Introduced By: Representatives Rabideau, Kelley, Ginaitt and M. Anderson
Date Introduced : January 28, 1999
SECTION 1. Chapter 2-4 of the General Laws entitled "Soil Conservation" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 2-4-3.1. Rhode Island Farm, Forest and Open Space Land Value Subcommittee. -- ADD} {ADD (a) There is hereby created the "Rhode Island Farm, Forest, and Open Space Land Value Subcommittee" (the subcommittee) to recommend the methodology and values for the assessment of land for property taxation on the basis of current use for farm, forest, and open space lands, as established by Chapter 44-27 and 44-5-12. The values recommended by the subcommittee, upon review and approval by the state conservation committee, shall be made available to local tax assessors and such value shall be the recommended maximum current use value per acre at which such land classifications can be assessed. ADD}
{ADD (b) The subcommittee shall consist of the following twelve (12) members: the chair of the state conservation committee, or designee; three (3) local tax assessors appointed by the governor; the director of the Department of Administration, or designee; the chief of the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Agriculture, or designee; the chief of the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Forest Environment, or designee; the dean of the University of Rhode Island's College of Natural Resources, or designee; two (2) public members who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, one of whom shall be a landowner currently enrolled under the forest land provision of Chapter 44-27, each of which appointments to be selected from not less than three (3) persons recommended by the Rhode Island Agricultural Council; and two (2) public members who shall be appointed by the Senate Majority Leader at least one of who shall be a member of a Land Trust and shall be selected form not less than three (3) persons recommended by the state conservation committee. Each appointed member of the subcommittee shall serve for a term of three (3) years, and shall serve until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified. ADD}
{ADD (c) The state conservation committee shall provide the subcommittee's list of current use values for farm, forest, and open space land to each tax assessor, through the Department of Administration, on or before February 15 of each year in which the subcommittee is required to determine such figures. ADD}
{ADD (d) The subcommittee shall abide by the rules governing the state conservation committee, as provided in Section 5 of this Chapter; prior to the adoption of the rules a simple majority of the members of the subcommittee, as provided for in subsection (b) of this section, shall be necessary for a quorum, which quorum shall by majority vote have the power to conduct business in the name of the subcommittee. ADD}
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
