The bill, H.B. No. 329, amends the Tax Code to establish a requirement for appraisal review boards to rely on appraisals of residential real property submitted by property owners when determining protests regarding property value. Specifically, it introduces a new provision (Subsection a-6) that allows property owners to submit an appraisal performed by a certified appraiser, which must be delivered to the chief appraiser at least 14 days before the hearing. If the appraisal supports the property owner's asserted value and meets the specified criteria, the appraisal review board is mandated to rule in favor of the property owner and adjust the property's appraised value accordingly.

Additionally, the bill modifies the Penal Code to classify offenses related to governmental records as a Class B misdemeanor if the record in question is a written appraisal filed with an appraisal review board that was conducted by someone with a contingency interest in the outcome. The changes will apply only to protests filed after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Tax Code 41.43, Penal Code 37.10 (Tax Code 41, Penal Code 37)