S.B. No. 1546

AN ACT relating to the right to a new hearing before an appraisal review board following a failure to attend a hearing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsection (e-1), Section 41.45, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows:
(e-1) A property owner or a person [who has not] designated by the property owner as the owner’s [an] agent [under Section 1.111] to represent the owner at the hearing [and] who fails to appear at the hearing is entitled to a new hearing if the property owner or the owner’s agent files, not later than the fourth day after the date the hearing occurred, a written statement with the appraisal review board showing good cause for the failure to appear and requesting a new hearing.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a protest under Chapter 41, Tax Code, that is filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A protest under Chapter 41, Tax Code, that was filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the protest was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.

______________________________                ______________________________
President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1546 passed the Senate on May 4, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

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Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1546 passed the House, with amendment, on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, one present not voting.

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Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

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Date

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Governor