HB 347: "An Act relating to assessment of property, boards of equalization, and certification of assessors; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 347 01 "An Act relating to assessment of property, boards of equalization, and certification of 02 assessors; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 29.45.110(a) is amended to read: 05 (a) The assessor shall assess property at its full and true value as of January 1 06 of the assessment year, except as provided in this section, AS 29.45.060, and 07 29.45.230. The assessor shall determine the full and true value as provided in 08 standards adopted by the department under (e) of this section or another set of 09 standards provided by ordinance [IS THE ESTIMATED PRICE THAT THE 10 PROPERTY WOULD BRING IN AN OPEN MARKET AND UNDER THE THEN 11 PREVAILING MARKET CONDITIONS IN A SALE BETWEEN A WILLING 12 SELLER AND A WILLING BUYER BOTH CONVERSANT WITH THE 13 PROPERTY AND WITH PREVAILING GENERAL PRICE LEVELS]. 14 * Sec. 2. AS 29.45.110 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
01 (e) The department shall adopt standards for assessing the full and true value 02 of property under (a) of this section that are not inconsistent with standards adopted by 03 the International Association of Assessing Officers and update the standards when 04 necessary. 05 * Sec. 3. AS 29.45 is amended by adding a new section to read: 06 Sec. 29.45.115. Assessor certification. A municipality may not employ an 07 assessor, including a private contractor, unless the assessor has a level 3 certification 08 from the Alaska Association of Assessing Officers or works under the supervision of 09 an individual with a level 3 certification from the Alaska Association of Assessing 10 Officers. 11 * Sec. 4. AS 29.45.200(a) is amended to read: 12 (a) The governing body shall appoint one or more boards [SITS AS A 13 BOARD] of equalization for the purpose of hearing an appeal from a determination of 14 the assessor [, OR IT MAY DELEGATE THIS AUTHORITY TO ONE OR MORE 15 BOARDS APPOINTED BY IT]. An appointed board shall [MAY] be composed of 16 not less than three persons, who shall be members of the governing body, municipal 17 residents, or a combination of members of the governing body and residents. The 18 governing body shall by ordinance establish the qualifications for membership. The 19 governing body may by ordinance appoint itself to sit as a board of equalization. 20 * Sec. 5. AS 29.45.210(b) is amended to read: 21 (b) The appellant bears the burden of proof. The only grounds for adjustment 22 of assessment are proof of unequal, excessive, improper, or under valuation based on 23 facts that are stated in a valid written appeal or proven at the appeal hearing. The [IF 24 A VALUATION IS FOUND TO BE TOO LOW, THE] board of equalization may not 25 raise the assessment in the current year unless requested to do so by the appellant. 26 If the appellant provides a long form fee appraisal to support the appellant's 27 valuation and the board of equalization does not find in favor of the appellant, 28 the board shall make specific findings on the record to support its decision. 29 * Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30 read: 31 TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The Department of Commerce, Community, and
01 Economic Development may adopt regulations necessary to implement the changes made by 02 this Act. The regulations take effect under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not 03 before the effective date of the law implemented by the regulation. 04 * Sec. 7. Section 6 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 05 * Sec. 8. Except as provided in sec. 7 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2025.