House Bill No. 329 amends the Texas Tax Code to establish a requirement for appraisal review boards to consider appraisals submitted by property owners when determining protests regarding the value of residential real property. Specifically, the bill introduces a new subsection (a-6) that allows property owners to submit an appraisal performed by a certified appraiser within 180 days prior to the hearing. If the property owner provides this appraisal, the appraisal review board is mandated to rule in favor of the property owner and adjust the property's appraised or market value accordingly.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing language in Subsections (a) and (a-2) to clarify the conditions under which appraisals must be attested and the burden of proof during protests. It also updates the Penal Code to classify offenses related to appraisals filed with the appraisal review board as a Class B misdemeanor if the appraiser has a contingency interest in the outcome. The changes will apply to protests filed on or 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 (Penal Code 37, Tax Code 41)