2009 Texas Property Tax Legislative Hghlights
- House Bill 8: Ratio studies conducted by the Comptroller’s Office will be administered biennially. Previously these studies were conducted annually.
- House Bill 986: The deadline for filing suit with the appraisal district has been extended from 45 days 60 days after receipt of the order determining protest.
- House Bill 1030: Members on the appraisal review boards of Harris and Fort Bend Counties will be appointed by a local administrative judge.
- House Bill 2317: The Comptroller’s Office will develop a comprehensive training program for appraisal review board (ARB). Members must successfully complete the course to be eligible to serve on the ARB.
- House Bill 2447: The Board of Tax Professional Examiners will be abolished and its functions will be transferred to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
- House Bill 2591: Increases educational requirements for property tax consultants and regulates business solicitations and web sites.
- House Bill 3612: Creates a pilot program as an alternative to property tax litigation. The program gives taxpayers to right to appeal to the State Office of Administrative Hearings. This new level of appeal is established for Bexar, Cameron, El Paso, Harris, Tarrant and Travis counties.
- House Bill 1038: The chief appraiser may not exclude foreclosure sales in determining market value of residential properties.
- Senate Bill 771: Attempts to prevent annual revaluations of properties if the value of a property was reduced previously by an ARB ruling or litigation. The appraisal district must have substantial evidence to raise a value which was reduced in the previous year. Additionally, the Bill also addresses appraisal methodology.