SHB 2609 -
By Committee on Government Operations & Elections
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"Sec. 1 RCW 84.41.041 and 2001 c 187 s 21 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Each county assessor shall cause taxable real property to be
physically inspected and valued at least once every six years in
accordance with RCW 84.41.030, and in accordance with a plan filed with
and approved by the department of revenue. Such revaluation plan shall
provide that a reasonable portion of all taxable real property within
a county shall be revalued and these newly-determined values placed on
the assessment rolls each year. The department may approve a plan that
provides that all property in the county be revalued every two years.
If the revaluation plan provides for physical inspection at least once
each four years, during the intervals between each physical inspection
of real property, the valuation of such property may be adjusted to its
current true and fair value, such adjustments to be based upon
appropriate statistical data. If the revaluation plan provides for
physical inspection less frequently than once each four years, during
the intervals between each physical inspection of real property, the
valuation of such property shall be adjusted to its current true and
fair value, such adjustments to be made once each year and to be based
upon appropriate statistical data.
(2) The assessor may require property owners to submit pertinent
data respecting taxable property in their control including data
respecting any sale or purchase of said property within the past five
years, the cost and characteristics of any improvement on the property
and other facts necessary for appraisal of the property.
(3) As part of a revaluation plan approved by the department,
county assessors may employ the use of digital image technology for
physical inspections. For the purposes of this section, "digital image
technology" includes photographic images only.
Sec. 2 RCW 84.40.045 and 2001 c 187 s 19 are each amended to read
as follows:
The assessor shall give notice of any change in the true and fair
value of real property for the tract or lot of land and any
improvements thereon no later than thirty days after appraisal:
PROVIDED, That no such notice shall be mailed during the period from
January 15 to February 15 of each year: PROVIDED FURTHER, That no
notice need be sent with respect to changes in valuation of forest land
made pursuant to chapter 84.33 RCW.
The notice shall contain a statement of both the prior and the new
true and fair value, stating separately land and improvement values,
and a brief statement of the procedure for appeal to the board of
equalization and the time, date, and place of the meetings of the
board.
For every assessment year in which the assessor uses digital image
technology for physical inspections, the notice must indicate that
digital image technology is being used in the valuation of property in
the county. The notice must also provide a web site address where
taxpayers can access information describing the technology and how the
technology is used in the valuation of property by the assessor. The
web site is to be maintained for as long as the technology is being
used.
The notice shall be mailed by the assessor to the taxpayer.
If any taxpayer, as shown by the tax rolls, holds solely a security
interest in the real property which is the subject of the notice,
pursuant to a mortgage, contract of sale, or deed of trust, such
taxpayer shall, upon written request of the assessor, supply, within
thirty days of receipt of such request, to the assessor the name and
address of the person making payments pursuant to the mortgage,
contract of sale, or deed of trust, and thereafter such person shall
also receive a copy of the notice provided for in this section.
Willful failure to comply with such request within the time limitation
provided for herein shall make such taxpayer subject to a maximum civil
penalty of five thousand dollars. The penalties provided for herein
shall be recoverable in an action by the county prosecutor, and when
recovered shall be deposited in the county current expense fund. The
assessor shall make the request provided for by this section during the
month of January.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 This act applies to taxes levied for
collection in 2009 and thereafter."
SHB 2609 -
By Committee on Government Operations & Elections
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "plans;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 84.41.041 and 84.40.045; and creating a new section."
EFFECT: Removes the restrictions on the types of instances when
digital image technology can be used and adds in a restriction on the
type of digital image technology to photographs only.
Changes the notice provisions from a single time (the first time
the technology is used) to every time the technology is used.
Makes the web site permanent.