SB 260-3_ Filed 02/21/2006, 10:48 Avery


Text Box


    PREVAILED      Roll Call No. _______
    FAILED        Ayes _______
    WITHDRAWN        Noes _______
    RULED OUT OF ORDER


[

HOUSE MOTION ____

]

MR. SPEAKER:

    I move that Senate Bill 260 be amended to read as follows:

SOURCE: Page 59, line 10; (06)MO026003.59. -->     Page 59, between lines 10 and 11, begin a new paragraph and insert:
SOURCE: IC 6-1.1-22-8; (06)MO026003.47. -->     "SECTION 47. IC 6-1.1-22-8 IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 8. (a) The county treasurer shall either:
        (1) mail to the last known address of each person liable for any property taxes or special assessment, as shown on the tax duplicate or special assessment records, or to the last known address of the most recent owner shown in the transfer book a statement of current and delinquent taxes and special assessments; or
        (2) transmit by written, electronic, or other means to a mortgagee maintaining an escrow account for a person who is liable for any property taxes or special assessments, as shown on the tax duplicate or special assessment records a statement of current and delinquent taxes and special assessments.
    (b) The county treasurer may include the following in the statement:
        (1) An itemized listing for each property tax levy, including:
            (A) the amount of the tax rate;
            (B) the entity levying the tax owed; and
            (C) the dollar amount of the tax owed.
        (2) Information designed to inform the taxpayer or mortgagee clearly and accurately of the manner in which the taxes billed in the tax statement are to be used.
A form used and the method by which the statement and information, if any, are transmitted must be approved by the state board of accounts.

The county treasurer may mail or transmit the statement and information, if any, one (1) time each year at least fifteen (15) days before the date on which the first or only installment is due. Whenever a person's tax liability for a year is due in one (1) installment under IC 6-1.1-7-7 or section 9 of this chapter, a statement that is mailed must include the date on which the installment is due and denote the amount of money to be paid for the installment. Whenever a person's tax liability is due in two (2) installments, a statement that is mailed must contain the dates on which the first and second installments are due and denote the amount of money to be paid for each installment.
    (c) All payments of property taxes and special assessments shall be made to the county treasurer. The county treasurer, when authorized by the board of county commissioners, may open temporary offices for the collection of taxes in cities and towns in the county other than the county seat.
    (d) Before July 1, 2004, the department of local government finance shall designate five (5) counties to participate in a pilot program to implement the requirements of subsection (e). The department shall immediately notify the county treasurer, county auditor, and county assessor in writing of the designation under this subsection. The legislative body of a county not designated for participation in the pilot program may adopt an ordinance to implement the requirements of subsection (e). The legislative body shall submit a copy of the ordinance to the department of local government finance, which shall monitor the county's implementation of the requirements of subsection (e) as if the county were a participant in the pilot program. The requirements of subsection (e) apply:
        (1) only in:
            (A) a county designated to participate in a pilot program under this subsection, for property taxes first due and payable after December 31, 2004, and before January 1, 2008; or
            (B) a county adopting an ordinance under this subsection, for property taxes first due and payable after December 31, 2003, or December 31, 2004 (as determined in the ordinance), and before January 1, 2008; and
        (2) in all counties for taxes first due and payable after December 31, 2007.
    (e) Subject to subsection (d), regardless of whether a county treasurer transmits a statement of current and delinquent taxes and special assessments to a person liable for the taxes under subsection (a)(1) or to a mortgagee under subsection (a)(2), the county treasurer shall mail the following information to the last known address of each person liable for the property taxes or special assessments or to the last known address of the most recent owner shown in the transfer book. The county treasurer shall mail the information not later than the date the county treasurer transmits a statement for the property under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2). The county treasurer, county auditor, and

county assessor shall cooperate to generate the information to be included on the form. The information that must be provided is the following:
        (1) A breakdown showing the total property tax and special assessment liability and the amount of the taxpayer's liability that will be distributed to each taxing unit in the county.
        (2) A comparison showing any change in the assessed valuation for the property as compared to the previous year.
        (3) A comparison showing any change in the property tax and special assessment liability for the property as compared to the previous year. The information required under this subdivision must identify:
            (A) the amount of the taxpayer's liability distributable to each taxing unit in which the property is located in the current year and in the previous year; and
            (B) the percentage change, if any, in the amount of the taxpayer's liability distributable to each taxing unit in which the property is located from the previous year to the current year. The county treasurer may provide the percentage change in the total amount of the taxpayer's liability from the previous year to the current year.    
        (4) An explanation of the following:
            (A) The homestead credit and all property tax deductions.
            (B) The procedure and deadline for filing for the homestead credit and each deduction.
            (C) The procedure that a taxpayer must follow to:
                (i) appeal a current assessment; or
                (ii) petition for the correction of an error related to the taxpayer's property tax and special assessment liability.
            (D) The forms that must be filed for an appeal or a petition described in clause (C).
        The department of local government finance shall provide the explanation required by this subdivision to each county treasurer.
        (5) A checklist that shows:
            (A) the homestead credit and all property tax deductions; and
            (B) whether the homestead credit and each property tax deduction applies in the current statement for the property transmitted under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2).
    (f) The information required to be mailed under subsection (e) must be simply and clearly presented and understandable to the average individual.
    (g) A county that incurs:
        (1) initial computer programming costs directly related to implementation of the requirements of subsection (e); or
        (2) printing costs directly related to mailing information under subsection (e);
shall submit an itemized statement of the costs to the department of

local government finance for reimbursement from the state. The treasurer of state shall pay a claim approved by the department of local government finance and submitted under this section on a warrant of the auditor of state. However, the treasurer of state may not pay any additional claims under this subsection after the total amount of claims paid reaches fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).".
    Renumber all SECTIONS consecutively.
    (Reference is to ESB 260 as printed February 17, 2006.)

________________________________________

Representative Avery


MO026003/DI 114     2006