Sec. 22.01. Rendition Generally.

(a) Except as provided by Chapter 24 of this code, a person shall render for taxation all tangible personal property used for the production of income that he owns or that he manages and controls as a fiduciary on January 1.

(b) When required by the chief appraiser, a person shall render for taxation any other taxable property that he owns or that he manages and controls as a fiduciary on January 1.

(c) A person may render for taxation any property that he owns or that he manages and controls as a fiduciary on January 1, although he is not required to render it by Subsection (a) or (b) of this section.

(d) A fiduciary who renders property shall indicate his fiduciary capacity and shall state the name and address of the owner.

(e) Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (b), a person is not required to render for taxation cotton that:

(1) the person manages and controls as a fiduciary;

(2) is stored in a warehouse for which an exemption for cotton has been granted under Section 11.436; and

(3) the person intends to transport outside of the state within the time permitted by Article VIII, Section 1-j, of the Texas Constitution for cotton to qualify for an exemption under that section.

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Sec. 22.02. Rendition of Property Losing Exemption During Tax Year.

If an exemption applicable to a property on January 1 terminates during the tax year, the person who owns or acquires the property on the date applicability of the exemption terminates shall render the property for taxation within 30 days after the date of termination.

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Sec. 22.03. Report of Decreased Value.

(a) A person who believes the appraised value of his property decreased during the preceding tax year for any reason other than normal depreciation may file an information report describing the property involved and stating the nature and cause of the decrease.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d) of this section, before determining the appraised value of property that is the subject of a completed and timely filed report as provided by Subsection (a) of this section, the chief appraiser must view the property to verify any reported change in appraised value and its cause and nature. The person who views the property shall note on the back of the property owner's report his name, the date he viewed the property, and his determination of any decrease in appraised value and its cause and nature.

(c) The chief appraiser shall deliver a written notice to the property owner of the determination made as provided by Subsection (b) of this section.

(d) Before determining the appraised value of oil and gas property that is the subject of a completed and timely filed report as provided by Subsection (a) of this section, the chief appraiser must review the appraisal of the property to verify any reported change in appraised value and its cause and nature. The person who reviews the appraisal of the property shall note on the back of the property owner's report his name, the date he reviewed the appraisal of the property, and his determination of any decrease in appraised value and its cause and nature.

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Sec. 22.04. Report by BaiKerr, Lessee, or Other Possessor.

(a) When required by the chief appraiser, a person shall file a report listing the name and address of each owner of property that is in his possession or under his management on January 1 by bailment, lease, consignment, or other arrangement.

(b) When required by the chief appraiser, a person who leases or otherwise provides space to another for storage of personal property shall file an information report stating the name and address of each person to whom he leased or otherwise provided storage space on January 1.

(c) This section does not apply to a warehouse for which an exemption for cotton has been granted under Section 11.436.

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Sec. 22.05. Rendition by Railroad.

(a) In addition to other reports required by Chapter 24 of this code, a railroad corporation shall render the property the railroad corporation owns or possesses as of January 1.

(b) The rendition shall:

(1) list all real property other than the property covered by Subdivision

(2) of this subsection; (2) list the number of miles of railroad together with the market value per mile, which value shall include right-of-way, roadbed, superstructure, and all buildings and improvements used in the operation of the railroad; and

(3) list all personal property as required by Section 22.01 of this code.

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Sec. 22.07. Inspection of Property.

(a) The chief appraiser or his authorized representative may enter the premises of a business, trade, or profession and inspect the property to determine the existence and market value of tangible personal property used for the production of income and having a taxable situs in the district.

(b) An inspection under this section must be during normal business hours or at a time mutually agreeable to the chief appraiser or his representative and the person in control of the premises.

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Sec. 22.21. Publicizing Requirements.

Each year the comptroller and each chief appraiser shall publicize in a manner reasonably designed to notify all property owners the requirements of the law relating to filing rendition statements and property reports and of the availability of forms.

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Sec. 22.22. Method for Requiring Rendition or Report.

The chief appraiser may require a rendition statement or property report he is authorized to require by this chapter by delivering written notice that the statement or report is required to the person responsible for filing it. He shall attach to the notice a copy of the appropriate form.

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Sec. 22.23. Filing Date.

(a) Rendition statements and property reports must be delivered to the chief appraiser after January 1 and before April 15, except as provided by Section 22.02 of this code.

(b) For good cause shown in writing by the property owner, the chief appraiser may extend a deadline for filing a rendition statement or property report by written order to a date not later than April 30. However, if the property that is the subject of the rendition is regulated by the Public Utility Commission of Texas or the Railroad Commission of Texas, the chief appraiser, upon written request by the property owner, shall extend the filing deadline until April 30, and may further extend the deadline an additional 15 days upon good cause shown in writing by the property owner.

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Sec. 22.24. Rendition and Report Forms.

(a) A person required to render property or to file a report as provided by this chapter shall use a form that substantially complies with the appropriate form prescribed or approved by the comptroller.

(b) A person filing a rendition or report shall include all information required by the form.

(c) The comptroller may prescribe or approve different forms for different kinds of property but shall ensure that each form requires a property owner to furnish the information necessary to identify the property and to determine its ownership, taxability, and situs. A form may not require a property owner to furnish information not relevant to the appraisal of property for tax purposes or to the assessment or collection of property taxes.

(d) A rendition or report form shall permit but may not require a property owner to state his opinion about the market value of his property.

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Sec. 22.25. Place and Manner of Filing.

A rendition statement or property report required or authorized by this chapter must be filed with the chief appraiser for the district in which the property listed in the statement or report is taxable.

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Sec. 22.26. Signature.

(a) Each rendition statement or property report required or authorized by this chapter must be signed by an individual who is required to file the statement or report.

(b) When a corporation is required to file a statement or report, an officer of the corporation or an employee or agent who has been designated in writing by the board of directors or by an authorized officer to sign in behalf of the corporation must sign the statement or report.

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Sec. 22.27. Confidential Information.

(a) Rendition statements, real and personal property reports, and income and expense information related to a property filed with an appraisal office and information voluntarily disclosed to an appraisal office or the comptroller about real or personal property sales prices after a promise it will be held confidential are confidential and not open to public inspection. The statements and reports and the information they contain about specific real or personal property or a specific real or personal property owner and information voluntarily disclosed to an appraisal office about real or personal property sales prices after a promise it will be held confidential may not be disclosed to anyone other than an employee of the appraisal office who appraises property except as authorized by Subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Information made confidential by this section may be disclosed:

(1) in a judicial or administrative proceeding pursuant to a lawful subpoena;

(2) to the person who filed the statement or report or the owner of property subject to the statement, report, or information or to a representative of either authorized in writing to receive the information;

(3) to the comptroller and his employees authorized by him in writing to receive the information or to an assessor or a chief appraiser if requested in writing;

(4) in a judicial or administrative proceeding relating to property taxation to which the person who filed the statement or report or the owner of the property that is a subject of the statement, report, or information is a party;

(5) for statistical purposes if in a form that does not identify specific property or a specific property owner; or

(6) if and to the extent the information is required to be included in a public document or record that the appraisal office is required to prepare or maintain.

(c) A person who legally has access to a statement or report or to other information made confidential by this section or who legally obtains the confidential information commits a Class B misdemeanor if he knowingly:

(1) permits inspection of the statement or report by a person not authorized to inspect it by Subsection (b) of this section; or

(2) discloses the confidential information to a person not authorized to receive the information by Subsection (b) of this section.

(d) No person who directly or indirectly provides information to the comptroller or appraisal office about real or personal property sales prices, either as set forth in Subsection (a) of this section under a promise of confidentiality, or otherwise, shall be liable to any other person as the result of providing such information.

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