New Jersey-2016-S2056-Introduced

An Act revising the real property assessment demonstration program and amending P.L.2013, c.15.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104) is amended to read as follows:

4. a. There is established a real property assessment demonstration program, which shall be open for participation therein to any county in the State, to evaluate the efficacy and functionality of a municipal system of real property assessment directed by a county tax board through the county tax administrator pursuant to a revised assessment, and assessment appeal, calendar.

A goal of the demonstration program is to demonstrate an enhanced system of municipal real property assessment as a complement to the county-based real property assessment system pilot program undertaken pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2009, c.118 (C.54:1-86 et seq.), under which the entire real property assessment function formerly performed by the municipal tax assessor, has been transferred to the county through the appointment of a county assessor and deputy county assessors. The existence of two programs under which the real property assessment function is performed using two different methods will allow the Legislature to evaluate the effectiveness of each system of real property assessment, and to determine whether the current statutory system of real property assessment function should be revised Statewide.

For the first two full tax years immediately following the enactment of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.), no more than two counties shall participate in the demonstration program established in this section, and for the third and fourth full tax years immediately following the enactment of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.), no more than two additional counties shall participate in the demonstration program established in this section. A county shall not institute a demonstration program pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.) unless it meets the following criteria, and provides the required information to the Director of the Division of Taxation and to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services:

(i) the county tax board by resolution, shall certify to the Director of the Division of Taxation and to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services that the county tax board has sufficient funds available to pay all of the costs associated with the demonstration program, including the conversion to the MOD-IV system and the associated expansion of the technology infrastructure to the municipalities in the county. The county tax board shall forward the resolution to the Director of the Division of Taxation and to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services;

(ii) the county is a State-certified MOD-IV vendor, or the county has contracted with a single State-certified MOD-IV vendor to provide MOD-IV technology to all of the municipalities in the county. The county shall provide a copy of its MOD-IV certification, or a copy of a valid contract for MOD-IV services;

(iii) the members of the county's assessors' association, by not less than 2/3rds of its voting membership, have approved the implementation of the demonstration program. The county tax board shall forward the resolution to the Director of the Division of Taxation and to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services.

b. There shall be no direct appropriation of State funds used to effectuate the provisions of the demonstration program established in subsection a. of this section. The technical costs of the demonstration program shall be paid by the county board of taxation using assessment appeal filing fees collected by the county board of taxation pursuant to section 18 of P.L.1979, c.499 (C.54:3-21.3a).

c. (1) Not later than September 1 immediately preceding demonstration program implementation, and using its own funds therefor, the county tax board of each demonstration county participating in the demonstration program established in subsection a. of this section shall provide MOD-IV and CAMA software to each municipality that does not use the software, at no cost to those municipalities, and shall provide, at no cost to those municipalities, training in the use of the software to the assessors of those municipalities, and to their respective staff members. Thereafter, each municipality shall pay an annual fee per each taxable line item in the municipality to the county tax board for the MOD-IV and CAMA service.

(2) On October 1 next following the provision of software under paragraph (1) of this subsection, each demonstration county shall commence the demonstration program under a plan developed by the county tax administrator of each demonstration county, approved by the county board of taxation, and submitted to the Director of the Division of Taxation and the Director of the Division of Local Government Services not less than 60 days prior to October 1. The Director of the Division of Taxation and the Director of the Division of Local Government Services shall not propose or require any changes to a demonstration program plan submitted by a county board of taxation unless a provision of the demonstration program shall be inconsistent with State law, or the decision of any court of this State, regarding the assessment of real property unless the changes have been agreed to by a majority of the members of a demonstration county's Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee created pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection. The demonstration program of each demonstration county shall operate under all statutory requirements and pursuant to all statutory dates and time frames concerning the assessment of real property in the State, as those statutory dates and time frames have been amended pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.).

(3) Each demonstration county shall establish an "Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee" to monitor and report on the activities within the demonstration county relative to the demonstration program. Members of the steering committee shall be the State Treasurer or his designee, the Director of the Division of Taxation or his designee, the Director of the Division of Local Government Services or his designee, a member of the County Assessor's Association of the demonstration county, and the county tax administrator of the demonstration county. Actions taken by the steering committee shall be approved by a majority of the members of the steering committee.

d. The Director of the Division of Taxation and the Director of the Division of Local Government Services shall, with the advice and the recommendations of the county tax administrator provide to the Governor and to the Legislature, not later than July 1 next following the fourth full tax year after the implementation of the demonstration program, a report detailing the experience of each demonstration county participating in the demonstration program, the successes of the program, any problems experienced under the program, and any recommendations for statutory or administrative changes to the current system of real property assessment in the State.

e. Under the demonstration program, each municipal assessor in a demonstration county shall utilize the same property assessment software as is used by the county tax board and provided to the municipalities by the county tax board pursuant to subsection c. of this section. All real property assessment functions required pursuant to State law, including the revaluation or reassessment of real property, as well as other assessment-based functions such as the development of a compliance plan, maintenance of assessments and the calculation of added assessments shall be performed using the property assessment software.

f. In accordance with the provisions of statutory law and with any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, the county board of taxation of a demonstration county shall compel the implementation of a revaluation or reassessment of real property in any municipality in the demonstration county at such time that the county board of taxation determines the need therefor. If a municipality fails to comply with a revaluation or reassessment, as appropriate, ordered by the county board of taxation in a timely manner, the county board of taxation shall cause the revaluation or reassessment, as appropriate, to be performed at the municipality's cost. The cost of a revaluation or reassessment, as appropriate, shall be directly billed to such a municipality, in addition to the apportionment valuation, through the adjustment of the county levy for that municipality pursuant to R.S.54:4-48 and R.S.54:4-49. A municipality feeling aggrieved by a decision of the county board of taxation to cause the revaluation or reassessment, as appropriate, to be performed at the municipality's cost may file an appeal of that decision of the county board of taxation to the Tax Court within 45 days of the approval by the Director of the Division of Taxation of the county tax board's order requiring the revaluation or reassessment, as appropriate.

g. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, shall have the authority to take any action as is deemed necessary and consistent with the intent of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.) to implement its provisions, including but not limited to the authority to waive any provisions of statutory law and regulations that may be inconsistent with the intent or application of the provisions of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.).

h. After the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the governing body of any municipality in a demonstration county, by resolution of two-thirds of the entire governing body, may withdraw from the real property assessment demonstration program. The resolution shall take effect immediately, and shall forthwith be forwarded by the municipal clerk to the board of taxation of the demonstration county and the demonstration county's Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee.

With respect to statutory dates for State requirements for the assessment of real property, a municipality that has withdrawn from a demonstration program pursuant to this subsection shall continue to operate under the dates in those statutes established in P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-101 et al.) for municipalities participating in the real property assessment demonstration program.

The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the county's Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee, shall promulgate any rules, regulations, or procedures, that are deemed necessary to effectuate the provisions of this subsection.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.4)

2. Section 1 of P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b) is amended to read as follows:

1. a. All tax assessor certificates issued prior to the effective date of P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b et al.) shall expire five years following that effective date and shall be renewed in accordance with the procedure established in this section. All tax assessor certificates issued on or after the effective date of P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b et al.) shall expire five years after the issuance of the certificate and shall be renewed in accordance with the procedure established in this section.

(1) All tax assessor certificates shall be renewed upon application, payment of the required renewal fee, and verification that the applicant has met continuing education requirements, as set forth in paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) of this subsection. After the initial expiration of any tax assessor certificates following the effective date of P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b et al.), each renewal period shall thereafter be for a period of three years. The renewal date shall be 30 days prior to the expiration date of the tax assessor certificate.

(2) Prior to the first renewal date of a tax assessor certificate pursuant to P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b et al.) every applicant for renewal shall, on a form prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation, furnish proof of having earned a total of at least 50 continuing education credit hours over the prior five-year period. Thereafter, prior to each succeeding renewal date of a tax assessor certificate, every applicant for renewal shall, on a form prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation, furnish proof of having earned a total of at least 30 continuing education credit hours over the prior three-year period. For the purposes of this section, one continuing education credit hour means 50 minutes of classroom or lecture time. After verifying that the applicant has fulfilled the continuing education requirement and after receiving a fee of not less than $50 paid by the applicant to the order of the Treasurer of the State of New Jersey, the Director of the Division of Taxation shall renew the tax assessor certificate. The Director of the Division of Taxation shall determine, by regulation, the circumstances under which an extension of time to complete the requirements for continuing education may be granted by the director.

(3) Commencing January 1, 2018, for any tax assessor of a municipality, and for any county assessor of a county, in which one or more Class 3B (Farm Qualified) properties subject to valuation, assessment and taxation pursuant to P.L.1964, c.48 (C.54:4-23.1 et seq.) are located, prior to every renewal date of a tax assessor certificate issued to that tax assessor pursuant to P.L.1999, c.278 (C.54:1-35.25b et al.), the applicant for renewal shall, on a form prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation, furnish proof of having taken, at least once in the prior three years, the continuing education course concerning certain aspects of farmland assessment required to be offered, free of charge, by the Division of Taxation, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.2013, c.43 (C.54:4-23.3d).

b. There is established within the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury the Tax Assessor Continuing Education Eligibility Board. The board shall consist of six members and be comprised as follows: the Director of the Division of Taxation or his designee, the President of the Association of Municipal Assessors, and the President of the New Jersey Association of County Tax Board Commissioners and County Tax Administrators shall be permanent members. The Director of the Division of Taxation and the President of the Association of Municipal Assessors shall each appoint an additional member who shall serve for a term of two years. The Director of Government Services at Rutgers University shall serve ex officio. Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner provided by the original appointment. The first meeting of the board shall be held at the call of the Director of the Division of Taxation, and thereafter the board shall meet annually and shall hold at least one additional meeting within each 12-month period. The board shall establish the curriculum areas and the number of hours in each curriculum area that an assessor shall complete in order to renew certification.

c. When the holder of a tax assessor certificate has allowed the certificate to lapse by failing to renew the certificate, a new application and certificate shall be required. If application is made within six months of the expiration of the certificate, then application may be made in the same manner as a renewal, but with an additional late renewal fee of $50.

d. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2013, c.15).

e. In addition to the requirements of this section, to address the introduction to, and competency of, municipal assessors and county tax board personnel with the technology, administrative procedures, and real property appraisal requirements within a demonstration county under a demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), the county tax administrator of a demonstration county, in consultation with the members of the county tax board of that demonstration county, shall develop a training program to provide annually, free of charge, an additional 10 credit hours of continuing education training concerning the requirements of the real property assessment function in the demonstration county for all assessors, deputy assessors, tax board commissioners, the county tax administrator, and the deputy county tax administrator, practicing within that demonstration county. Attendance at the training program shall be required for each of these professionals, and the county tax administrator of the demonstration county shall annually certify to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury that each of these professionals has completed this training. The continuing education credit hours required by this subsection shall be in addition to the requirements of subsection a. of this section, and shall not be used to satisfy any requirements of that subsection. Any person who does not meet the additional continuing education training requirement required by this subsection shall be ineligible to function as an assessor or deputy assessor in any municipality located in a demonstration county until such time as the additional continuing education training requirement has been satisfied. The assessor of a municipality that has withdrawn from a real property assessment demonstration program pursuant to subsection h. of section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104) shall not be required to complete the continuing training required in this subsection.

The Director of the Division of Taxation, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt such regulations as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.43, s.6)

3. R.S.54:3-21 is amended to read as follows:

54:3-21. a. (1) Except as provided in subsection b. of this section a taxpayer feeling aggrieved by the assessed valuation of the taxpayer's property, or feeling discriminated against by the assessed valuation of other property in the county, or a taxing district which may feel discriminated against by the assessed valuation of property in the taxing district, or by the assessed valuation of property in another taxing district in the county, may on or before April 1, or 45 days from the date the bulk mailing of notification of assessment is completed in the taxing district, whichever is later, appeal to the county board of taxation by filing with it a petition of appeal; provided, however, that any such taxpayer or taxing district may on or before April 1, or 45 days from the date the bulk mailing of notification of assessment is completed in the taxing district, whichever is later, file a complaint directly with the Tax Court, if the assessed valuation of the property subject to the appeal exceeds $1,000,000. In a taxing district where a municipal-wide revaluation or municipal-wide reassessment has been implemented, a taxpayer or a taxing district may appeal before or on May 1 to the county board of taxation by filing with it a petition of appeal or, if the assessed valuation of the property subject to the appeal exceeds $1,000,000, by filing a complaint directly with the State Tax Court. Within ten days of the completion of the bulk mailing of notification of assessment, the assessor of the taxing district shall file with the county board of taxation a certification setting forth the date on which the bulk mailing was completed. If a county board of taxation completes the bulk mailing of notification of assessment, the tax administrator of the county board of taxation shall within ten days of the completion of the bulk mailing prepare and keep on file a certification setting forth the date on which the bulk mailing was completed. A taxpayer shall have 45 days to file an appeal upon the issuance of a notification of a change in assessment. An appeal to the Tax Court by one party in a case in which the Tax Court has jurisdiction shall establish jurisdiction over the entire matter in the Tax Court. All appeals to the Tax Court hereunder shall be in accordance with the provisions of the State Uniform Tax Procedure Law, R.S.54:48-1 et seq.

If a petition of appeal or a complaint is filed on April 1 or during the 19 days next preceding April 1, a taxpayer or a taxing district shall have 20 days from the date of service of the petition or complaint to file a cross-petition of appeal with a county board of taxation or a counterclaim with the Tax Court, as appropriate.

(2) With respect to property located in a county participating in the demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), notwithstanding that the municipality in which the property is located has withdrawn from the demonstration program as permitted in subsection h. of section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), and except as provided in subsection b. of this section, a taxpayer feeling aggrieved by the assessed valuation of the taxpayer's property, or feeling discriminated against by the assessed valuation of other property in the county, or a taxing district which may feel discriminated against by the assessed valuation of property in the taxing district, or by the assessed valuation of property in another taxing district in the county, may on or before January 15, or 45 days from the date the bulk mailing of notification of assessment is completed in the taxing district, whichever date is later, appeal to the county board of taxation by filing with it a petition of appeal; provided, however, that any such taxpayer, or taxing district, may on or before April 1, or 45 days from the date the bulk mailing of notification of assessment is completed in the taxing district, whichever date is later, file a complaint directly with the Tax Court, if the assessed valuation of the property subject to the appeal exceeds $1,000,000.

If a petition of appeal is filed on January 15 or during the 19 days next preceding January 15, or a complaint is filed with the Tax Court on April 1 or during the 19 days next preceding April 1, a taxpayer or a taxing district shall have 20 days from the date of service of the petition or complaint to file a cross-petition of appeal with a county board of taxation or a counterclaim with the Tax Court, as appropriate.

Within 10 days of the completion of the bulk mailing of notification of assessment, the assessor of the taxing district shall file with the county board of taxation a certification setting forth the date on which the bulk mailing was completed. If a county board of taxation completes the bulk mailing of notification of assessment, the tax administrator of the county board of taxation shall within 10 days of the completion of the bulk mailing prepare and keep on file a certification setting forth the date on which the bulk mailing was completed. A taxpayer shall have 45 days to file an appeal upon the issuance of a notification of a change in assessment. An appeal to the Tax Court by one party in a case in which the Tax Court has jurisdiction shall establish jurisdiction over the entire matter in the Tax Court. All appeals to the Tax Court hereunder shall be in accordance with the provisions of the State Uniform Tax Procedure Law, R.S.54:48-1 et seq.

b. No taxpayer or taxing district shall be entitled to appeal either an assessment or an exemption or both that is based on a financial agreement subject to the provisions of the "Long Term Tax Exemption Law" under the appeals process set forth in subsection a. of this section.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.9)

4. R.S.54:4-23 is amended to read as follows:

54:4-23. All real property shall be assessed to the person owning the same on October 1 in each year. The assessor shall ascertain the names of the owners of all real property situate in his taxing district, and after examination and inquiry, determine the full and fair value of each parcel of real property situate in the taxing district at such price as, in his judgment, it would sell for at a fair and bona fide sale by private contract on October 1 next preceding the date on which the assessor shall complete his assessments, as hereinafter required; provided, however, that in determining the full and fair value of land which is being assessed and taxed under the Farmland Assessment Act of 1964, chapter 48, laws of 1964, the assessor shall consider only those indicia of value which such land has for agricultural or horticultural use as provided by said act; and provided further however, that when the assessor has reason to believe that property comprising all or part of a taxing district has been assessed at a value lower or higher than is consistent with the purpose of securing uniform taxable valuation of property according to law for the purpose of taxation, or that the assessment of property comprising all or part of a taxing district is not in substantial compliance with the law and that the interests of the public will be promoted by a reassessment of such property, the assessor shall, after due investigation, make a reassessment of the property in the taxing district that is not in substantial compliance, provided that (1) the assessor has first notified, in writing, the mayor, the municipal governing body, the county board of taxation, and the county tax administrator of the basis of the assessor's determination that a reassessment of that property in the taxing district is warranted and (2) the assessor has submitted a copy of a compliance plan to the county board of taxation for approval. In the case of real property located in a county participating in the demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), the assessor of the municipality in which the real property is situate, after due investigation, shall make a reassessment of the property in the taxing district that is not in substantial compliance. Such an action shall not be required by the assessor if the municipality has withdrawn from the demonstration program as permitted in subsection h. of section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104). Following a reassessment of a portion of the taxing district pursuant to the provisions of this section, the assessor shall certify to the county board of taxation, through such sampling as the county board of taxation deems adequate, that the reassessment is in substantial compliance with the portions of the taxing district that were not reassessed. For the purposes of assessment, the assessor shall compute and determine the taxable value of such real property at the level established for the county pursuant to law.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.11)

5. R.S.54:4-35 is amended to read as follows:

54:4-35. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, the assessor shall determine his taxable valuations of real property as of October 1 in each year and shall complete the preparation of his assessment list by January 10 following, on which date he shall attend before the county board of taxation and file with the board his complete assessment list, and a true copy thereof, to be called the assessor's duplicate. Such list and duplicate shall include the assessments of personal property reported or determined pursuant to this chapter. They shall be properly made up in such manner and form required by the Director of the Division of Taxation pursuant to R.S.54:4-26, to be examined, revised and corrected by the board as provided by law.

b. In the case of a municipality located in a county where the county board of taxation is participating in the demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), including any municipality that has withdrawn from the demonstration program as permitted in subsection h. of section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), the assessor shall determine the taxable valuations of real property as of October 1 in each year and shall complete the preparation of the preliminary assessment list by November 1, and the assessor shall appear on that date before the county board of taxation and shall certify to the board, on forms promulgated by the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, that the electronic file within the county's MOD-IV tax system is his complete preliminary assessment list.

After all of the assessment appeals filed with the county tax board have been decided, the assessor shall complete the preparation of the final assessment list by May 5, on which date the assessor shall appear before the county board of taxation and shall file with the board his completed final assessment list, and a true copy of the final assessment list, which true copy shall be the assessor's duplicate. The final assessment and the assessor's duplicate shall include the assessments of personal property reported or determined pursuant to the requirements of chapter 4 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes, in such manner and form as shall be required by the director pursuant to R.S.54:4-26, and shall be examined, revised and corrected by the board as provided by law.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.13)

6. R.S.54:4-38 is amended to read as follows:

54:4-38. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, every assessor, at least ten days before filing the complete assessment list and duplicate with the county board of taxation, and before annexing thereto his affidavit as required in section 54:4-36 of this title, shall notify each taxpayer of the current assessment and preceding year's taxes and give public notice by advertisement in at least one newspaper circulating within his taxing district of a time and place when and where the assessment list may be inspected by any taxpayer for the purpose of enabling the taxpayer to ascertain what assessments have been made against him or his property and to confer informally with the assessor as to the correctness of the assessments, so that any errors may be corrected before the filing of the assessment list and duplicate. Thereafter, the assessor shall notify each taxpayer by mail within 30 days of any change to the assessment. This notification of change of assessment shall contain the prior assessment and the current assessment.

b. In the case of a municipality located in a county where the county board of taxation is participating in the demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), including any municipality that has withdrawn from the demonstration program as permitted in subsection h. of section 4 of P.l.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), every assessor, before filing the preliminary assessment list with the county board of taxation pursuant to subsection b. of R.S.54:4-35, shall notify each taxpayer of the preliminary assessment and preceding year's taxes and give public notice by advertisement in at least one newspaper circulating within his taxing district of a time and place when and where the assessment list may be inspected by any taxpayer for the purpose of enabling the taxpayer to ascertain what assessments have been made against the taxpayer or the taxpayer's property. Thereafter, the assessor shall notify each taxpayer by mail within 30 days of any change to the assessment. This notification of change of assessment shall contain the prior assessment and the current assessment.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.14)

7. Section 32 of P.L.1991, c.75 (C.54:4-38.1) is amended to read as follows:

32. a. Except as provided in subsection b. of this section, every assessor, prior to February 1, shall notify by mail each taxpayer of the current assessment and preceding year's taxes. Thereafter, the assessor or county board of taxation shall notify each taxpayer by mail within 30 days of any change to the assessment. This notification of change of assessment shall contain the prior assessment and the current assessment. The director shall establish the form of notice of assessment and change of assessment. Any notice issued by the assessor or county board of taxation shall contain information instructing taxpayers on how to appeal their assessment.

b. In the case of a municipality located in a county where the county board of taxation is participating in the demonstration program established in section 4 of P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), including any municipality that has withdrawn from the demonstration program as permitted in subsection h. of section 4 of P.l.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104), every assessor, on or before November 15 of the pretax year, shall notify by mail each taxpayer of the preliminary assessment and preceding year's taxes. Thereafter, the assessor or county board of taxation shall notify each taxpayer by mail within 30 days of any change to the assessment. This notification of change of assessment shall contain the prior assessment and the current assessment. The director shall establish the form of notice of assessment and change of assessment. Any notice issued by the assessor or county board of taxation shall contain information instructing taxpayers on how to appeal their assessment.

c. The county board of taxation of the demonstration county shall make the preliminary data electronically accessible to the public by posting the data in searchable form on the county's website not later than 15 business days after the submission of the preliminary data.

(cf: P.L.2013, c.15, s.15)

8. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would permit the governing body of any municipality in a demonstration county, by resolution of a majority of the entire governing body, to withdraw from the real property assessment demonstration program. The resolution would be effective immediately, and the municipal clerk must immediately forward a copy of the resolution to the board of taxation of the demonstration county and the demonstration county's Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee.

The assessor of a municipality that has withdrawn from the real property assessment demonstration program shall not be required to perform annual inspections of real property in the municipality. The assessor must maintain the assessments of all real property in the municipality within the common level range, as defined in section 1 of P.L.1973, c.123 (C.54:1-35a). However, with respect to statutory dates for State requirements for the assessment of real property, a municipality that has withdrawn from a demonstration pursuant to the provisions of the bill would continue to operate under the dates in those statutes established in P.L.2013, c.15 (C.54:1-104 et al.) for municipalities that are participating in the real property assessment demonstration program.

The bill requires the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the county's Assessment Demonstration Program Steering Committee, to promulgate any rules, regulations, or procedures, that are deemed necessary to effectuate the withdrawal of a municipality from the real property assessment demonstration program.