89R15025 DRS-D     By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2478       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the vote required by the governing body of a political   subdivision to adopt an ad valorem tax rate that exceeds the   no-new-revenue tax rate or to authorize the issuance of tax bonds.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 1253, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 1253.004 to read as follows:          Sec. 1253.004.  SUPERMAJORITY VOTE OF GOVERNING BODY   REQUIRED TO APPROVE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. Notwithstanding any   other law, a political subdivision may not issue general obligation   bonds unless at least 75 percent of the members of the governing   body of the political subdivision vote in favor of issuing the bonds   in the manner prescribed by law for official action by the governing   body.          SECTION 2.  Section 26.05(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as   follows:          (b)  A taxing unit may not impose property taxes in any year   until the governing body has adopted a tax rate for that year, and   the annual tax rate must be set by ordinance, resolution, or order,   depending on the method prescribed by law for adoption of a law by   the governing body.  The vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order   setting the tax rate must be separate from the vote adopting the   budget.  For a taxing unit other than a school district, the vote on   the ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds   the no-new-revenue tax rate must be a record vote, and at least 75   [60] percent of the members of the governing body must vote in favor   of the ordinance, resolution, or order.  For a school district, the   vote on the ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that   exceeds the rate calculated as provided by Section   44.004(c)(5)(A)(ii), Education Code, must be a record vote, and at   least 75 [60] percent of the members of the governing body must vote   in favor of the ordinance, resolution, or order.  A motion to adopt   an ordinance, resolution, or order setting a tax rate that exceeds   the no-new-revenue tax rate must be made in the following form: "I   move that the property tax rate be increased by the adoption of a   tax rate of (specify tax rate), which is effectively a (insert   percentage by which the proposed tax rate exceeds the   no-new-revenue tax rate) percent increase in the tax rate."  If the   ordinance, resolution, or order sets a tax rate that, if applied to   the total taxable value, will impose an amount of taxes to fund   maintenance and operation expenditures of the taxing unit that   exceeds the amount of taxes imposed for that purpose in the   preceding year, the taxing unit must:                (1)  include in the ordinance, resolution, or order in   type larger than the type used in any other portion of the document:                      (A)  the following statement: "THIS TAX RATE WILL   RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S   TAX RATE."; and                      (B)  if the tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue   maintenance and operations rate, the following statement: "THE TAX   RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY (INSERT PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE   TAX RATE EXCEEDS THE NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS   RATE) PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS   ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $(Insert amount)."; and                (2)  include on the home page of the Internet website of   the taxing unit:                      (A)  the following statement: "(Insert name of   taxing unit) ADOPTED A TAX RATE THAT WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR   MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE"; and                      (B)  if the tax rate exceeds the no-new-revenue   maintenance and operations rate, the following statement: "THE TAX   RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY (INSERT PERCENTAGE BY WHICH THE   TAX RATE EXCEEDS THE NO-NEW-REVENUE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS   RATE) PERCENT AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS   ON A $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $(Insert amount)."          SECTION 3.  Section 1253.004, Government Code, as added by   this Act, applies only to general obligation bonds authorized to be   issued by the governing body of a political subdivision on or after   the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 4.  Section 26.05(b), Tax Code, as amended by this   Act, applies only to a tax year that begins on or after the   effective date of this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.