Sec. 23.44.  ACTION ON APPLICATION.  (a)  The chief appraiser shall determine individually each claimant's right to the agricultural designation.  After considering the application and all relevant information, the chief appraiser shall, as soon as practicable but not later than the 90th day after the later of the date the claimant is first eligible for the agricultural designation or the date the claimant provides to the chief appraiser the information necessary for the chief appraiser to determine the claimant's right to the agricultural designation, as the law and facts warrant:
(1)  approve the application and designate the land for agricultural use;
(2)  disapprove the application and request additional information from the claimant in support of the claim; or
(3)  deny the application.
(b)  If the chief appraiser requires additional information from a claimant, the chief appraiser shall, as soon as practicable but not later than the 30th day after the date the application is filed with the chief appraiser, deliver a written notice to the claimant specifying the additional information the claimant must provide to the chief appraiser before the chief appraiser can determine the applicant's right to the agricultural designation.  The claimant must furnish the information not later than the 30th day after the date of the request or the application is denied.  However, for good cause shown the chief appraiser may extend the deadline for furnishing additional information by written order for a single period not to exceed 15 days.
(c)  The chief appraiser shall determine the validity of each application for agricultural designation filed with him before he submits the appraisal records for review and determination of protests as provided by Chapter 41 of this code.
(d)  If the chief appraiser denies an application, the chief appraiser shall deliver a written notice of the denial to the claimant not later than the fifth day after the date of denial.  The notice must state and fully explain each reason the chief appraiser denied the application. The notice must include a brief explanation of the procedures for protesting the denial.
Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 2255, ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.  Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 140, ch. 13, Sec. 64, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.
Amended by: 
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 533 (S.B. 63), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2021.