Before a protest hearing, the chief appraiser must give the property owner certain notice materials and requested information, and may not charge for copies.
Sec. 41.461. NOTICE OF CERTAIN MATTERS BEFORE HEARING; DELIVERY OF REQUESTED INFORMATION. (a) At least 14 days before a hearing on a protest, the chief appraiser shall: (1) deliver a copy of the pamphlet prepared by the comptroller under Section 5.06 to the property owner initiating the protest, or to an agent representing the owner if requested by the agent; (2) inform the property owner that the owner or the agent of the owner is entitled on request to a copy of the data, schedules, formulas, and all other information the chief appraiser will introduce at the hearing to establish any matter at issue; and (3) deliver a copy of the hearing procedures adopted by the appraisal review board under Section 41.01 to the property owner. (b) The chief appraiser may not charge a property owner or the designated agent of the owner for copies provided to the owner or designated agent under this section, regardless of the manner in which the copies are prepared or delivered. (c) A chief appraiser shall deliver information requested by a property owner or the agent of the owner under Subsection (a)(2): (1) by regular first-class mail, deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, and addressed to the property owner or agent at the address provided in the request for the information; (2) electronically, if the property owner or agent of the owner has elected to receive electronic communications from the chief appraiser under Section 1.085; or (3) subject to Subsection (d), by referring the property owner or the agent of the owner to a secure Internet website with user registration and authentication or to the exact Internet location or uniform resource locator (URL) address on an Internet website maintained by the appraisal district on which the requested information is identifiable and readily available. (d) If a chief appraiser provides a property owner or the designated agent of the owner information under Subsection (c)(3), the notice must contain a statement in a conspicuous font that clearly indicates that the property owner or the agent of the owner may on request receive the information by regular first-class mail or in person at the appraisal office. On request by a property owner or the agent of the owner, the chief appraiser must provide the information by regular first-class mail or in person at the appraisal office. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 364, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1992. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 1031, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(100), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 944 (S.B. 2), Sec. 64, eff. January 1, 2020. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 644 (H.B. 988), Sec. 18, eff. June 15, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 1228), Sec. 7, eff. January 1, 2024.