HBA-LJP S.B. 337 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 337 By: Madla Ways & Means 4/19/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, an appraisal district is governed by a board of directors that is composed of a county assessor-collector and persons appointed by applicable governing bodies of municipalities, conservation and reclamation districts, and school districts. However, a hospital district that participates in an appraisal district and is required to pay taxes imposed by the appraisal district is not authorized to have a representative on the board of directors of the appraisal district. Senate Bill 337 entitles certain hospital districts to vote for the board of directors of an appraisal district. 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. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 337 amends the Tax Code to entitle a hospital district, under certain conditions, to vote for the board of directors of an appraisal district. The bill applies only if the hospital district is located in a county with a population of less than 20,000 that is designated in its entirety as a medically underserved area by the Texas Department of Health, and the total amount of property taxes imposed in the appraisal district by the hospital district for the preceding tax year is at least 10 percent of the sum of the total amount of property taxes imposed in the appraisal district for that year by each taxing unit that participates in the appraisal district. The bill requires the chief appraiser to deliver notice to the presiding officer of the governing body of each hospital district participating in an appraisal district that is entitled to vote regarding the number of votes to which the hospital district is entitled. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. The provisions apply to the selection of appraisal district directors for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2002.