S.B. No. 334
AN ACT
relating to disclosure under the public information law of certain
records of an appraisal district.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 552.149(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the property owner or
the owner's agent may, on request, obtain from the chief appraiser
of the applicable appraisal district a copy of each item of
information described by Section 41.461(a)(2), Tax Code, and a copy
of each item of information that the chief appraiser took into
consideration but does not plan to introduce at the hearing on the
protest. In addition, the property owner or agent may, on request,
obtain from the chief appraiser comparable sales data from a
reasonable number of sales that is relevant to any matter to be
determined by the appraisal review board at the hearing on the
property owner's protest or by the arbitrator at the hearing on the
property owner's appeal under Chapter 41A, Tax Code, of the
appraisal review board's order determining the protest.
Information obtained under this subsection:
(1) remains confidential in the possession of the
property owner or agent; and
(2) may not be disclosed or used for any purpose except
as evidence or argument at the hearing on:
(A) the protest; or
(B) the appeal under Chapter 41A, Tax Code.
SECTION 2. Section 552.149(e), Government Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a request described by Section 552.149(b), Government Code, as
amended by this Act, received by the chief appraiser of an appraisal
district on or after the effective date of this Act. A request
received by a chief appraiser before the effective date of this Act
is governed by the law in effect on the date the request was
received, and the former law is continued in effect for that
purpose.
SECTION 4. 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, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 334 passed the Senate on
April 20, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 334 passed the House on
May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, one present
not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor