(a) Application deadline. If a county tax assessor-collector chooses to apply for a recognition level or to apply for a higher level of recognition under the Performance Quality Recognition Program, the county tax assessor-collector must submit an application to the department during any year of the county tax assessor-collector's term of office. The application must be received by the department or postmarked no later than October 31st.
(b) Application from a successor county tax assessor-collector. A successor county tax assessor-collector is not eligible for a recognition level until after serving as the county tax assessor-collector during an entire state fiscal year, which is September 1st through August 31st.
(c) Application for a higher level of recognition.
  (1) If a county tax assessor-collector obtains a recognition level and chooses to apply for a higher level of recognition during the term of the existing recognition level, the county tax assessor-collector is not eligible to apply for a higher level until after serving as the county tax assessor-collector during an entire state fiscal year subsequent to the state fiscal year for which the existing recognition level was awarded.
  (2) If the department demotes a county tax assessor-collector's recognition level, the county tax assessor-collector is not eligible to apply for a higher level of recognition until after serving as the county tax assessor-collector during an entire state fiscal year subsequent to the state fiscal year during which the existing recognition level was demoted.
(d) Application for a recognition level after revocation of recognition level. If the department revokes a county tax assessor-collector's recognition level, the county tax assessor-collector is not eligible to apply for a recognition level until after serving as the county tax assessor-collector during an entire state fiscal year subsequent to the state fiscal year during which the recognition level was revoked.
(e) Application form. The application must be submitted on a form prescribed by the department.
(f) Signature on application. The county tax assessor-collector must sign the application.
(g) Additional information, documentation, or clarification. At the department's discretion, the department may request additional information, documentation, or clarification from the county tax assessor-collector after the department receives an application. The department shall provide the county tax assessor-collector with a deadline to respond to the request.

Source Note: The provisions of this §217.204 adopted to be effective August 8, 2016, 41 TexReg 5798