HB4013 - Relating to the composition of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.

  89R16229 MLH-D     By: Plesa H.B. No. 4013       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the composition of the board of directors of certain   appraisal districts.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 6.0301, Tax Code, is amended by amending   Subsections (c), (d), and (g) and adding Subsections (b-1), (c-1),   (c-2), and (c-3) to read as follows:           (b-1)     The board of directors of the appraisal district shall   divide the district into four numbered, single-member districts for   electing directors.          (c)  The appraisal district is governed by a board of nine   directors.   Four  [ Five ] directors are appointed by the taxing units   that participate in the district in the manner prescribed by   Section 6.03.   One director is elected from each single-member   district. To be elected to a position on the board of directors of   the district, a candidate must receive more votes than any other   candidate for that position.   The district shall hold an election to   elect the appropriate number of directors on the uniform election   date prescribed by Section 41.001, Election Code, in November of   each even-numbered year. [ Three directors are elected by majority   vote at the general election for state and county officers by the   voters of the county in which the district is established. ] The   county assessor-collector serves as an ex officio director.           (c-1)     The board of directors may revise the single-member   districts as necessary or appropriate.           (c-2)     The board of directors shall revise each   single-member district after each federal decennial census to   reflect population changes.           (c-3)     When the boundaries of the single-member districts   are changed, a director in office on the effective date of the   change, or elected or appointed before the effective date of the   change to a term of office beginning on or after the effective date   of the change, is entitled to serve the term or the remainder of the   term in the single-member district to which elected or appointed   even though the change in boundaries places the director's   residence outside the single-member district from which the   director was elected or appointed.          (d)  To be eligible to serve in an appointive position on the   board of directors, an individual [ other than the county   assessor-collector ] must be a resident of the district and must   have resided in the district for at least two years immediately   preceding the date the individual takes office.   To be eligible to   serve in an elective position on the board of directors, an   individual must be a resident of the single-member district from   which the individual is elected and have resided in the   single-member district for at least two years immediately preceding   the date the individual takes office. An individual who is   otherwise eligible to serve on the board is not ineligible because   of membership on the governing body of a taxing unit.  An employee   of a taxing unit that participates in the district is not eligible   to serve on the board unless the individual is also a member of the   governing body or an elected official of a taxing unit that   participates in the district.          (g)  If a vacancy occurs in an elective position on the board   of directors, the board of directors shall appoint by majority vote   of its members a person to fill the vacancy.  A person appointed to   fill a vacancy in an elective position must have the qualifications   required of a director elected at a general election for the   position on the board to which the person is appointed .          SECTION 2.  Section 6.032, Tax Code, is amended by adding   Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:           (a-1)     A person shall indicate on the application for a place   on the ballot the single-member district that the person seeks to   represent.          SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2026, the board of   directors of each appraisal district established in a county with a   population of 75,000 or more shall divide the district into   single-member districts as required by Section 6.0301(b-1), Tax   Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 4.  Sections 5.13(b), (c), and (d), Chapter 1 (S.B.   2), Acts of the 88th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 2023, are   repealed.          SECTION 5.  (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply   only to an election of members of the board of directors of an   appraisal district that is held on or after January 1, 2026.          (b)  At the first meeting of the board of directors of an   appraisal district described by Section 6.0301, Tax Code, as   amended by this Act, that is held on or after January 1, 2027, the   four directors elected on the uniform election date prescribed by   Section 41.001, Election Code, in November 2026 shall draw lots to   determine which two directors shall serve a term of two years and   which two directors shall serve a term of four years. Thereafter,   all elected directors serve four-year terms.          (c)  The term of an appointed appraisal district director   serving on December 31, 2026, on the board of directors of an   appraisal district described by Section 6.0301, Tax Code, as   amended by this Act, expires on January 1, 2027.  Not later than   December 31, 2026, the taxing units participating in the appraisal   district that are entitled to appoint directors shall appoint four   directors to serve terms that begin on January 1, 2027.  Two   directors shall be appointed to serve a term of one year, and the   other two directors shall be appointed to serve a term of three   years.  Thereafter, all appointed directors serve four-year terms.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.