The Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (TALCB) proposes amendments to 22 TAC §153.5, Fees. The amendments propose to increase the fee for nonresident appraiser registration from $150 to $250 as permitted by the Appraisal Subcommittee and propose a new fee of $40 for preparing a certificate of active licensure or sponsorship.

The justification for the fee increases is to generate sufficient revenue to fund operations of the agency and to comply with requirements of Senate Bill 1000, 82nd Texas Legislature, Regular Session (2011).

Melissa Huerta, Director of Staff and Support Services, has determined that for the first five-year period the amendments are in effect there will be fiscal implications for the state, but not to units of local government as a result of enforcing or administering the subsections. Per year, the agency receives approximately 293 non-resident appraiser registrations; 45 requests for active licensure and 125 requests for sponsorship history. For FY 2014, the total estimated revenue increase would be $36,300; for each of the three years after (2015-2017), the estimated revenue would be $36,700 per year.

Ms. Huerta has determined that there is no anticipated impact on local or state employment as a result of implementing the amendments. The Board has approximately 186 Appraisal Management Companies registered in Texas and 5,901 active certifications and licenses. The projected economic impact of this rule amendment to non-resident appraisers is an increase in the current fee by $100 and licensees would now be required to pay a $40 fee for active licensure and sponsorship history requests. Under §2006.002, Texas Government Code, an agency is required to consider alternative regulatory methods only if the alternative methods would be consistent with the health, safety and environmental and economic welfare of the state. TALCB has developed this proposed rule in accordance with a legislative mandate to cover all costs of operation under Senate Bill 1000, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session (2011). Consequently, any variance from the legislative mandate would not be consistent with the health, safety, and environmental and economic welfare of the state, and no alternative regulatory methods have been considered.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Kerri Lewis, General Counsel, Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board, P.O. Box 12188, Austin, Texas 78711-2188 or to general.counsel@talcb.texas.gov. The deadline for comments is 30 days after publication in the Texas Register.

The amendments are proposed under Texas Occupations Code, §1103.156, which authorizes the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board to establish reasonable fees to administer Chapter 1103.

The statute affected by these amendments is Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1103. No other statute, code or article is affected by the proposed amendment.