The Comptroller of Public Accounts proposes an amendment to §9.4037, concerning use of electronic communications for transmittal of property tax information, to conform to Tax Code, §25.19(b-1). The statute requires that the chief appraiser of each county appraisal district include in the notice of appraised value for real property, the difference, expressed as a percentage increase or decrease, in the appraised value of the property for the current year as compared to the fifth year before the current tax year.

The section is being amended in response to 79th Legislature, 2005, House Bill 1984, effective January 1, 2006. The law requires additional information to be included on notices of appraised value prepared by appraisal districts. Subsection (d)(1), the electronic XML document schema, is amended to include the percentage increase in value required to be included in the notices of appraised value.

John Heleman, Chief Revenue Estimator, has determined that for the first five-year period the rule will be in effect, there will be no significant revenue impact on the state or units of local government.

Mr. Heleman also has determined that for each year of the first five years the rule is in effect, the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing the rule would benefit the public by providing correct information to taxpayers regarding their tax responsibilities. The proposed amendment would have no significant fiscal impact on small businesses. There is no anticipated significant economic cost to the public.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Buddy Breivogel, Manager, Property Tax Division, P.O. Box 13528, Austin, Texas 78711-3528.

The amendment is proposed under and implements Tax Code, §25.19(b-1) and §1.085(e).