Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

05/07/2024 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

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Audio Topic
03:17:41 PM Start
03:18:11 PM HB347
03:25:08 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 347 PROPERTY ASSESSMENT TELECONFERENCED
Moved SCS CSHB 347(CRA) Out of Committee
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                   HB 347-PROPERTY ASSESSMENT                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:18:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  announced the  consideration of  CS FOR  HOUSE BILL                                                               
NO.  347(CRA) am  "An  Act relating  to  assessment of  property,                                                               
boards  of  equalization,  and certification  of  assessors;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
This is the second hearing of  HB 347 in the Senate Community and                                                               
Regional Affairs  Committee. The intention is  to consider Senate                                                               
committee substitute (SCS), version \H.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:18:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  OLSON moved  to adopt  the  Senate committee  substitute                                                               
(SCS)  for  CSHB 347,  work  order  33-LS1430\H, as  the  working                                                               
document.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:18:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR objected for purposes  of discussion. He invited Ms.                                                               
Wiggin to present the summary of changes.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:19:18 PM                                                                                                                    
ARIELLE  WIGGIN,  Staff,  Senator Forrest  Dunbar,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  presented the  summary of  changes                                                               
from version \S.A to version \H  of HB 347, stating the SCS makes                                                               
the following changes to the bill:                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
[Adds: relating to municipal property tax;to the bill title.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Adds two new sections, Section 1 and Section 2                                                                              
Sections  1  and  Section  [2]  are  a  compilation  of  versions                                                               
reported  out  of  House  committees.  This  merges  SB  77,  the                                                               
municipal   property   tax    exemption/tax   blighted   property                                                               
legislation into HB 347.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Section 6                                                                                                                   
Inserts the following:                                                                                                          
- or a person designated by the assessor                                                                                    
This  allows someone  designated  by the  assessor  to meet  with                                                               
property owners.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Inserts the following:                                                                                                          
- The  meeting required under  this subsection may be  virtual or                                                           
  telephonic.                                                                                                               
This clarifies  that the  meeting, whether  with the  assessor or                                                               
the  designee,  may   occur  virtually  or  over   the  phone  to                                                               
accommodate small municipalities with contract assessors.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Adds a new section, Section 9                                                                                               
This states:  "Home rule and  first class cities  inside boroughs                                                               
may levy a tax under AS 29.45.057."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Sections 11 and 12 correct section references.]                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:20:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  gave a brief  recap of the  bill history for  SB 77                                                               
and said it is unlikely the House floor would hear it.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:20:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR  withdrew  his  objection.   He  found  no  further                                                               
objection and SCS CSHB 77 was adopted as the working document.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR invited closing comments.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:21:19 PM                                                                                                                    
EDRA  MORLEDGE,  Staff,  Representative  Julie  Coulombe,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  offered closing  comments on                                                               
HB  347.   She  said  Representative  Coulombe   appreciates  the                                                               
committee  for hearing  HB  347  and looks  forward  to the  bill                                                               
passing both bodies.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:21:35 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON thanked  the  sponsor for  HB  347 and  the                                                               
Chair for the SCS.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:22:12 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR OLSON asked whether the sponsor supports the SCS.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:22:18 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. MORLEDGE replied the sponsor  favored SB 77 and advocated for                                                               
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR OLSON  asked whether  the sponsor has  a position  on the                                                               
SCS.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. MORLEDGE replied  that the sponsor will push  for the passage                                                               
of HB 347.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:22:58 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN   questioned  the  insertion  of   SB  77,  the                                                               
municipal   property   tax    exemption/tax   blighted   property                                                               
legislation. He recalled  that SB 77 had two parts,  one of which                                                               
was benign  while the other  was controversial. He  asked whether                                                               
the insertion  of SB  77 language  into HB 347  imposed a  tax on                                                               
property that otherwise would not be taxed.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:23:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR opined  that both sections of SB 77  were benign. He                                                               
explained that the version passed  by House Finance included both                                                               
the first half  of SB 77 and the blighted  property provision. He                                                               
clarified  that there  is no  automatic additional  property tax,                                                               
but municipalities  have the  option to impose  a blight  tax. He                                                               
noted that  the House version incorporated  amendments addressing                                                               
Senate   floor   concerns,   adding   further   restrictions   on                                                               
municipalities' ability to levy the tax.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:24:13 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN  said that he  will reserve judgment as  this is                                                               
the first time to see version \H of HB 347.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:24:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:24:37 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  OLSON moved  to  report  SCS CSHB  347,  work order  33-                                                               
1430\H,  from  committee   with  individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached forthcoming fiscal note(s).                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:24:57 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR  found  no  objection and  SCS  CSHB  347(CRA)  was                                                               
reported from the Senate Community  and Regional Affairs Standing                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 347 Version H.pdf SCRA 5/7/2024 1:30:00 PM
HB 347
HB 347 Version D Explanation of Changes 5.7.24.pdf SCRA 5/7/2024 1:30:00 PM
HB 347