A tax warrant lets the collector and county peace officer seize necessary personal property, and related persons must surrender the property and provide identifying information on request.
Sec. 33.23. TAX WARRANT. (a) A tax warrant shall direct a peace officer in the county and the collector to seize as much of the person's personal property as may be reasonably necessary for the payment of all taxes, penalties, interest, and attorney's fees included in the application and all costs of seizure and sale. The warrant shall direct the person whose property is seized to disclose to the officer executing the warrant the name and the address if known of any other person having an interest in the property. (b) A bond may not be required of a taxing unit for issuance or delivery of a tax warrant, and a fee or court cost may not be charged for issuance or delivery of a warrant. (c) After a tax warrant is issued, the collector or peace officer shall take possession of the property pending its sale. The person against whom a tax warrant is issued or another person having possession of property of the person against whom a tax warrant is issued shall surrender the property on demand. Pending the sale of the property, the collector or peace officer may secure the property at the location where it is seized or may move the property to another location. (d) A person who possesses personal property owned by the person against whom a tax warrant is issued and who surrenders the property on demand is not liable to any person for the surrender. At the time of surrender, the collector shall provide the person surrendering the property a sworn receipt describing the property surrendered. (e) Subsection (d) does not create an obligation on the part of a person who surrenders property owned by the person against whom a tax warrant is issued that exceeds or materially differs from that person's obligation to the person against whom the tax warrant is issued. Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 2292, ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 4828, ch. 851, Sec. 24, eff. Aug. 29, 1983; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1430, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1126 (H.B. 2491), Sec. 20, eff. September 1, 2005.