Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Governor to Sign Soil Productivity Factors Bill

GOVERNOR PENCE TO SIGN FIRST BILL INTO LAW TOMORROW
*Photo-op to take place at 12:00 p.m. EST*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Contact: Kara Brooks
February 26, 2013                                                                kbrooks@gov.in.gov
                                                                                                 Desk: 317/232.1622
                                                                                                 Cell: 317/941.9214
  
 
Indianapolis, IN - Tomorrow, Governor Mike Pence will sign Senate Bill 319, the first piece of legislation he will sign into law this session. Details below.  
 
WHO: Governor Mike Pence
WHAT: Bill Signing Photo-Op
WHEN: 12:00 p.m. EST, Wednesday, February 27
WHERE: Statehouse, Room 206
                 200 W. Washington Street
                 Indianapolis, IN 
___________________________________________________________________

Senate Bill 319 is the soil productivity bill as follows:

    SENATE ENROLLED ACT No. 319



     AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning taxation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:



SOURCE: IC 6-1.1-4-13; (13)SE0319.1.1. -->
    SECTION 1. IC 6-1.1-4-13, AS AMENDED BY P.L.112-2012, SECTION 9, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2013 (RETROACTIVE)]: Sec. 13. (a) In assessing or reassessing land, the land shall be assessed as agricultural land only when it is devoted to agricultural use.
    (b) The department of local government finance shall give written notice to each county assessor of:
        (1) the availability of the United States Department of Agriculture's soil survey data; and
        (2) the appropriate soil productivity factor for each type or classification of soil shown on the United States Department of Agriculture's soil survey map.
All assessing officials and the property tax assessment board of appeals shall use the data in determining the true tax value of agricultural land. However, notwithstanding the availability of new soil productivity factors and the department of local government finance's notice of the appropriate soil productivity factor for each type or classification of soil shown on the United States Department of Agriculture's soil survey map for the March 1, 2012, assessment date, the soil productivity factors used for the March 1, 2011, assessment date shall be used for the March 1, 2012, assessment date and for the March 1, 2013, assessment date. New soil productivity factors shall be used for assessment dates occurring after March 1, 2012. 2013.
    (c) The department of local government finance shall by rule provide for the method for determining the true tax value of each parcel of agricultural land.
    (d) This section does not apply to land purchased for industrial, commercial, or residential uses.
SOURCE: ; (13)SE0319.1.2. -->     SECTION 2. [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE] (a) The department of local government finance, in cooperation with the Purdue University College of Agriculture, shall before November 1, 2013, submit the following to the commission on state tax and financing policy and to any interim study committee established to study agriculture issues or assigned the topic of studying agriculture issues:
        (1) Proposed soil productivity factors to be used in the assessment of agricultural land under IC 6-1.1-4-13.
        (2) An explanation of the methodology used to determine the proposed soil productivity factors.
        (3) Data, from each county, used to determine the proposed soil productivity factors.
        (4) Evidence of oral testimony and written comments provided to the department of local government finance by taxpayers and other stakeholders concerning the proposed soil productivity factors.
    (b) This SECTION expires July 1, 2014.

SOURCE: ; (13)SE0319.1.3. -->     SECTION 3. An emergency is declared for this act.


http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/SE/SE0319.1.html