Tax Code, is amended by adding
202202 Subsection (e-1) to read as follows:
203203 (e-1) Public notice provided under Subsection (c) must
204204 include the following statement: "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to
205205 find a link to your local property tax database on which you can
206206 easily access information regarding your property taxes, including
207207 information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings
208208 of each entity that taxes your property."
209209 SECTION 5. Sections 26.06(b-1), (b-2), and (b-3), Tax Code,
210210 are amended to read as follows:
211211 (b-1) If the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue
212212 tax rate and the voter-approval tax rate of the taxing unit, the
213213 notice must contain a statement in the following form:
214214 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE
215215 "PROPOSED TAX RATE $__________ per $100
216216 "NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE $__________ per $100
217217 "VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE $__________ per $100
218218 "The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the (current
219219 tax year) tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax
220220 revenue for (name of taxing unit) from the same properties in both
221221 the (preceding tax year) tax year and the (current tax year) tax
222222 year.
223223 "The voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate that
224224 (name of taxing unit) may adopt without holding an election to seek
225225 voter approval of the rate.
226226 "The proposed tax rate is greater than the no-new-revenue tax
227227 rate. This means that (name of taxing unit) is proposing to
228228 increase property taxes for the (current tax year) tax year.
229229 "A public hearing on the proposed tax rate will be held on
230230 (date and time) at (meeting place).
231231 "The proposed tax rate is also greater than the
232232 voter-approval tax rate. If (name of taxing unit) adopts the
233233 proposed tax rate, (name of taxing unit) is required to hold an
234234 election so that the voters may accept or reject the proposed tax
235235 rate. If a majority of the voters reject the proposed tax rate, the
236236 tax rate of the (name of taxing unit) will be the voter-approval tax
237237 rate. The election will be held on (date of election). You may
238238 contact the (name of office responsible for administering the
239239 election) for information about voting locations. The hours of
240240 voting on election day are (voting hours).
241241 "Your taxes owed under any of the tax rates mentioned above
242242 can be calculated as follows:
243243 "Property tax amount = tax rate x taxable value of your
244244 property / 100
245245 "(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how
246246 each voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase or, if one
247247 or more were absent, indicating the absences.)
248248 "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local
249249 property tax database on which you can easily access information
250250 regarding your property taxes, including information about
251251 proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity
252252 that taxes your property.
253253 "The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the
254254 voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of
255255 property taxes in the state."
256256 (b-2) If the proposed tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue
257257 tax rate but does not exceed the voter-approval tax rate of the
258258 taxing unit, the notice must contain a statement in the following
259259 form:
260260 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE
261261 "PROPOSED TAX RATE $__________ per $100
262262 "NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE $__________ per $100
263263 "VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE $__________ per $100
264264 "The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the (current
265265 tax year) tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax
266266 revenue for (name of taxing unit) from the same properties in both
267267 the (preceding tax year) tax year and the (current tax year) tax
268268 year.
269269 "The voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate that
270270 (name of taxing unit) may adopt without holding an election to seek
271271 voter approval of the rate.
272272 "The proposed tax rate is greater than the no-new-revenue tax
273273 rate. This means that (name of taxing unit) is proposing to
274274 increase property taxes for the (current tax year) tax year.
275275 "A public hearing on the proposed tax rate will be held on
276276 (date and time) at (meeting place).
277277 "The proposed tax rate is not greater than the voter-approval
278278 tax rate. As a result, (name of taxing unit) is not required to
279279 hold an election at which voters may accept or reject the proposed
280280 tax rate. However, you may express your support for or opposition
281281 to the proposed tax rate by contacting the members of the (name of
282282 governing body) of (name of taxing unit) at their offices or by
283283 attending the public hearing mentioned above.
284284 "Your taxes owed under any of the tax rates mentioned above
285285 can be calculated as follows:
286286 "Property tax amount = tax rate x taxable value of your
287287 property / 100
288288 "(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how
289289 each voted on the proposal to consider the tax increase or, if one
290290 or more were absent, indicating the absences.)
291291 "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local
292292 property tax database on which you can easily access information
293293 regarding your property taxes, including information about
294294 proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity
295295 that taxes your property.
296296 "The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the
297297 voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of
298298 property taxes in the state."
299299 (b-3) If the proposed tax rate does not exceed the
300300 no-new-revenue tax rate but exceeds the voter-approval tax rate of
301301 the taxing unit, the notice must contain a statement in the
302302 following form:
303303 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE
304304 "PROPOSED TAX RATE $__________ per $100
305305 "NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE $__________ per $100
306306 "VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE $__________ per $100
307307 "The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the (current
308308 tax year) tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax
309309 revenue for (name of taxing unit) from the same properties in both
310310 the (preceding tax year) tax year and the (current tax year) tax
311311 year.
312312 "The voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate that
313313 (name of taxing unit) may adopt without holding an election to seek
314314 voter approval of the rate.
315315 "The proposed tax rate is not greater than the no-new-revenue
316316 tax rate. This means that (name of taxing unit) is not proposing to
317317 increase property taxes for the (current tax year) tax year.
318318 "A public hearing on the proposed tax rate will be held on
319319 (date and time) at (meeting place).
320320 "The proposed tax rate is greater than the voter-approval tax
321321 rate. If (name of taxing unit) adopts the proposed tax rate, (name
322322 of taxing unit) is required to hold an election so that the voters
323323 may accept or reject the proposed tax rate. If a majority of the
324324 voters reject the proposed tax rate, the tax rate of the (name of
325325 taxing unit) will be the voter-approval tax rate. The election
326326 will be held on (date of election). You may contact the (name of
327327 office responsible for administering the election) for information
328328 about voting locations. The hours of voting on election day are
329329 (voting hours).
330330 "Your taxes owed under any of the tax rates mentioned above
331331 can be calculated as follows:
332332 "Property tax amount = tax rate x taxable value of your
333333 property / 100
334334 "(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how
335335 each voted on the proposal to consider the tax rate or, if one or
336336 more were absent, indicating the absences.)
337337 "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local
338338 property tax database on which you can easily access information
339339 regarding your property taxes, including information about
340340 proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity
341341 that taxes your property.
342342 "The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the
343343 voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of
344344 property taxes in the state."
345345 SECTION 6. Section 26.061(b), Tax Code, is amended to read
346346 as follows:
347347 (b) The notice of the meeting at which the governing body of
348348 the taxing unit will vote on the proposed tax rate must contain a
349349 statement in the following form:
350350 "NOTICE OF MEETING TO VOTE ON TAX RATE
351351 "PROPOSED TAX RATE $__________ per $100
352352 "NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE $__________ per $100
353353 "VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE $__________ per $100
354354 "The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the (current
355355 tax year) tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax
356356 revenue for (name of taxing unit) from the same properties in both
357357 the (preceding tax year) tax year and the (current tax year) tax
358358 year.
359359 "The voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate that
360360 (name of taxing unit) may adopt without holding an election to seek
361361 voter approval of the rate.
362362 "The proposed tax rate is not greater than the no-new-revenue
363363 tax rate. This means that (name of taxing unit) is not proposing to
364364 increase property taxes for the (current tax year) tax year.
365365 "A public meeting to vote on the proposed tax rate will be
366366 held on (date and time) at (meeting place).
367367 "The proposed tax rate is also not greater than the
368368 voter-approval tax rate. As a result, (name of taxing unit) is not
369369 required to hold an election to seek voter approval of the
370370 rate. However, you may express your support for or opposition to
371371 the proposed tax rate by contacting the members of the (name of
372372 governing body) of (name of taxing unit) at their offices or by
373373 attending the public meeting mentioned above.
374374 "Your taxes owed under any of the above rates can be
375375 calculated as follows:
376376 "Property tax amount = tax rate x taxable value of your
377377 property / 100
378378 "(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how
379379 each voted on the proposed tax rate or, if one or more were absent,
380380 indicating the absences.)
381381 "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local
382382 property tax database on which you can easily access information
383383 regarding your property taxes, including information about
384384 proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity
385385 that taxes your property.
386386 "The 86th Texas Legislature modified the manner in which the
387387 voter-approval tax rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of
388388 property taxes in the state."
389389 SECTION 7. Chapter 26, Tax Code, is amended by adding
390390 Section 26.175 to read as follows:
391391 Sec. 26.175. PROPERTY TAX DATABASE LOCATOR WEBSITE. (a) In
392392 this section, "property tax database" means a property tax database
393393 required to be created and maintained by a chief appraiser under
394394 Section 26.17.
395395 (b) The comptroller shall develop and maintain an easily
396396 accessible Internet website that lists each property tax database
397397 and includes a method to assist a property owner to identify the
398398 appropriate property tax database for the owner's property.
399399 (c) The Internet website must provide a separate link to the
400400 Internet location of each property tax database.
401401 (d) The address of the Internet website must be
402402 "PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov."
403403 SECTION 8. Section 49.236(a), Water Code, is amended to
404404 read as follows:
405405 (a) Before the board adopts an ad valorem tax rate for the
406406 district for debt service, operation and maintenance purposes, or
407407 contract purposes, the board shall give notice of each meeting of
408408 the board at which the adoption of a tax rate will be considered.
409409 The notice must:
410410 (1) contain a statement in substantially the following
411411 form:
412412 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATE
413413 "The (name of the district) will hold a public hearing on a
414414 proposed tax rate for the tax year (year of tax levy) on (date and
415415 time) at (meeting place). Your individual taxes may increase at a
416416 greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate
417417 that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your
418418 property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other
419419 property. The change in the taxable value of your property in
420420 relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property
421421 determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property
422422 owners.
423423 "Visit PropertyTaxes.Texas.gov to find a link to your local
424424 property tax database on which you can easily access information
425425 regarding your property taxes, including information about
426426 proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity
427427 that taxes your property.
428428 "(Names of all board members and, if a vote was taken, an
429429 indication of how each voted on the proposed tax rate and an
430430 indication of any absences.)";
431431 (2) contain the following information:
432432 (A) the district's total adopted tax rate for the
433433 preceding year and the proposed tax rate, expressed as an amount per
434434 $100;
435435 (B) the difference, expressed as an amount per
436436 $100 and as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the
437437 proposed tax rate compared to the adopted tax rate for the preceding
438438 year;
439439 (C) the average appraised value of a residence
440440 homestead in the district in the preceding year and in the current
441441 year; the district's total homestead exemption, other than an
442442 exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
443443 age or older, applicable to that appraised value in each of those
444444 years; and the average taxable value of a residence homestead in the
445445 district in each of those years, disregarding any homestead
446446 exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
447447 age or older;
448448 (D) the amount of tax that would have been
449449 imposed by the district in the preceding year on a residence
450450 homestead appraised at the average appraised value of a residence
451451 homestead in that year, disregarding any homestead exemption
452452 available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or
453453 older;
454454 (E) the amount of tax that would be imposed by the
455455 district in the current year on a residence homestead appraised at
456456 the average appraised value of a residence homestead in that year,
457457 disregarding any homestead exemption available only to disabled
458458 persons or persons 65 years of age or older, if the proposed tax
459459 rate is adopted;
460460 (F) the difference between the amounts of tax
461461 calculated under Paragraphs (D) and (E), expressed in dollars and
462462 cents and described as the annual percentage increase or decrease,
463463 as applicable, in the tax to be imposed by the district on the
464464 average residence homestead in the district in the current year if
465465 the proposed tax rate is adopted; and
466466 (G) if the proposed combined debt service,
467467 operation and maintenance, and contract tax rate requires or
468468 authorizes an election to approve or reduce the tax rate, as
469469 applicable, a description of the purpose of the proposed tax
470470 increase;
471471 (3) contain a statement in substantially the following
472472 form, as applicable:
473473 (A) if the district is a district described by
474474 Section 49.23601:
475475 "NOTICE OF VOTE ON TAX RATE
476476 "If the district adopts a combined debt service, operation
477477 and maintenance, and contract tax rate that would result in the
478478 taxes on the average residence homestead increasing by more than
479479 eight percent, an election must be held to determine whether to
480480 approve the operation and maintenance tax rate under Section
481481 49.23601, Water Code.";
482482 (B) if the district is a district described by
483483 Section 49.23602:
484484 "NOTICE OF VOTE ON TAX RATE
485485 "If the district adopts a combined debt service, operation
486486 and maintenance, and contract tax rate that would result in the
487487 taxes on the average residence homestead increasing by more than
488488 3.5 percent, an election must be held to determine whether to
489489 approve the operation and maintenance tax rate under Section
490490 49.23602, Water Code."; or
491491 (C) if the district is a district described by
492492 Section 49.23603:
493493 "NOTICE OF TAXPAYERS' RIGHT TO ELECTION TO REDUCE TAX RATE
494494 "If the district adopts a combined debt service, operation
495495 and maintenance, and contract tax rate that would result in the
496496 taxes on the average residence homestead increasing by more than
497497 eight percent, the qualified voters of the district by petition may
498498 require that an election be held to determine whether to reduce the
499499 operation and maintenance tax rate to the voter-approval tax rate
500500 under Section 49.23603, Water Code."; and
501501 (4) include the following statement: "The 86th Texas
502502 Legislature modified the manner in which the voter-approval tax
503503 rate is calculated to limit the rate of growth of property taxes in
504504 the state.".
505505 SECTION 9. Not later than January 1, 2022, the comptroller
506506 of public accounts shall develop the Internet website required by
507507 Section 26.175, Tax Code, as added by this Act.
508508 SECTION 10. The changes in law made by this Act apply only
509509 to a notice required to be delivered for an ad valorem tax year that
510510 begins on or after January 1, 2022.
511511 SECTION 11. This Act takes effect immediately if it
512512 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
513513 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
514514 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
515515 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.