SB2665 - Relating to the authority of a taxing unit to adopt an exemption or a tax rate that is contingent on voter approval of the adoption of a tax rate or the issuance of bonds by that taxing unit or another taxing unit.

  89R14370 CJC-D     By: Hinojosa of Hidalgo S.B. No. 2665       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the authority of a taxing unit to adopt an exemption or   a tax rate that is contingent on voter approval of the adoption of a   tax rate or the issuance of bonds by that taxing unit or another   taxing unit.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 11, Tax Code, is amended by   adding Section 11.136 to read as follows:           Sec.   11.136.     CONDITIONAL ADOPTION OR INCREASE IN PERCENTAGE   OF LOCAL OPTION RESIDENCE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. (a) The governing   body of a taxing unit may condition the adoption of an exemption   under Section 11.13(n), or an increase in the percentage of an   exemption previously adopted by the governing body under that   subsection, on the outcome of an election ordered by the governing   body or the governing body of another taxing unit to approve:                 (1)  a tax rate under Section 26.07 or 26.08; or                 (2)     the issuance of bonds for which an election is   required to be held under:                       (A)  Section 45.003, Education Code; or                       (B)  Chapter 1251, Government Code.           (b)     If the governing body of a taxing unit proposes to   conditionally adopt or increase the percentage of an exemption   under Section 11.13(n) under this section, the governing body must   include in the ordinance, resolution, or order adopting or   increasing the percentage of the exemption:                 (1)     a description of the specific condition that must   occur before the adoption or increase in the percentage of the   exemption may take effect; and                 (2)     a statement that the adoption or increase in the   percentage of the exemption:                       (A)     does not take effect unless the condition   described by Subdivision (1) occurs; and                       (B)     takes effect on January 1 of the first tax   year following the year in which the condition described by   Subdivision (1) occurs if that condition occurs.            SECTION 2.  Chapter 26, Tax Code, is amended by adding   Section 26.0502 to read as follows:           Sec.   26.0502.     CONDITIONAL TAX RATE. (a) At the time the   governing body of a taxing unit adopts a tax rate for the taxing   unit for the current tax year under Section 26.05(a), the governing   body may also adopt a conditional tax rate for the current tax year   that is lower than the tax rate adopted under that subsection,   conditioned on the outcome of an election ordered by the governing   body or the governing body of another taxing unit to approve:                 (1)  a tax rate under Section 26.07 or 26.08; or                 (2)     the issuance of bonds for which an election is   required to be held under:                       (A)  Section 45.003, Education Code; or                       (B)  Chapter 1251, Government Code.           (b)     If the governing body of a taxing unit adopts a   conditional tax rate under Subsection (a) for a tax year, the   governing body shall:                 (1)     include the conditional tax rate and a description   of the specific condition that must occur for the conditional tax   rate to be the tax rate for the taxing unit in the ordinance,   resolution, or order adopted under Section 26.05;                 (2)     comply with the requirements of Section 26.05 as   to the conditional tax rate; and                 (3)     include in any tax rate notice the taxing unit is   required to provide under this chapter or Chapter 44, Education   Code:                       (A)  the conditional tax rate;                       (B)     a description of the specific condition that   must occur for the conditional tax rate to be the tax rate for the   taxing unit; and                       (C)     a statement that the conditional tax rate is   the tax rate for the taxing unit only if the specific condition   described by Paragraph (B) occurs.           (c)     If the conditional tax rate becomes the tax rate for a   taxing unit for a tax year as the result of a specific condition   that occurs after the assessor for the taxing unit has mailed the   taxing unit's tax bills for that tax year, the assessor shall   prepare and mail corrected tax bills in the manner provided by   Chapter 31, and include with the corrected bill a brief explanation   of the reason for and effect of the corrected bill. A property   owner that paid the tax due as provided in the initial tax bill is   entitled to a refund in an amount equal to the difference between   the tax paid and the tax due as provided in the corrected bill.   A   property owner is not required to apply for a refund under this   subsection to receive the refund. Section 31.11 does not apply to a   refund under this subsection.          SECTION 3.  Sections 31.12(a) and (b), Tax Code, are amended   to read as follows:          (a)  If a refund of a tax provided by Section 11.431(b),   26.07(g), 26.075(k), 26.0502(c), 26.15(f), 31.11, 31.111, or   31.112 is paid on or before the 60th day after the date the   liability for the refund arises, no interest is due on the amount   refunded.  If not paid on or before that 60th day, the amount of the   tax to be refunded accrues interest at a rate of one percent for   each month or part of a month that the refund is unpaid, beginning   with the date on which the liability for the refund arises.          (b)  For purposes of this section, liability for a refund   arises:                (1)  if the refund is required by Section 11.431(b), on   the date the chief appraiser notifies the collector for the taxing   unit of the approval of the late homestead exemption;                (2)  if the refund is required by Section 26.07(g) or   26.075(k), on the date the results of the election to approve or   reduce the tax rate, as applicable, are certified;                 (2-a)     if the refund is required by Section 26.0502(c),   on the date the conditional tax rate becomes the adopted tax rate   for the taxing unit;                (3)  if the refund is required by Section 26.15(f):                      (A)  for a correction to the tax roll made under   Section 26.15(b), on the date the change in the tax roll is   certified to the assessor for the taxing unit under Section 25.25;   or                      (B)  for a correction to the tax roll made under   Section 26.15(c), on the date the change in the tax roll is ordered   by the governing body of the taxing unit;                (4)  if the refund is required by Section 31.11, on the   date the auditor for the taxing unit determines that the payment was   erroneous or excessive or, if the amount of the refund exceeds the   applicable amount specified by Section 31.11(a), on the date the   governing body of the taxing unit approves the refund;                (5)  if the refund is required by Section 31.111, on the   date the collector for the taxing unit determines that the payment   was erroneous; or                (6)  if the refund is required by Section 31.112, on the   date required by Section 31.112(d) or (e), as applicable.          SECTION 4.  This Act applies to an ad valorem tax year that   begins on or after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.