HBA-RBT H.B. 3617 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3617 By: Hilbert Ways & Means 4/1/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE H.B. 3617 prohibits the chief appraiser from submitting the appraisal records to the appraisal review board until the chief appraiser has determined an appraised value for and included in the records all property included on the appraisal roll in the preceding year, unless the property no longer exists or is not subject to taxation in the appraisal district, and all new property. This bill authorizes a property owner to bring suit against the chief appraiser and the appraisal district by filing a petition or application in district court to compel the chief appraiser to comply with the requirements of this section. This bill requires the district court to order compliance and award court costs and reasonable attorney fees to the property owner if the court determines that the chief appraiser has not complied with this section. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.22, Tax Code, to prohibit the chief appraiser from submitting the appraisal records to the appraisal review board until the chief appraiser has determined an appraised value for and included in the records all property included on the appraisal roll in the preceding year unless the property no longer exists or is not subject to taxation in the appraisal district and all new property. Requires, rather than authorizes, the chief appraiser to require that the appraiser's employees attach an affidavit on submission of records. Authorizes a property owner to bring suit against the chief appraiser and the appraisal district by filing a petition or application in district court to compel the chief appraiser to comply with the requirements of this section. Requires the district court to order compliance and award court costs and reasonable attorney fees to the property owner if the court determines that the chief appraiser has not complied with this section. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.