03/19/2024 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

                   HB 347-PROPERTY ASSESSMENT                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:03:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE  BILL  NO.  347,  "An Act  relating  to  assessment  of                                                               
property,   boards   of   equalization,  and   certification   of                                                               
assessors; and  providing for  an effective  date."   [Before the                                                               
committee, adopted  as the working  document on 3/12/24,  was the                                                               
proposed  committee  substitute  (CS)  for HB  347,  Version  33-                                                               
LS1430\B, Dunmire, 3/8/24 ("Version B").]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:03:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JULIE COULOMBE,  Alaska State Legislature, prime  sponsor, stated                                                               
that  the bill  would help  communities  by providing  a path  of                                                               
fairness and  transparency around property assessment  by setting                                                               
standards,  ensuring that  assessors have  proper experience  and                                                               
certification,  and  giving  property  owners  a  fair  shake  in                                                               
challenging their assessments.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:04:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK invited Ms. Moller to speak to the bill.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:05:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SANDRA  MOLLER,  Director,  Division   of  Community  &  Regional                                                               
Affairs,   Department   of   Commerce,  Community,   &   Economic                                                               
Development  (DCCED),  noted that  the  bill  would affect  local                                                               
assessors, not  the state assessor.   She made  herself available                                                               
for questions.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:06:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK moved to adopt  Amendment 1 to Version B, labeled                                                               
33-LS1430\B.1, Dunmire, 3/18/24, which read:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 9:                                                                                                  
          Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                    
        "* Sec. 4. AS 29.45.180(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
          (a)  A person receiving an assessment notice                                                                          
     shall  advise the  assessor of  errors or  omissions in                                                                    
     the assessment  of the person's property.  If requested                                                                
     by the person, the assessor  shall meet with the person                                                                
     and  answer   reasonable  questions  relating   to  the                                                                
     methods  used  to  assess the  person's  property.  The                                                                
     assessor may  correct errors or  omissions in  the roll                                                                    
     before the board of equalization hearing."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 3:                                                                                                            
          Delete "Section 6"                                                                                                    
          Insert "Section 7"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 4:                                                                                                            
          Delete "sec. 7"                                                                                                       
          Insert "sec. 8"                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE objected.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:06:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE explained that  Amendment 1 would provide                                                               
an  opportunity  for  the  assessor and  taxpayer  to  resolve  a                                                               
dispute before bringing it to the Board of Equalization.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE  said he appreciated Amendment  1 and hoped                                                               
that it  would be  seen in  the spirit in  which it  is intended,                                                               
which is  to allow the  assessor's office  to be servants  of the                                                               
people.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:08:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE removed  his  objection.   There being  no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:08:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE said he  would not be offering Amendment                                                               
2 or Amendment 3 at this time.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:09:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  moved to  report  CSHB  347, Version  33-                                                               
LS1430\B,  Dunmire, 3/8/24,  as  amended, out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection,  CSHB 347(CRA)  was reported  from the                                                               
House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.