Texas 2023 - 88th 4th C.S.

Texas House Bill HB102 Compare Versions

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1	1	88S40084 DRS-D
2	2	By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 102
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the selection of the chief appraiser of an appraisal
8	8	district; authorizing a fee.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 1.15, Tax Code, is amended to read as
11	11	follows:
12	12	Sec. 1.15. APPRAISERS FOR TAXING UNITS PROHIBITED. A
13	13	taxing unit may not employ any person for the purpose of appraising
14	14	property for taxation purposes [except to the extent necessary to
15	15	perform a contract under Section 6.05(b) of this code].
16	16	SECTION 2. Sections 5.041(c), (e-1), (e-3), (f), and (g),
17	17	Tax Code, are amended to read as follows:
18	18	(c) The comptroller may contract with service providers to
19	19	assist with the duties imposed under Subsection (a), but the course
20	20	required may not be provided by an appraisal district, the chief
21	21	appraiser of an appraisal district, an [or another] employee of an
22	22	appraisal district, a member of the board of directors of an
23	23	appraisal district, a member of an appraisal review board, or a
24	24	taxing unit. The comptroller may assess a fee to recover a portion
25	25	of the costs incurred for the training course, but the fee may not
26	26	exceed $50 for each person trained. If the training is provided to
27	27	an individual other than a member of an appraisal review board, the
28	28	comptroller may assess a fee not to exceed $50 for each person
29	29	trained.
30	30	(e-1) In addition to the course established under
31	31	Subsection (a), the comptroller shall approve curricula and provide
32	32	materials for use in a continuing education course for members of an
33	33	appraisal review board. The course must provide at least four
34	34	hours of classroom or distance training and education. The
35	35	curricula and materials must include information regarding:
36	36	(1) the cost, income, and market data comparison
37	37	methods of appraising property;
38	38	(2) the appraisal of business personal property;
39	39	(3) the determination of capitalization rates for
40	40	property appraisal purposes;
41	41	(4) the duties of an appraisal review board;
42	42	(5) the requirements regarding the independence of an
43	43	appraisal review board from the board of directors, [and] the chief
44	44	appraiser, and [other] employees of the appraisal district;
45	45	(6) the prohibitions against ex parte communications
46	46	applicable to appraisal review board members;
47	47	(7) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
48	48	Practice;
49	49	(8) the duty of the appraisal district to substantiate
50	50	the district's determination of the value of property;
51	51	(9) the requirements regarding the equal and uniform
52	52	appraisal of property;
53	53	(10) the right of a property owner to protest the
54	54	appraisal of the property as provided by Chapter 41; and
55	55	(11) a detailed explanation of each of the actions
56	56	described by Sections 25.25, 41.41(a), 41.411, 41.412, 41.413,
57	57	41.42, and 41.43 so that members are fully aware of each of the
58	58	grounds on which a property appraisal can be appealed.
59	59	(e-3) The comptroller may contract with service providers
60	60	to assist with the duties imposed under Subsection (e-1), but the
61	61	course required by that subsection may not be provided by an
62	62	appraisal district, the chief appraiser of an appraisal district,
63	63	an [or another] employee of an appraisal district, a member of the
64	64	board of directors of an appraisal district, a member of an
65	65	appraisal review board, or a taxing unit. The comptroller may
66	66	assess a fee to recover a portion of the costs incurred for the
67	67	continuing education course, but the fee may not exceed $50 for each
68	68	person trained. If the training is provided to an individual other
69	69	than a member of an appraisal review board, the comptroller may
70	70	assess a fee not to exceed $50 for each person trained.
71	71	(f) The comptroller may not advise a property owner, a
72	72	property owner's agent, [or] the chief appraiser of an appraisal
73	73	district, or an [another] employee of an appraisal district on a
74	74	matter that the comptroller knows is the subject of a protest to the
75	75	appraisal review board. The comptroller may provide advice to an
76	76	appraisal review board member as authorized by Subsection (a)(4) of
77	77	this section or Section 5.103 and may communicate with the chairman
78	78	of an appraisal review board or a taxpayer liaison officer
79	79	concerning a complaint filed under Section 6.052.
80	80	(g) Except during a hearing or other appraisal review board
81	81	proceeding and as provided by Subsection (h) of this section and
82	82	Section 6.411(c-1), the following persons may not communicate with
83	83	a member of an appraisal review board about a course provided under
84	84	this section or any matter presented or discussed during the
85	85	course:
86	86	(1) the chief appraiser of the appraisal district for
87	87	which the appraisal review board is established;
88	88	(2) an [another] employee of the appraisal district
89	89	for which the appraisal review board is established;
90	90	(3) a member of the board of directors of the appraisal
91	91	district for which the appraisal review board is established;
92	92	(4) an officer or employee of a taxing unit that
93	93	participates in the appraisal district for which the appraisal
94	94	review board is established; and
95	95	(5) an attorney who represents or whose law firm
96	96	represents the appraisal district or a taxing unit that
97	97	participates in the appraisal district for which the appraisal
98	98	review board is established.
99	99	SECTION 3. Section 5.042, Tax Code, is amended by adding
100	100	Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
101	101	(b-1) For purposes of removal under Chapter 87, Local
102	102	Government Code, "incompetency" in the case of a chief appraiser
103	103	includes the failure of the chief appraiser to complete, within the
104	104	period provided by Subsection (b) after the date the chief
105	105	appraiser is first elected or appointed, the course of training
106	106	required by Subsection (a).
107	107	SECTION 4. Section 5.043(e), Tax Code, is amended to read as
108	108	follows:
109	109	(e) The comptroller may contract with service providers to
110	110	assist with the duties imposed under Subsection (b), but the
111	111	training program may not be provided by an appraisal district, the
112	112	chief appraiser of an appraisal district, an [or another] employee
113	113	of an appraisal district, a member of the board of directors of an
114	114	appraisal district, a member of an appraisal review board, or a
115	115	taxing unit. The comptroller may assess a fee to recover a portion
116	116	of the costs incurred for the training program, but the fee may not
117	117	exceed $50 for each person trained. If the training is provided to
118	118	a person other than a person who has agreed to serve as an
119	119	arbitrator under Chapter 41A, the comptroller may assess a fee not
120	120	to exceed $50 for each person trained.
121	121	SECTION 5. Sections 6.035(a), (b), and (d), Tax Code, are
122	122	amended to read as follows:
123	123	(a) An individual is ineligible to serve on an appraisal
124	124	district board of directors or [and is disqualified from
125	125	employment] as chief appraiser if the individual:
126	126	(1) is related within the second degree by
127	127	consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
128	128	Government Code, to an individual who is engaged in the business of
129	129	appraising property for compensation for use in proceedings under
130	130	this title or of representing property owners for compensation in
131	131	proceedings under this title in the appraisal district; or
132	132	(2) owns property on which delinquent taxes have been
133	133	owed to a taxing unit for more than 60 days after the date the
134	134	individual knew or should have known of the delinquency unless:
135	135	(A) the delinquent taxes and any penalties and
136	136	interest are being paid under an installment payment agreement
137	137	under Section 33.02; or
138	138	(B) a suit to collect the delinquent taxes is
139	139	deferred or abated under Section 33.06 or 33.065.
140	140	(b) A member of an appraisal district board of directors or
141	141	a chief appraiser commits an offense if the board member or chief
142	142	appraiser continues to hold office [or the chief appraiser remains
143	143	employed] knowing that an individual related within the second
144	144	degree by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter
145	145	573, Government Code, to the board member or chief appraiser is
146	146	engaged in the business of appraising property for compensation for
147	147	use in proceedings under this title or of representing property
148	148	owners for compensation in proceedings under this title in the
149	149	appraisal district in which the member or chief appraiser serves
150	150	[or the chief appraiser is employed]. An offense under this
151	151	subsection is a Class B misdemeanor.
152	152	(d) An appraisal performed by a chief appraiser in a private
153	153	capacity or by an individual related within the second degree by
154	154	consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
155	155	Government Code, to the chief appraiser may not be used as evidence
156	156	in a protest or challenge under Chapter 41 or an appeal under
157	157	Chapter 42 concerning property that is taxable in the appraisal
158	158	district in which the chief appraiser serves [is employed].
159	159	SECTION 6. The heading to Section 6.05, Tax Code, is amended
160	160	to read as follows:
161	161	Sec. 6.05. APPRAISAL OFFICE; CHIEF APPRAISER.
162	162	SECTION 7. Sections 6.05(b), (c), and (d), Tax Code, are
163	163	amended to read as follows:
164	164	(b) The board of directors of an appraisal district may
165	165	contract with an appraisal office in another district [or with a
166	166	taxing unit in the district] to perform the duties of the appraisal
167	167	office for the district.
168	168	(c) The chief appraiser is the chief administrator of the
169	169	appraisal office. The [Except as provided by Section 6.0501, the]
170	170	chief appraiser is elected at the general election for state and
171	171	county officers by the voters of the county in which the appraisal
172	172	district is established. The chief appraiser serves a two-year
173	173	term beginning January 1 of each odd-numbered year. To be eligible
174	174	to serve as chief appraiser, an individual must be a resident of the
175	175	county in which the appraisal district is established and must have
176	176	resided in the county for at least four years preceding the date the
177	177	individual takes office [appointed by and serves at the pleasure of
178	178	the appraisal district board of directors. If a taxing unit
179	179	performs the duties of the appraisal office pursuant to a contract,
180	180	the assessor for the unit is the chief appraiser. To be eligible to
181	181	be appointed or serve as a chief appraiser, a person must be
182	182	certified as a registered professional appraiser under Section
183	183	1151.160, Occupations Code, possess an MAI professional
184	184	designation from the Appraisal Institute, or possess an Assessment
185	185	Administration Specialist (AAS), Certified Assessment Evaluator
186	186	(CAE), or Residential Evaluation Specialist (RES) professional
187	187	designation from the International Association of Assessing
188	188	Officers. A person who is eligible to be appointed or serve as a
189	189	chief appraiser by having a professional designation described by
190	190	this subsection must become certified as a registered professional
191	191	appraiser under Section 1151.160, Occupations Code, not later than
192	192	the fifth anniversary of the date the person is appointed or begins
193	193	to serve as chief appraiser. A chief appraiser who is not eligible
194	194	to be appointed or serve as chief appraiser may not perform an
195	195	action authorized or required by law to be performed by a chief
196	196	appraiser, including the preparation, certification, or submission
197	197	of any part of the appraisal roll. Not later than January 1 of each
198	198	year, a chief appraiser shall notify the comptroller in writing
199	199	that the chief appraiser is either eligible to be appointed or serve
200	200	as the chief appraiser or not eligible to be appointed or serve as
201	201	the chief appraiser].
202	202	(d) The [Except as provided by Section 6.0501, the] chief
203	203	appraiser is entitled to compensation as provided by the budget
204	204	adopted by the board of directors. The chief appraiser's
205	205	compensation may not be directly or indirectly linked to an
206	206	increase in the total market, appraised, or taxable value of
207	207	property in the appraisal district. The [Except as provided by
208	208	Section 6.0501, the] chief appraiser may employ and compensate
209	209	professional, clerical, and other personnel as provided by the
210	210	budget, with the exception of a general counsel to the appraisal
211	211	district.
212	212	SECTION 8. Section 6.052(g), Tax Code, as effective January
213	213	1, 2024, is amended to read as follows:
214	214	(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a
215	215	taxpayer liaison officer or deputy taxpayer liaison officer acting
216	216	under the taxpayer liaison officer's supervision does not commit an
217	217	offense under this chapter if the officer or deputy communicates
218	218	with the chief appraiser of the appraisal district, an [or another]
219	219	employee or agent of the appraisal district, a member of the
220	220	appraisal review board established for the appraisal district, a
221	221	member of the board of directors of the appraisal district, the
222	222	local administrative district judge, a property tax consultant, a
223	223	property owner, an agent of a property owner, or another person if
224	224	the communication is made in the good faith exercise of the
225	225	officer's statutory duties.
226	226	SECTION 9. Section 6.155(a), Tax Code, is amended to read as
227	227	follows:
228	228	(a) A member of the governing body, officer, or employee of
229	229	a taxing unit commits an offense if the person directly or
230	230	indirectly communicates with the chief appraiser or an [another]
231	231	employee of the appraisal district in which the taxing unit
232	232	participates for the purpose of influencing the value at which
233	233	property in the district is appraised unless the person owns or
234	234	leases the property that is the subject of the communication.
235	235	SECTION 10. Section 6.41, Tax Code, is amended by amending
236	236	Subsections (i) and (j) and adding Subsection (l) to read as
237	237	follows:
238	238	(i) The [A] chief appraiser of the appraisal district, an
239	239	[or another] employee or agent of the appraisal district, a member
240	240	of the appraisal review board for the appraisal district, a member
241	241	of the board of directors of the appraisal district if the board is
242	242	established for a district to which Section 6.03 applies, a
243	243	property tax consultant, or an agent of a property owner commits an
244	244	offense if the person communicates with the applicable appointing
245	245	authority regarding the appointment of appraisal review board
246	246	members. This subsection does not apply to:
247	247	(1) a communication between a member of the appraisal
248	248	review board and the applicable appointing authority regarding the
249	249	member's reappointment to the board;
250	250	(2) a communication between the taxpayer liaison
251	251	officer for the appraisal district and the applicable appointing
252	252	authority in the course of the performance of the officer's
253	253	clerical duties so long as the officer does not offer an opinion or
254	254	comment regarding the appointment of appraisal review board
255	255	members;
256	256	(3) a communication between the [a] chief appraiser of
257	257	the appraisal district, an [or another] employee or agent of the
258	258	appraisal district, a member of the appraisal review board for the
259	259	appraisal district, or a member of the board of directors of the
260	260	appraisal district if the board is established for a district to
261	261	which Section 6.03 applies and the applicable appointing authority
262	262	regarding information relating to or described by Subsection (d-1),
263	263	(d-5), or (f) of this section or Section 411.1296, Government Code;
264	264	(4) a communication between a property tax consultant
265	265	or a property owner or an agent of the property owner and the
266	266	taxpayer liaison officer for the appraisal district regarding
267	267	information relating to or described by Subsection (f)[. The
268	268	taxpayer liaison officer for the appraisal district shall report
269	269	the contents of the communication relating to or described by
270	270	Subsection (f) to the applicable appointing authority]; or
271	271	(5) a communication between a property tax consultant
272	272	or a property owner or an agent of the property owner and the
273	273	applicable appointing authority regarding information relating to
274	274	or described by Subsection (f).
275	275	(j) The [A] chief appraiser of an appraisal district or an
276	276	[another] employee or agent of an appraisal district commits an
277	277	offense if the person communicates with a member of the appraisal
278	278	review board for the appraisal district, a member of the board of
279	279	directors of the appraisal district, or the local administrative
280	280	district judge, if the judge is the appointing authority for the
281	281	district, regarding a ranking, scoring, or reporting of the
282	282	percentage by which the appraisal review board or a panel of the
283	283	board reduces the appraised value of property.
284	284	(l) The taxpayer liaison officer for an appraisal district
285	285	shall report the contents of a communication described by
286	286	Subsection (i)(4) to the applicable appointing authority.
287	287	SECTION 11. Sections 6.411(a), (b), and (c-1), Tax Code,
288	288	are amended to read as follows:
289	289	(a) A member of an appraisal review board commits an offense
290	290	if the member communicates with the chief appraiser of, an [or
291	291	another] employee of, or a member of the board of directors of the
292	292	appraisal district for which the appraisal review board is
293	293	established in violation of Section 41.66(f).
294	294	(b) The [A] chief appraiser of an appraisal district, an [or
295	295	another] employee of an appraisal district, a member of a board of
296	296	directors of an appraisal district, or a property tax consultant or
297	297	attorney representing a party to a proceeding before the appraisal
298	298	review board commits an offense if the person communicates with a
299	299	member of the appraisal review board established for the appraisal
300	300	district with the intent to influence a decision by the member in
301	301	the member's capacity as a member of the appraisal review board.
302	302	(c-1) This section does not apply to communications with a
303	303	member of an appraisal review board by the chief appraiser of an
304	304	appraisal district, an [or another] employee of an appraisal
305	305	district, [or] a member of the board of directors of an appraisal
306	306	district, or a property tax consultant or attorney representing a
307	307	party to a proceeding before the appraisal review board:
308	308	(1) during a hearing on a protest or other proceeding
309	309	before the appraisal review board;
310	310	(2) that constitute social conversation;
311	311	(3) that are specifically limited to and involve
312	312	administrative, clerical, or logistical matters related to the
313	313	scheduling and operation of hearings, the processing of documents,
314	314	the issuance of orders, notices, and subpoenas, and the operation,
315	315	appointment, composition, or attendance at training of the
316	316	appraisal review board; or
317	317	(4) that are necessary and appropriate to enable the
318	318	board of directors of the appraisal district to determine whether
319	319	to appoint, reappoint, or remove a person as a member or the
320	320	chairman or secretary of the appraisal review board.
321	321	SECTION 12. Section 22.28(d), Tax Code, is amended to read
322	322	as follows:
323	323	(d) To help defray the costs of administering this chapter,
324	324	a collector who collects a penalty imposed under Subsection (a)
325	325	shall remit to the appraisal district of [that employs] the chief
326	326	appraiser who imposed the penalty an amount equal to five percent of
327	327	the penalty amount collected.
328	328	SECTION 13. Section 42.21(d), Tax Code, is amended to read
329	329	as follows:
330	330	(d) An appraisal district is served by service on the chief
331	331	appraiser at any time or by service on any other officer or an
332	332	employee of the appraisal district present at the appraisal office
333	333	at a time when the appraisal office is open for business with the
334	334	public. An appraisal review board is served by service on the
335	335	chairman of the appraisal review board. Citation of a party is
336	336	issued and served in the manner provided by law for civil suits
337	337	generally.
338	338	SECTION 14. Section 144.001, Election Code, is amended to
339	339	read as follows:
340	340	Sec. 144.001. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. (a) Except as
341	341	provided by Subsection (b), this [This] chapter applies to a
342	342	candidate for an office of a political subdivision other than a city
343	343	or county.
344	344	(b) This chapter does not apply to a candidate for chief
345	345	appraiser of an appraisal district.
346	346	SECTION 15. Section 172.001, Election Code, is amended to
347	347	read as follows:
348	348	Sec. 172.001. NOMINATING BY PRIMARY ELECTION
349	349	REQUIRED. Except as otherwise provided by this code, a political
350	350	party's nominees in the general election for the chief appraiser of
351	351	an appraisal district, offices of state and county government, and
352	352	offices of the United States Congress must be nominated by primary
353	353	election, held as provided by this code, if the party's nominee for
354	354	governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election received
355	355	20 percent or more of the total number of votes received by all
356	356	candidates for governor in the election.
357	357	SECTION 16. Section 172.002(a), Election Code, is amended
358	358	to read as follows:
359	359	(a) Except as otherwise provided by this code, a political
360	360	party's nominees in the general election for the chief appraiser of
361	361	an appraisal district, offices of state and county government, and
362	362	offices of the United States Congress may be nominated by primary
363	363	election, held as provided by this code, if the party's nominee for
364	364	governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election received
365	365	at least two percent but less than 20 percent of the total number of
366	366	votes received by all candidates for governor in the election.
367	367	SECTION 17. Section 172.024(a), Election Code, is amended
368	368	to read as follows:
369	369	(a) The filing fee for a candidate for nomination in the
370	370	general primary election is as follows:
371	371	(1) United States senator $5,000
372	372	(2) office elected statewide, except United States
373	373	senator 3,750
374	374	(3) United States representative 3,125
375	375	(4) state senator 1,250
376	376	(5) state representative 750
377	377	(6) member, State Board of Education 300
378	378	(7) chief justice or justice, court of appeals, other
379	379	than a justice specified by Subdivision (8) 1,875
380	380	(8) chief justice or justice of a court of appeals that
381	381	serves a court of appeals district in which a county with a
382	382	population of more than 1.2 million is wholly or partly
383	383	situated 2,500
384	384	(9) district judge or judge specified by Section
385	385	52.092(d) for which this schedule does not otherwise prescribe a
386	386	fee 1,500
387	387	(10) district or criminal district judge of a court in
388	388	a judicial district wholly contained in a county with a population
389	389	of more than 1.5 million 2,500
390	390	(11) judge, statutory county court, other than a judge
391	391	specified by Subdivision (12) 1,500
392	392	(12) judge of a statutory county court in a county with
393	393	a population of more than 1.5 million 2,500
394	394	(13) district attorney, criminal district attorney,
395	395	or county attorney performing the duties of a district
396	396	attorney 1,250
397	397	(14) county commissioner, district clerk, county
398	398	clerk, sheriff, county tax assessor-collector, county treasurer,
399	399	or judge, constitutional county court:
400	400	(A) county with a population of 200,000 or
401	401	more 1,250
402	402	(B) county with a population of under
403	403	200,000 750
404	404	(15) justice of the peace or constable:
405	405	(A) county with a population of 200,000 or
406	406	more 1,000
407	407	(B) county with a population of under
408	408	200,000 375
409	409	(16) county surveyor75
410	410	(17) office of the county government for which this
411	411	schedule does not otherwise prescribe a fee 750
412	412	(18) chief appraiser of an appraisal district:
413	413	(A) county with a population of 200,000 or
414	414	more 1,250
415	415	(B) county with a population of under
416	416	200,000 750
417	417	SECTION 18. Section 172.025, Election Code, is amended to
418	418	read as follows:
419	419	Sec. 172.025. NUMBER OF PETITION SIGNATURES REQUIRED. The
420	420	minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition
421	421	authorized by Section 172.021(b) is:
422	422	(1) 5,000, for a statewide office; or
423	423	(2) for a district, county, appraisal district, or
424	424	precinct office, the lesser of:
425	425	(A) 500; or
426	426	(B) two percent of the total vote received in the
427	427	district, county, appraisal district, or precinct, as applicable,
428	428	by all the candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial
429	429	general election, unless that number is under 50, in which case the
430	430	required number of signatures is the lesser of:
431	431	(i) 50; or
432	432	(ii) 20 percent of that total vote.
433	433	SECTION 19. Section 181.002, Election Code, is amended to
434	434	read as follows:
435	435	Sec. 181.002. NOMINATING BY CONVENTION AUTHORIZED. A
436	436	political party may make nominations for the general election for
437	437	state and county officers and the chief appraiser of an appraisal
438	438	district by convention, as provided by this chapter, if the party is
439	439	authorized by Section 172.002 to make nominations by primary
440	440	election.
441	441	SECTION 20. Section 181.003, Election Code, is amended to
442	442	read as follows:
443	443	Sec. 181.003. NOMINATING BY CONVENTION REQUIRED. A
444	444	political party must make nominations for the general election for
445	445	state and county officers and the chief appraiser of an appraisal
446	446	district by convention, as provided by this chapter, if the party is
447	447	not required or authorized to nominate by primary election.
448	448	SECTION 21. Section 181.0311(a), Election Code, is amended
449	449	to read as follows:
450	450	(a) In addition to any other requirements, to be considered
451	451	for nomination by convention, a candidate must:
452	452	(1) pay a filing fee to the secretary of state for a
453	453	statewide, [or] district, or appraisal district office or the
454	454	county judge for a county or precinct office; or
455	455	(2) submit to the secretary of state for a statewide,
456	456	[or] district, or appraisal district office or the county judge for
457	457	a county or precinct office a petition in lieu of a filing fee that
458	458	satisfies the requirements prescribed by Subsection (e) and Section
459	459	141.062.
460	460	SECTION 22. Section 181.032(a), Election Code, is amended
461	461	to read as follows:
462	462	(a) An application for nomination by a convention must be
463	463	filed with:
464	464	(1) the state chair, for a statewide, [or] district,
465	465	or appraisal district office; or
466	466	(2) the county chair, for a county or precinct office.
467	467	SECTION 23. Section 181.061(c), Election Code, is amended
468	468	to read as follows:
469	469	(c) A party nominating by convention must make its
470	470	nominations for county and precinct offices, [and] for offices of
471	471	districts not situated in more than one county, and for offices of
472	472	appraisal districts at county conventions held on the first
473	473	Saturday after the second Tuesday in March. A county convention
474	474	consists of delegates selected at precinct conventions held on the
475	475	second Tuesday in March in the regular county election precincts.
476	476	SECTION 24. Section 87.041(a), Local Government Code, is
477	477	amended to read as follows:
478	478	(a) The commissioners court of a county may fill a vacancy
479	479	in the office of:
480	480	(1) county judge;
481	481	(2) county clerk;
482	482	(3) district and county clerk;
483	483	(4) sheriff;
484	484	(5) county attorney;
485	485	(6) county treasurer;
486	486	(7) county surveyor;
487	487	(8) county tax assessor-collector;
488	488	(9) justice of the peace; [or]
489	489	(10) constable; or
490	490	(11) chief appraiser.
491	491	SECTION 25. Section 1151.164, Occupations Code, is amended
492	492	to read as follows:
493	493	Sec. 1151.164. CHIEF APPRAISER TRAINING PROGRAM. (a) The
494	494	department shall implement a training program for newly elected or
495	495	appointed chief appraisers and shall prescribe the curriculum for
496	496	the training program as provided by this section.
497	497	(b) The training program must provide the chief appraiser
498	498	[appointee] with information regarding:
499	499	(1) this chapter;
500	500	(2) the programs operated by the department;
501	501	(3) the role and functions of the department;
502	502	(4) the rules of the commission, with an emphasis on
503	503	the rules that relate to ethical behavior;
504	504	(5) the role and functions of the chief appraiser, the
505	505	appraisal district board of directors, and the appraisal review
506	506	board;
507	507	(6) the importance of maintaining the independence of
508	508	an appraisal office from political pressure;
509	509	(7) the importance of prompt and courteous treatment
510	510	of the public;
511	511	(8) the finance and budgeting requirements for an
512	512	appraisal district, including appropriate controls to ensure that
513	513	expenditures are proper; and
514	514	(9) the requirements of:
515	515	(A) the open meetings law, Chapter 551,
516	516	Government Code;
517	517	(B) the public information law, Chapter 552,
518	518	Government Code;
519	519	(C) the administrative procedure law, Chapter
520	520	2001, Government Code;
521	521	(D) other laws relating to public officials,
522	522	including conflict-of-interest laws; and
523	523	(E) the standards of ethics imposed by the
524	524	Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
525	525	SECTION 26. Sections 5.042(c) and 6.0501, Tax Code, are
526	526	repealed.
527	527	SECTION 27. (a) Chief appraisers shall be elected as
528	528	provided by Section 6.05, Tax Code, as amended by this Act,
529	529	beginning with the primary and general elections conducted in 2026.
530	530	Chief appraisers then elected take office January 1, 2027.
531	531	(b) The change in the manner of selection of chief
532	532	appraisers made by this Act does not affect the selection of a chief
533	533	appraiser who is appointed by the appraisal district board of
534	534	directors before January 1, 2026, and that person continues to
535	535	serve at the pleasure of the board of directors as provided by the
536	536	former law until removed by the board of directors or until the
537	537	person elected as chief appraiser for the term that begins January
538	538	1, 2027, has qualified for office.
539	539	SECTION 28. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this
540	540	section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2027.
541	541	(b) This section and Sections 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,
542	542	22, and 23 of this Act take effect September 1, 2025.