Property tax lenders must give required notices and disclosures in solicitations and ads, and they may not use false or misleading rate or loan terms.
Sec. 351.0023. SOLICITATION OF LOANS; NOTICE. (a) A property tax lender who solicits property tax loans by mail, e-mail, or other print or electronic media shall include on the first page of all solicitation materials, in at least 12-point boldface type, a notice substantially similar to the following: "YOUR TAX OFFICE MAY OFFER DELINQUENT TAX INSTALLMENT PLANS THAT MAY BE LESS COSTLY TO YOU. YOU CAN REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE PLANS FROM THE TAX OFFICE." (b) A property tax lender who solicits property tax loans by broadcast media, including a television or radio broadcast, shall state the following in the broadcast: "YOUR TAX OFFICE MAY OFFER DELINQUENT TAX INSTALLMENT PLANS THAT MAY BE LESS COSTLY TO YOU. YOU CAN REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE PLANS FROM THE TAX OFFICE." (c) A property tax lender may not, in any manner, advertise or cause to be advertised a false, misleading, or deceptive statement or representation relating to a rate, term, or condition of a property tax loan. (d) A property tax lender who refers to a rate or charge in an advertisement shall state the rate or charge fully and clearly. If the rate or charge is a rate of finance charge, the advertisement must include the annual percentage rate and specifically refer to the rate as an "annual percentage rate." The advertisement must state that the annual percentage rate may be increased after the contract is executed, if applicable. The advertisement may not refer to any other rate, except that a simple annual rate that is applied to the unpaid balance of a property tax loan may be stated in conjunction with, but not more conspicuously than, the annual percentage rate. (e) If an advertisement for a property tax loan includes the number of payments, period of repayment, amount of any payment, or amount of any finance charges, the advertisement must, in addition to any applicable requirements of Subsection (d), include: (1) the terms of repayment, including the repayment obligations over the full term of the loan and any balloon payment; (2) the annual percentage rate, and must refer to that rate as the annual percentage rate; and (3) a statement that the lender may increase the annual percentage rate after the contract is executed, if applicable. (f) The finance commission may adopt rules to implement and enforce this section. (g) Notwithstanding Section 14.251, the commissioner may assess an administrative penalty under Subchapter F, Chapter 14, against a property tax lender who violates this section, regardless of whether the violation is knowing or wilful. Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 206 (S.B. 247), Sec. 2, eff. May 29, 2013.