HB 15, authored by Rep. Dennis Bonnen and filed on March 3 would do the following:
- Replace the “Effective” tax rate langauge with “No New Taxes” rate language
- This "No New Taxes" rate maintains the revenue from the previous year depending on the taxing unit
- Require taxing units to maintain a website and post budgetary and tax information to this website
- Create a standardized worksheet used by taxing units in calculating the “No New Taxes” rate and rollback tax rate
- Include school districts on the Comptroller list of tax rates imposed by each taxing unit and organize this list by name
- Delay tax rate adoption and hearings until tax rate calculations have been submitted to the Comptroller
- Create a searchable state database containing information on the “No New Taxes” or maintenance rates compared to the proposed rate for each taxing unit; would also include information about public meetings and hearings related to each tax
- Remove “Estimate of Tax Due” on appraisal notices
- Restrict debt service taxes to only debt that has been approved by voters
- Decrease the rollback rate multiplier from x1.08 to x1.04
- Require an election to be held whenever a taxing unit proposes a rate that exceeds the rollback rate
Bonnen said, "The Property Taxpayer Empowerment Act will give Texans the information and clarity they need about their tax bill to hold local leaders accountable."