Bill

SB 1215

84(R) - 2015
Senate Finance
Senate Finance
Property taxes
State Agencies
Sunset Commission

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Paul Bettencourt

Bill Caption

Relating to abolishing the property tax assistance division of the office of the comptroller of public accounts and transferring its powers and duties to the newly created State Property Tax Board.

Fiscal Notes

A fiscal note dated April 27, 2015 anticipates a negative two-year net impact to General Revenue Related Funds for CSSB 1215 of $66,450  through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

Bill Analysis

Senate Bill 1215 would require that the Sunset Advisory Commission conduct a study of the feasibility and benefits to the state of Texas of abolishing the property tax assistance division of the office of the comptroller of public accounts and transferring its powers and duties to an independent agency.

The commission would have to provide a report on the results of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and the house of representatives before September 1, 2016.

Vote Recommendation Notes

The provisions of Senate Bill 1215 do not affect our Liberty Principles. As a consequence, we will remain neutral on this bill. However, to be clear, while we do not object to a study we would object to the creation of a new state agency based on our limited government principle.