2005 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 254 – Property tax expmtn/rural subdivisn

HOUSE BILL NO. 254

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Bill Status



H0254aaS............................................by REVENUE AND TAXATION
PROPERTY TAX - Repeals, amends and adds to existing law to provide a
partial property tax exemption for parcels of land in a rural residential
subdivision plat in certain counties; to provide eligibility criteria; to
provide for an application; and to provide for recovery of taxes.
                                                                        
02/21    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/22    Rpt prt - to Rev/Tax
03/02    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/03    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/07    3rd rdg - PASSED - 61-7-2
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Bastian, Bayer, Bedke, Bell,
      Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Chadderdon, Clark,
      Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth, Eskridge,
      Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, Jones,
      LeFavour, Martinez, Mathews, McKague, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle,
      Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Ringo,
      Roberts, Rusche, Rydalch, Sali, Sayler, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8),
      Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30), Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson,
      Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Barrett, Field(18), Kemp, Loertscher, McGeachin, Schaefer,
      Trail
      Absent and excused -- Cannon, Lake
    Floor Sponsors - Raybould & Roberts
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/08    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Loc Gov
03/18    Rpt out - to 14th Ord
03/23    Rpt out amen - to 1st rdg as amen
03/24    1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
03/25    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
03/29    To 14th Ord
04/06    Rpt out - w/o amen - to 3rd rdg
    3rd rdg - PASSED - 21-11-2-1
      AYES -- Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burtenshaw, Cameron, Corder,
      Darrington, Davis, Fulcher(Fulcher), Geddes, Goedde, Keough,
      Langhorst, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson,
      Sweet, Williams
      NAYS -- Burkett, Coiner, Compton, Jorgenson, Kelly, Little, McGee,
      Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Werk
      Absent and excused -- Andreason, Gannon
      Excused from voting -- Hill
    Floor Sponsor - Corder
    Title apvd - to House
04/06    House concurred in Senate amens - to engros
    Rpt engros - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
    Rls susp - PASSED - 48-16-6
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Bastian, Bayer, Bedke, Bell,
      Bilbao, Black, Block, Bolz, Bradford, Cannon, Chadderdon, Collins,
      Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth(Ellsworth), Eskridge,
      Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Jones, Kemp, Lake,
      Mathews, McKague, Miller, Moyle, Nonini, Raybould, Ring(Roberge),
      Roberts, Rusche, Rydalch, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen,
      Smith(30), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Barrett, Boe, Henbest, Jaquet, LeFavour, Loertscher,
      Martinez, Mitchell, Nielsen, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Ringo, Sali,
      Sayler(Callen), Schaefer, Wills
      Absent and excused -- Clark, Henderson, McGeachin, Smith(24), Trail,
      Wood
    Floor Sponsors - Raybould & Roberts
    Title apvd - to enrol
04/07    Rpt enrol - Sp/Pres signed - To Governor
04/15    Governor VETOED

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 254
                                                                        
                             BY REVENUE AND TAXATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO PROPERTY TAXATION; REPEALING SECTION 63-602FF, IDAHO CODE;  AMEND-
  3        ING  CHAPTER  6,  TITLE  63,  IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION
  4        63-602FF, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR PAR-
  5        CELS OF LAND IN A RURAL RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION PLAT IN CERTAIN  COUNTIES,
  6        TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, TO PROVIDE FOR AN APPLICATION, TO PROVIDE
  7        FOR RECOVERY OF TAXES, TO DEFINE TERMS AND TO PROVIDE THE DECLARATION THAT
  8        THIS EXEMPTION IS NECESSARY AND JUST; AMENDING SECTION 63-509, IDAHO CODE,
  9        TO  PROVIDE  AN  ASSESSMENT  ROLL  FOR RURAL RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION PLATS
 10        GRANTED A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION; AMENDING SECTION  63-604,  IDAHO
 11        CODE,  TO  REVISE  CERTAIN  ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA  FOR LAND TO BE ACTIVELY
 12        DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE FOR PROPERTY TAX PURPOSES; DECLARING  AN  EMERGENCY
 13        AND PROVIDING RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.
                                                                        
 14    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 15        SECTION  1.  That Section 63-602FF, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 16    repealed.
                                                                        
 17        SECTION 2.  That Chapter 6, Title 63, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
 18    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 19    ignated as Section 63-602FF, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 20        63-602FF.  PARTIAL EXEMPTION FOR PARCELS OF LAND IN  A  RURAL  RESIDENTIAL
 21    SUBDIVISION  PLAT.  (1) Each parcel of land in a rural residential subdivision
 22    plat located in a county with a population of one hundred  thousand  (100,000)
 23    or less, that was approved and recorded in 2004 or thereafter, and each parcel
 24    of land granted the exemption pursuant to former section 63-602FF, Idaho Code,
 25    in 2002, 2003 or 2004 shall be eligible for the following exemption from prop-
 26    erty taxation:
 27        (a)  Beginning  January 1 of the year following rural residential subdivi-
 28        sion plat approval and recordation, or 2005, whichever is later, and  con-
 29        tinuing for four (4) additional consecutive years, the exemption from full
 30        market value for assessment purposes shall be ninety-five percent (95%);
 31        (b)  Beginning  January  1  of  the sixth year following rural residential
 32        subdivision plat approval and recordation, or 2005,  whichever  is  later,
 33        the  exemption  from  full  market  value for assessment purposes shall be
 34        eighty percent (80%);
 35        (c)  Beginning January 1 of the seventh year following  rural  residential
 36        subdivision  plat  approval  and recordation, or 2005, whichever is later,
 37        the exemption from full market value  for  assessment  purposes  shall  be
 38        sixty percent (60%);
 39        (d)  Beginning  January  1  of the eighth year following rural residential
 40        subdivision plat approval and recordation, or 2005,  whichever  is  later,
 41        the  exemption  from  full  market  value for assessment purposes shall be
 42        forty percent (40%);
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (e)  Beginning January 1 of the ninth  year  following  rural  residential
  2        subdivision  plat  approval  and recordation, or 2005, whichever is later,
  3        the exemption from full market value  for  assessment  purposes  shall  be
  4        twenty percent (20%);
  5        (f)  Beginning  January  1  of  the tenth year following rural residential
  6        subdivision plat approval and recordation, or 2005,  whichever  is  later,
  7        the  exemption  from  full  market value for assessment purposes ceases to
  8        exist and thereafter the property shall be valued for assessment  purposes
  9        at full market value.
 10        (2)  Each parcel in such rural residential subdivision plat shall continue
 11    to be eligible for the exemption provided in this section until:
 12        (a)  The parcel is sold; or
 13        (b)  Any improvement is built on the parcel; or
 14        (c)  The parcel is annexed into a city.
 15        When  any one (1) of these events occurs, the parcel shall lose the exemp-
 16    tion in the immediately following tax year.
 17        (3)  Prior to receiving the exemption, the owner must file a one (1)  time
 18    application  for  approval  with  the county assessor by April 15 of the first
 19    year for which the exemption is claimed, identifying the parcels for which the
 20    exemption is claimed and certifying that he is  the  owner  of  said  parcels.
 21    Recovery  of property tax exemptions allowed by this section due to the exemp-
 22    tion being improperly claimed or approved or  the  failure  of  the  owner  to
 23    report the sale of any parcel granted the exemption shall be as follows:
 24        (a)  The  taxpayer  may  appeal  to  the board of county commissioners the
 25        decision by the county assessor to assess the  recovery  of  property  tax
 26        within thirty (30) days of the date the county assessor sent the notice to
 27        the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 28        (b)  The  county  assessor shall assess improperly exempted value for each
 29        year the exemption allowed by  this  section  was  improperly  claimed  or
 30        approved  up  to  the  lesser  of a maximum of nine (9) years or until the
 31        property was transferred to a bona fide purchaser for value. The amount of
 32        the recovery of property tax shall be calculated using the product of  the
 33        amount  of  improperly exempted value for each year multiplied by the levy
 34        for that year plus costs, late charges and interest for each year  at  the
 35        rates  equal  to  those provided for delinquent property taxes during that
 36        year.
 37        (c)  Recovered property taxes shall be billed, collected  and  distributed
 38        in  the same manner as property taxes, except each taxing district or unit
 39        shall be notified of the amount of any recovered property  taxes  included
 40        in any distribution.
 41        (d)  Any unpaid recovered property taxes shall become a lien upon the real
 42        property  in  the  same  manner  as provided for property taxes in section
 43        63-206, Idaho Code, except such lien shall attach as of the first  day  of
 44        January in the year following the year the county assessor sent the notice
 45        to the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 46        (e)  For  purposes  of  the  limitation  provided by section 63-802, Idaho
 47        Code, moneys received pursuant to this subsection as recovery of  property
 48        tax shall be treated as property tax revenue.
 49        (4)  For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
 50        (a)  "Improvement"  means  any  development of a parcel which requires the
 51        issuance of a permit by the state of Idaho or the county of  jurisdiction,
 52        provided  such  development  is to an individual parcel rather than to the
 53        rural residential subdivision as a whole.
 54        (b)  "Owner" means the entity holding title to the property or in  posses-
 55        sion  under  a sale contract at the time the rural residential subdivision
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1        plat was approved and recorded.
  2        (c)  "Parcel" means a lot in a rural residential subdivision plat.
  3        (d)  "Plat" means the drawing, map or plan of a subdivision or  a  replat-
  4        ting of such, including certifications, descriptions and approvals.
  5        (e)  "Rural"  means  outside city boundaries as described in the documents
  6        filed with the state tax commission  pursuant  to  section  63-215,  Idaho
  7        Code.
  8        (f)  "Sold"  means  a  transfer  of  title  has occurred from the owner as
  9        seller to another entity, except in the event of the first  transfer to  a
 10        surviving  spouse or child following the death of an owner or in the event
 11        of the first transfer of the entire platted subdivision in which  no  par-
 12        cels have been sold.
 13        (5)  The legislature declares that this exemption is necessary and just.
                                                                        
 14        SECTION  3.  That  Section  63-509, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 15    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 16        63-509.  DELIVERY OF ROLLS TO COUNTY AUDITOR -- ABSTRACTS OF ROLLS. (1) On
 17    or before the second Monday of July the board of equalization must deliver the
 18    property rolls, with all changes, corrections  and  additions  and  exemptions
 19    from  taxation entered therein, to the county auditor. It shall be the duty of
 20    the county auditor to cause to be prepared the roll for delivery to the county
 21    tax collector on or before the first Monday of November. It shall be the  duty
 22    of  the county auditor to cause to be prepared a total of the amount and value
 23    of each category of property and prepare  an  abstract  of  all  the  property
 24    entered upon the roll in the manner and form required by the state tax commis-
 25    sion.  Such  forms must show, but need not be limited to, the market value for
 26    assessment purposes of all property by categories,  and  the  exemptions  from
 27    taxation  allowed  by categories. Any abstracts needed by and prepared for the
 28    state tax commission must be delivered by certified mail to the state tax com-
 29    mission by the fourth Monday of July. The value of exemptions  will  be  shown
 30    and  identified  for  exemptions granted pursuant to chapters 20 and 29, title
 31    50, Idaho Code, for the value in excess of the equalized assessment  valuation
 32    as  shown on the base assessment roll in any revenue allocation area, and sec-
 33    tions 63-602G, 63-602K, 63-602P, 63-602AA, 63-602X, 63-602BB, and    63-602CC,
 34    and  63-602FF,  Idaho  Code,  as well as the net taxable value for each of the
 35    categories. The abstracts shall be prepared and duly verified and must show  a
 36    correct  classification of all the property in accordance with the classifica-
 37    tion of such property upon the property  roll,  and  all  matters  and  things
 38    required to be shown upon the abstracts must be entered.
 39        (2)  The subsequent property roll shall be delivered to the county auditor
 40    as  soon  as  possible  after the first Monday in December. The county auditor
 41    shall deliver the subsequent property roll to the county tax collector without
 42    delay.
 43        (3)  The missed property roll shall be delivered to the county auditor  as
 44    soon  as possible, but no later than the first Monday in March of the succeed-
 45    ing year. The county auditor shall deliver the missed  property  roll  to  the
 46    county tax collector without delay.
 47        (4)  The  county  auditor  must cause to be prepared abstracts of the com-
 48    bined subsequent and missed property rolls as prescribed in subsection (1) and
 49    submit the abstracts by certified mail to  the  state  tax  commission  on  or
 50    before the first Monday in March of the succeeding year.
                                                                        
 51        SECTION  4.  That  Section  63-604, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 52    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
                                           4
                                                                        
  1        63-604.  LAND ACTIVELY DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE DEFINED.  (1)  For  property
  2    tax  purposes,  land  which  is  actively devoted to agriculture as part of an
  3    agricultural enterprise shall be eligible for appraisal, assessment and  taxa-
  4    tion  as  agricultural property each year it meets one (1) or more of the fol-
  5    lowing qualifications:
  6        (a)  The total area of such land, including the  homesite,  is  more  than
  7        five  (5)  contiguous  acres, and is actively devoted to agriculture which
  8        means:
  9             (i)   It is used to produce field crops including,  but  not  limited
 10             to, grains, feed crops, fruits and vegetables; or
 11             (ii)  It  is  used  to  produce  nursery  stock as defined in section
 12             22-2302(11), Idaho Code; or
 13             (iii) It is used by the owner for the grazing of livestock to be sold
 14             as part of a net profit-making enterprise, or is leased by the  owner
 15             to a bona fide lessee for grazing purposes; or
 16             (iv)  It is in a cropland retirement or rotation program.
 17        (b)  The  area  of such land is five (5) contiguous acres or less and such
 18        land has been actively devoted to agriculture within the meaning  of  sub-
 19        section  (1)(a) of this section during the last three (3) growing seasons;
 20        and
 21             (i)  It agriculturally produces for  sale  or  home  consumption  the
 22             equivalent  of  fifteen  percent  (15%)  or  more  of  the owner's or
 23             lessee's annual gross income; or
 24             (ii) It agriculturally produced gross  revenues  in  the  immediately
 25             preceding  year  of  one  thousand dollars ($1,000) or more. When the
 26             area of land is five (5) contiguous acres or less, such land shall be
 27             presumed to be nonagricultural land until it is established that  the
 28             requirements of this subsection have been met.
 29        (2)  Land, whether within or without a city, meeting the criteria provided
 30    in  subsection  (1) of this section shall not be classified or valued as agri-
 31    cultural land which continue to be considered actively devoted to  agriculture
 32    within  the  meaning  of this section, even if it is within a platted subdivi-
 33    sion, unless it is part of a platted subdivision with stated restrictions pro-
 34    hibiting its use for agricultural purposes, whether within or without a city.
 35        (3)  Land utilized for the grazing of a horse or other animals  kept  pri-
 36    marily    for  personal  use  or  pleasure  rather than as part of a bona fide
 37    profit-making agricultural enterprise shall not be considered to be land which
 38    is actively devoted to agriculture.
 39        (4)  Land actively devoted to agriculture, having previously qualified for
 40    exemption under this section in the preceding year, or which would have quali-
 41    fied under this section during the current year, shall not lose such  qualifi-
 42    cation due to the owner's or lessee's absence in the current year by reason of
 43    active military service in a designated combat zone, as defined in section 112
 44    of  the Internal Revenue Code. If an owner fails to timely apply for exemption
 45    as required in this section solely by reason of active duty  in  a  designated
 46    combat  zone,  as defined in section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the
 47    land would otherwise qualify for exemption under this section, then the  board
 48    of  county  commissioners  of the county in which the land actively devoted to
 49    agriculture is located shall refund property taxes, if previously paid, in  an
 50    amount equal to the exemption which would otherwise have applied.
 51        (5)  As  used in this section "contiguous" shall mean being in actual con-
 52    tact or touching along a boundary or at a point, except no area of land  shall
 53    be  considered not contiguous solely by reason of a roadway or other right-of-
 54    way.
                                                                        
                                           5
                                                                        
  1        SECTION 5.  An emergency existing  therefor,  which  emergency  is  hereby
  2    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
  3    passage and approval, and retroactively to January 1, 2005.

Amendment


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                     Moved by    Corder              
                                                                        
                                                     Seconded by Williams            
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                              SENATE AMENDMENT TO H.B. NO. 254
                                                                        
  1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2
  2        On page 1 of the printed bill, delete lines 20 through 42, delete  page  2
  3    and on page 3 delete lines 1 through 13 and insert:
  4        "63-602FF.  PARTIAL  EXEMPTION  FOR PARCELS OF LAND IN A RURAL RESIDENTIAL
  5    SUBDIVISION PLAT. (1) Each parcel of land in a rural  residential  subdivision
  6    plat  located  in a county with a population of one hundred thousand (100,000)
  7    or less as determined by the state department of commerce and labor, that  was
  8    approved  and  recorded in 2004 or thereafter, and each parcel of land granted
  9    an exemption in 2002, 2003 or 2004 pursuant to section 63-602FF,  Idaho  Code,
 10    as such was codified for 2002, 2003 and 2004 shall be eligible for the follow-
 11    ing exemption from property taxation:
 12        (a)  Beginning  January 1 of the year following rural residential subdivi-
 13        sion plat approval and recordation, or 2005, whichever is later, and  con-
 14        tinuing for fourteen (14) additional consecutive years, the exemption from
 15        full  market  value  for  assessment purposes shall be ninety-five percent
 16        (95%);
 17        (b)  On January 1 of the fifteenth year following rural residential subdi-
 18        vision plat approval and recordation, or 2005,  whichever  is  later,  the
 19        exemption  from  full market value for assessment purposes ceases to exist
 20        and thereafter the property shall be valued  for  assessment  purposes  at
 21        full market value.
 22        (c)  When  the  population  of  the  county  exceeds  one hundred thousand
 23        (100,000) the exemption ceases to exist.
 24        (2)  Any parcel eligible for the exemption pursuant to  section  63-602FF,
 25    Idaho  Code,  as  such was codified for 2002, 2003 and 2004, and upon which an
 26    application for such exemption was submitted to the county in  2002,  2003  or
 27    2004, but appealed to and denied by the county board of equalization, shall be
 28    eligible  for  the  exemption  pursuant to this section. For such parcels, the
 29    fifteen (15) year limitation for the maximum duration of this exemption begins
 30    with tax year 2005.
 31        (3)  Each parcel in such rural residential subdivision plat shall continue
 32    to be eligible for the exemption provided in this section until:
 33        (a)  The parcel is sold; or
 34        (b)  Any improvement is built on the parcel; or
 35        (c)  The parcel is annexed into a city; or
 36        (d)  December 31, 2007, in the event that three (3)  or  fewer  lots  were
 37        purchased by a single person prior to January 1, 2005.
 38        When  any one (1) of these events occurs, the parcel shall lose the exemp-
 39    tion in the immediately following tax year.
 40        (4)  Prior to receiving the exemption, the owner must file a one (1)  time
 41    application  for  approval  with  the county assessor by April 15 of the first
 42    year for which the exemption is claimed, identifying the parcels for which the
 43    exemption is claimed and certifying that he is  the  owner  of  said  parcels.
 44    Provided  however,   a purchaser of four (4) or more lots who is not using the
                                                                        
                                          2
                                                                        
  1    lots for his residential or  recreational  purposes,  shall  make  application
  2    annually with the county assessor and will be granted the exemption allowed by
  3    this  section, if qualified, for the year of application, but the total number
  4    of years of exemption shall not exceed fifteen (15) years for  both  the  pur-
  5    chaser  and  the  original  owner  of the parcels and the purchaser attests to
  6    those facts, under penalty of perjury, to the county assessor  and  files  the
  7    same  with  the  assessor.  Failure  to make annual application shall prohibit
  8    future eligibility for this exemption.
  9        (5)  Recovery of property tax exemptions allowed by this  section  due  to
 10    the  exemption being improperly claimed or approved  for whatever reason shall
 11    be as follows:
 12        (a)  The taxpayer may appeal to the  board  of  county  commissioners  the
 13        decision  by  the  county  assessor to assess the recovery of property tax
 14        within thirty (30) days of the date the county assessor sent the notice to
 15        the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 16        (b)  The county assessor shall assess improperly exempted value  for  each
 17        year  the  exemption  allowed  by  this  section was improperly claimed or
 18        approved up to the lesser of a maximum of fourteen (14) years or until the
 19        property lost this exemption pursuant to subsection (3) of  this  section.
 20        The  amount  of the recovery of property tax shall be calculated using the
 21        product of the amount of improperly exempted value for  each  year  multi-
 22        plied  by the levy for that year plus costs, late charges and interest for
 23        each year at the rates equal to those  provided  for  delinquent  property
 24        taxes during that year.
 25        (c)  Recovered  property  taxes shall be billed, collected and distributed
 26        in the same manner as property taxes, except each taxing district or  unit
 27        shall  be  notified of the amount of any recovered property taxes included
 28        in any distribution.
 29        (d)  Any unpaid recovered property taxes shall become a lien upon the real
 30        property in the same manner as provided  for  property  taxes  in  section
 31        63-206,  Idaho  Code, except such lien shall attach as of the first day of
 32        January in the year following the year the county assessor sent the notice
 33        to the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 34        (e)  For purposes of the limitation  provided  by  section  63-802,  Idaho
 35        Code,  moneys received pursuant to this subsection as recovery of property
 36        tax shall be treated as property tax revenue.
 37        (6)  For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
 38        (a)  "Improvement" means any development of a parcel  which  requires  the
 39        issuance  of a permit by the state of Idaho or the county of jurisdiction,
 40        provided such development is to an individual parcel rather  than  to  the
 41        rural residential subdivision as a whole.
 42        (b)  "Owner"  means the entity holding title to the property or in posses-
 43        sion under a sale contract at the time the rural  residential  subdivision
 44        plat was approved and recorded.
 45        (c)  "Parcel" means a lot in a rural residential subdivision plat.
 46        (d)  "Plat"  means  the drawing, map or plan of a subdivision or a replat-
 47        ting of such, including certifications, descriptions and approvals.
 48        (e)  "Rural" means outside city boundaries as described in  the  documents
 49        filed  with  the  state  tax  commission pursuant to section 63-215, Idaho
 50        Code.
 51        (f)  "Sold" means a transfer of title  has  occurred  from  the  owner  to
 52        another  entity, except in the event of the first transfer to a  spouse or
 53        child  or in the event of the first transfer of four (4) or more  lots  of
 54        the  platted  subdivision to a purchaser who will not use the lots for his
 55        residential or recreational purposes.
                                                                        
                                          3
                                                                        
  1        (7)  The legislature declares that this exemption is necessary and just.".

Engrossed Bill (Original Bill with Amendment(s) Incorporated)


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                        HOUSE BILL NO. 254, As Amended in the Senate
                                                                        
                             BY REVENUE AND TAXATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO PROPERTY TAXATION; REPEALING SECTION 63-602FF, IDAHO CODE;  AMEND-
  3        ING  CHAPTER  6,  TITLE  63,  IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION
  4        63-602FF, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR PAR-
  5        CELS OF LAND IN A RURAL RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION PLAT IN CERTAIN  COUNTIES,
  6        TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, TO PROVIDE FOR AN APPLICATION, TO PROVIDE
  7        FOR RECOVERY OF TAXES, TO DEFINE TERMS AND TO PROVIDE THE DECLARATION THAT
  8        THIS EXEMPTION IS NECESSARY AND JUST; AMENDING SECTION 63-509, IDAHO CODE,
  9        TO  PROVIDE  AN  ASSESSMENT  ROLL  FOR RURAL RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION PLATS
 10        GRANTED A PARTIAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION; AMENDING SECTION  63-604,  IDAHO
 11        CODE,  TO  REVISE  CERTAIN  ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA  FOR LAND TO BE ACTIVELY
 12        DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE FOR PROPERTY TAX PURPOSES; DECLARING  AN  EMERGENCY
 13        AND PROVIDING RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.
                                                                        
 14    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 15        SECTION  1.  That Section 63-602FF, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 16    repealed.
                                                                        
 17        SECTION 2.  That Chapter 6, Title 63, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
 18    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 19    ignated as Section 63-602FF, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 20        63-602FF.  PARTIAL EXEMPTION FOR PARCELS OF LAND IN  A  RURAL  RESIDENTIAL
 21    SUBDIVISION  PLAT.  (1) Each parcel of land in a rural residential subdivision
 22    plat located in a county with a population of one hundred  thousand  (100,000)
 23    or  less as determined by the state department of commerce and labor, that was
 24    approved and recorded in 2004 or thereafter, and each parcel of  land  granted
 25    an  exemption  in 2002, 2003 or 2004 pursuant to section 63-602FF, Idaho Code,
 26    as such was codified for 2002, 2003 and 2004 shall be eligible for the follow-
 27    ing exemption from property taxation:
 28        (a)  Beginning January 1 of the year following rural residential  subdivi-
 29        sion  plat approval and recordation, or 2005, whichever is later, and con-
 30        tinuing for fourteen (14) additional consecutive years, the exemption from
 31        full market value for assessment purposes  shall  be  ninety-five  percent
 32        (95%);
 33        (b)  On January 1 of the fifteenth year following rural residential subdi-
 34        vision  plat  approval  and  recordation, or 2005, whichever is later, the
 35        exemption from full market value for assessment purposes ceases  to  exist
 36        and  thereafter  the  property  shall be valued for assessment purposes at
 37        full market value.
 38        (c)  When the population  of  the  county  exceeds  one  hundred  thousand
 39        (100,000) the exemption ceases to exist.
 40        (2)  Any  parcel  eligible for the exemption pursuant to section 63-602FF,
 41    Idaho Code, as such was codified for 2002, 2003 and 2004, and  upon  which  an
 42    application  for  such  exemption was submitted to the county in 2002, 2003 or
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    2004, but appealed to and denied by the county board of equalization, shall be
  2    eligible for the exemption pursuant to this section.  For  such  parcels,  the
  3    fifteen (15) year limitation for the maximum duration of this exemption begins
  4    with tax year 2005.
  5        (3)  Each parcel in such rural residential subdivision plat shall continue
  6    to be eligible for the exemption provided in this section until:
  7        (a)  The parcel is sold; or
  8        (b)  Any improvement is built on the parcel; or
  9        (c)  The parcel is annexed into a city; or
 10        (d)  December  31,  2007,  in  the event that three (3) or fewer lots were
 11        purchased by a single person prior to January 1, 2005.
 12        When any one (1) of these events occurs, the parcel shall lose the  exemp-
 13    tion in the immediately following tax year.
 14        (4)  Prior  to receiving the exemption, the owner must file a one (1) time
 15    application for approval with the county assessor by April  15  of  the  first
 16    year for which the exemption is claimed, identifying the parcels for which the
 17    exemption  is  claimed  and  certifying  that he is the owner of said parcels.
 18    Provided however,  a purchaser of four (4) or more lots who is not  using  the
 19    lots  for  his  residential  or  recreational purposes, shall make application
 20    annually with the county assessor and will be granted the exemption allowed by
 21    this section, if qualified, for the year of application, but the total  number
 22    of  years  of exemption shall not exceed fifteen (15) years for  both the pur-
 23    chaser and the original owner of the parcels  and  the  purchaser  attests  to
 24    those  facts,  under  penalty of perjury, to the county assessor and files the
 25    same with the assessor. Failure to  make  annual  application  shall  prohibit
 26    future eligibility for this exemption.
 27        (5)  Recovery  of  property  tax exemptions allowed by this section due to
 28    the exemption being improperly claimed or approved  for whatever reason  shall
 29    be as follows:
 30        (a)  The  taxpayer  may  appeal  to  the board of county commissioners the
 31        decision by the county assessor to assess the  recovery  of  property  tax
 32        within thirty (30) days of the date the county assessor sent the notice to
 33        the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 34        (b)  The  county  assessor shall assess improperly exempted value for each
 35        year the exemption allowed by  this  section  was  improperly  claimed  or
 36        approved up to the lesser of a maximum of fourteen (14) years or until the
 37        property  lost  this exemption pursuant to subsection (3) of this section.
 38        The amount of the recovery of property tax shall be calculated  using  the
 39        product  of  the  amount of improperly exempted value for each year multi-
 40        plied by the levy for that year plus costs, late charges and interest  for
 41        each  year  at  the  rates equal to those provided for delinquent property
 42        taxes during that year.
 43        (c)  Recovered property taxes shall be billed, collected  and  distributed
 44        in  the same manner as property taxes, except each taxing district or unit
 45        shall be notified of the amount of any recovered property  taxes  included
 46        in any distribution.
 47        (d)  Any unpaid recovered property taxes shall become a lien upon the real
 48        property  in  the  same  manner  as provided for property taxes in section
 49        63-206, Idaho Code, except such lien shall attach as of the first  day  of
 50        January in the year following the year the county assessor sent the notice
 51        to the taxpayer pursuant to this section.
 52        (e)  For  purposes  of  the  limitation  provided by section 63-802, Idaho
 53        Code, moneys received pursuant to this subsection as recovery of  property
 54        tax shall be treated as property tax revenue.
 55        (6)  For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1        (a)  "Improvement"  means  any  development of a parcel which requires the
  2        issuance of a permit by the state of Idaho or the county of  jurisdiction,
  3        provided  such  development  is to an individual parcel rather than to the
  4        rural residential subdivision as a whole.
  5        (b)  "Owner" means the entity holding title to the property or in  posses-
  6        sion  under  a sale contract at the time the rural residential subdivision
  7        plat was approved and recorded.
  8        (c)  "Parcel" means a lot in a rural residential subdivision plat.
  9        (d)  "Plat" means the drawing, map or plan of a subdivision or  a  replat-
 10        ting of such, including certifications, descriptions and approvals.
 11        (e)  "Rural"  means  outside city boundaries as described in the documents
 12        filed with the state tax commission  pursuant  to  section  63-215,  Idaho
 13        Code.
 14        (f)  "Sold"  means  a  transfer  of  title  has occurred from the owner to
 15        another entity, except in the event of the first transfer to a  spouse  or
 16        child   or  in the event of the first transfer of four (4) or more lots of
 17        the platted subdivision to a purchaser who will not use the lots  for  his
 18        residential or recreational purposes.
 19        (7)  The legislature declares that this exemption is necessary and just.
                                                                        
 20        SECTION  3.  That  Section  63-509, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 21    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 22        63-509.  DELIVERY OF ROLLS TO COUNTY AUDITOR -- ABSTRACTS OF ROLLS. (1) On
 23    or before the second Monday of July the board of equalization must deliver the
 24    property rolls, with all changes, corrections  and  additions  and  exemptions
 25    from  taxation entered therein, to the county auditor. It shall be the duty of
 26    the county auditor to cause to be prepared the roll for delivery to the county
 27    tax collector on or before the first Monday of November. It shall be the  duty
 28    of  the county auditor to cause to be prepared a total of the amount and value
 29    of each category of property and prepare  an  abstract  of  all  the  property
 30    entered upon the roll in the manner and form required by the state tax commis-
 31    sion.  Such  forms must show, but need not be limited to, the market value for
 32    assessment purposes of all property by categories,  and  the  exemptions  from
 33    taxation  allowed  by categories. Any abstracts needed by and prepared for the
 34    state tax commission must be delivered by certified mail to the state tax com-
 35    mission by the fourth Monday of July. The value of exemptions  will  be  shown
 36    and  identified  for  exemptions granted pursuant to chapters 20 and 29, title
 37    50, Idaho Code, for the value in excess of the equalized assessment  valuation
 38    as  shown on the base assessment roll in any revenue allocation area, and sec-
 39    tions 63-602G, 63-602K, 63-602P, 63-602AA, 63-602X, 63-602BB, and    63-602CC,
 40    and  63-602FF,  Idaho  Code,  as well as the net taxable value for each of the
 41    categories. The abstracts shall be prepared and duly verified and must show  a
 42    correct  classification of all the property in accordance with the classifica-
 43    tion of such property upon the property  roll,  and  all  matters  and  things
 44    required to be shown upon the abstracts must be entered.
 45        (2)  The subsequent property roll shall be delivered to the county auditor
 46    as  soon  as  possible  after the first Monday in December. The county auditor
 47    shall deliver the subsequent property roll to the county tax collector without
 48    delay.
 49        (3)  The missed property roll shall be delivered to the county auditor  as
 50    soon  as possible, but no later than the first Monday in March of the succeed-
 51    ing year. The county auditor shall deliver the missed  property  roll  to  the
 52    county tax collector without delay.
 53        (4)  The  county  auditor  must cause to be prepared abstracts of the com-
                                                                        
                                           4
                                                                        
  1    bined subsequent and missed property rolls as prescribed in subsection (1) and
  2    submit the abstracts by certified mail to  the  state  tax  commission  on  or
  3    before the first Monday in March of the succeeding year.
                                                                        
  4        SECTION  4.  That  Section  63-604, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
  5    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  6        63-604.  LAND ACTIVELY DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE DEFINED.  (1)  For  property
  7    tax  purposes,  land  which  is  actively devoted to agriculture as part of an
  8    agricultural enterprise shall be eligible for appraisal, assessment and  taxa-
  9    tion  as  agricultural property each year it meets one (1) or more of the fol-
 10    lowing qualifications:
 11        (a)  The total area of such land, including the  homesite,  is  more  than
 12        five  (5)  contiguous  acres, and is actively devoted to agriculture which
 13        means:
 14             (i)   It is used to produce field crops including,  but  not  limited
 15             to, grains, feed crops, fruits and vegetables; or
 16             (ii)  It  is  used  to  produce  nursery  stock as defined in section
 17             22-2302(11), Idaho Code; or
 18             (iii) It is used by the owner for the grazing of livestock to be sold
 19             as part of a net profit-making enterprise, or is leased by the  owner
 20             to a bona fide lessee for grazing purposes; or
 21             (iv)  It is in a cropland retirement or rotation program.
 22        (b)  The  area  of such land is five (5) contiguous acres or less and such
 23        land has been actively devoted to agriculture within the meaning  of  sub-
 24        section  (1)(a) of this section during the last three (3) growing seasons;
 25        and
 26             (i)  It agriculturally produces for  sale  or  home  consumption  the
 27             equivalent  of  fifteen  percent  (15%)  or  more  of  the owner's or
 28             lessee's annual gross income; or
 29             (ii) It agriculturally produced gross  revenues  in  the  immediately
 30             preceding  year  of  one  thousand dollars ($1,000) or more. When the
 31             area of land is five (5) contiguous acres or less, such land shall be
 32             presumed to be nonagricultural land until it is established that  the
 33             requirements of this subsection have been met.
 34        (2)  Land, whether within or without a city, meeting the criteria provided
 35    in  subsection  (1) of this section shall not be classified or valued as agri-
 36    cultural land which continue to be considered actively devoted to  agriculture
 37    within  the  meaning  of this section, even if it is within a platted subdivi-
 38    sion, unless it is part of a platted subdivision with stated restrictions pro-
 39    hibiting its use for agricultural purposes, whether within or without a city.
 40        (3)  Land utilized for the grazing of a horse or other animals  kept  pri-
 41    marily    for  personal  use  or  pleasure  rather than as part of a bona fide
 42    profit-making agricultural enterprise shall not be considered to be land which
 43    is actively devoted to agriculture.
 44        (4)  Land actively devoted to agriculture, having previously qualified for
 45    exemption under this section in the preceding year, or which would have quali-
 46    fied under this section during the current year, shall not lose such  qualifi-
 47    cation due to the owner's or lessee's absence in the current year by reason of
 48    active military service in a designated combat zone, as defined in section 112
 49    of  the Internal Revenue Code. If an owner fails to timely apply for exemption
 50    as required in this section solely by reason of active duty  in  a  designated
 51    combat  zone,  as defined in section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the
 52    land would otherwise qualify for exemption under this section, then the  board
 53    of  county  commissioners  of the county in which the land actively devoted to
                                                                        
                                           5
                                                                        
  1    agriculture is located shall refund property taxes, if previously paid, in  an
  2    amount equal to the exemption which would otherwise have applied.
  3        (5)  As  used in this section "contiguous" shall mean being in actual con-
  4    tact or touching along a boundary or at a point, except no area of land  shall
  5    be  considered not contiguous solely by reason of a roadway or other right-of-
  6    way.
                                                                        
  7        SECTION 5.  An emergency existing  therefor,  which  emergency  is  hereby
  8    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
  9    passage and approval, and retroactively to January 1, 2005.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                                
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                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                
                            RS15018C2
                                
Section 1 repeals section 63-602FF, Idaho Code.

Section 2 replaces 63-602FF, Idaho Code with a new section that
provides a ten year, phased out exemption on parcels within rural
subdivisions outside city limits.  Qualifying parcels are
appraised at full market value, but receive a 95% exemption for
assessment purposes for the first 5 years after approval and
recorded.  In years 6 through 9, the exemption decreases to 80%,
60%, 40%, and 20%.  In the tenth year the parcel is appraised at
full market value for assessment purposes. Those landowners
enjoying the exemption provided for in the repealed section are
eligible to apply for this new exemption.  The exemption is lost
upon sale, annexation, or improvement to the parcel.  The
exemption applies to all counties with under 100,000 population
or less.

Section 3 amends section 63-509(1), Idaho Code, to provide for
tracking of the exemption by the county and state tax commission.

Section 4 amends section 63-604(2), Idaho Code, to clarify, for
appraisal purposes, that subdivision platting alone does not
extinguish the agricultural exemption, provided the requirements
for the exemption continue to be met. The purpose of such
clarification language is to provide consistency among counties.


                         FISCAL IMPACT
                                
There is no fiscal impact to the state general fund.  However,
depending on the number of eligible subdivisions, local taxing
districts may experience a change in taxable value.  


Contact:                 Phone:
Rep. Ken Roberts         332-1000
Rep. Dell Raybould       332-1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    H 254