HOUSE BILL NO. 241                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     An Act relating to optional exemptions from municipal                                                                      
     property taxes on residential property.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Chenault  MOVED  to RESCIND  previous  action                                                                   
taken on  passing CS HB 241  (FIN) out of Committee  in order                                                                   
to address Amendment  #1 dealing with the  optional municipal                                                                   
tax  exemption for  residences  of law  enforcement  officers                                                                   
located  within  certain  eligible  areas.   There  being  NO                                                                   
OBJECTION, action was rescinded.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Chenault  MOVED  to  ADOPT  work  draft  #23-                                                                   
LS0851\U, Cook,  4/23/04, as the  version of the  legislation                                                                   
before  the Committee,  which clarifies  the concern.   There                                                                   
being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Chenault explained  that under Amendment  #1,                                                                   
an eligible area  is one that is eligible for  designation as                                                                   
a special zone or an area under  certain federal programs, or                                                                   
is  an area  with a  statistically  higher crime  rate.   The                                                                   
federal programs  are identified by common names  rather than                                                                   
by  citation  of  federal  laws  or  regulations.    The  new                                                                   
language would tie it into the federal program.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Chenault  MOVED to report CS HB  241 (FIN) out                                                                   
of   Committee   and   to   use   the   previous   individual                                                                   
                                           rd                                                                                   
recommendations  adopted  on  the April  23,   2004  meeting.                                                                   
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CS HB  241 (FIN)  was reported  out of  Committee with  a "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation  and with  an indeterminate note  by the                                                                   
Department of Revenue  and zero note #2 by  the Department of                                                                   
Community & Economic Development.