To require each owner of a dwelling unit assisted under the section 8 rental assistance voucher program to remain current with respect to local property and school taxes and to authorize a public housing agency to use such rental assistance amounts to pay such tax debt of such an owner, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Our Schools from Tax 
Delinquents Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. OBLIGATION FOR OWNERS OF ASSISTED UNITS TO REMAIN CURRENT ON 
              LOCAL PROPERTY AND SCHOOL TAXES.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (o) of section 8 of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph:
    ``(21) Obligation for Owners To Remain Current on Local Property 
and School Taxes.--
            ``(1) Obligation.--Each housing assistance payments 
        contract entered into by a public housing agency and the owner 
        of a dwelling unit shall provide that the owner of the dwelling 
        unit assisted under the contract shall pay, on a timely basis, 
        all covered taxes validly assessed against the property in 
        which such dwelling unit is located.
            ``(2) Authority to provide for use of assistance amounts to 
        pay delinquent taxes.--A housing assistance payments contract 
        entered into by a public housing agency and the owner of a 
        dwelling unit may provide that, upon notification by a taxing 
        authority that the owner of a dwelling unit assisted under this 
        subsection is delinquent with respect to payment of any covered 
        taxes assessed by such taxing authority against the property in 
        which such dwelling unit is located and identification of the 
        amount of such delinquency--
                    ``(A) the public housing agency shall abate all of 
                the assistance amounts under this subsection with 
                respect to such property until the transfer of amounts 
                pursuant to subparagraph (B) is completed; and
                    ``(B) the agency shall transfer to such taxing 
                authority, on a monthly basis, an amount equal to the 
                monthly assistance amounts under this subsection with 
                respect to such dwelling unit (or such lesser amount as 
                may be agreed to by the agency and such authority) 
                until the delinquency identified in such notification 
                is eliminated (or for such shorter period, as may be 
                agreed to by the agency and such authority).
            ``(3) Requirements and procedures.--The Secretary shall 
        establish such requirements as may be necessary to provide for 
        the housing assistance payments contract provisions under 
        paragraphs (1) and (2), including, in the case of provisions 
        authorized by paragraph (2), such requirements regarding 
        notifications and transfer of amounts pursuant to paragraph 
        (2)(B) as may be necessary to ensure that amounts are not so 
        transferred except for actual and confirmed taxes assessed to 
        and owed by an owner of a dwelling unit, to ensure that no 
        amounts are transferred in excess of the amount of such taxes 
        owed, and to ensure the timely commencement and termination of 
        such transfers.
            ``(4) Treatment of tenants.--Nothing in this section may be 
        construed to authorize, or establish any cause or grounds for, 
        the termination of the tenancy of any tenant from any dwelling 
        unit assisted under this subsection.
            ``(5) Database.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall maintain a 
                database of information regarding--
                            ``(i) owners of dwelling units assisted 
                        under this subsection whose housing assistance 
                        payments contracts have been terminated for 
                        failure to comply with the provision required 
                        under paragraph (1); and
                            ``(ii) owners of such dwelling units with 
                        respect to whom assistance amounts have been 
                        abated and transferred to a taxing authority 
                        pursuant to paragraph (2).
                    ``(B) Contents.--Such database shall include 
                information that identifies the owner, the property for 
                which such assistance was provided, the amount 
                transferred, and the period over which such abatement 
                and transfer occurred.
                    ``(C) Information from public housing agencies.--
                The Secretary shall require public housing agencies to 
                submit information regarding the abatement and transfer 
                of assistance amounts pursuant to paragraph (2) 
                sufficient for the Secretary to maintain such database.
            ``(6) Definitions.--For purposes of this paragraph, the 
        following definitions shall apply:
                    ``(A) Covered taxes.--The term `covered taxes' 
                means any tax under the law of a State or any political 
                subdivision of a State that is assessed upon real 
                property or the revenue of which is dedicated for use 
                only for schools or for costs of education.
                    ``(B) Taxing authority.--The term `taxing 
                authority' means any State or political subdivision of 
                a State, including any agency or authority thereof, 
                having authority to assess and collect covered 
                taxes.''.
    (b) Regulations.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
shall issue any regulations necessary to carry section 8(o)(21) of the 
United States Housing Act of 1937, as added by the amendment made by 
subsection (a).

Summary: Protect Our Schools from Tax Delinquents Act of 2012 - Amends the United States Housing Act of 1937 to require that each housing assistance payments contract entered into under the Section 8 rental assistance voucher program by a public housing agency (PHA) and the owner of a dwelling unit provide that such owner pay, on a timely basis, all covered taxes validly assessed against the property in which the unit is located. Defines "covered taxes" as any tax under state or local law assessed upon real property or the revenue of which is dedicated for use only for schools or for costs of education.

Allows a contract to provide that, upon notification and identification of a tax delinquency by a taxing authority, the PHA shall abate all of the rental assistance amounts for the property, transferring them monthly to the taxing authority, until the delinquency is eliminated.

Declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize, or establish any cause or grounds for, the termination of the tenancy of any tenant from any dwelling unit assisted under the rental assistance voucher program.

Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to maintain a database of information regarding owners of dwelling units: (1) assisted under the program whose housing assistance payments contracts have been terminated for noncompliance with the requirements of this Act, and (2) with respect to whom assistance amounts have been abated and transferred to a taxing authority.