House Study Bill 155 HOUSE FILE BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL BY CHAIRPERSON GASKILL) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to publication of property assessment 2 equalization orders. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1848HC 83 5 md/sc/14 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 441.49, unnumbered paragraph 3, Code 1 2 2009, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 On or before October 15 the county auditor shall cause to 1 4 be published in official newspapers of general circulation the 1 5 final equalization order. The publication shall include, in 1 6 type larger than the remainder of the publication, the 1 7 followingstatementstatements: 1 8 1. "Assessed values are equalized by the department of 1 9 revenue every two years. Local taxing authorities determine 1 10 the final tax levies and may reduce property tax rates to 1 11 compensate for any increase in valuation due to equalization." 1 12 2. "An affected property owner or taxpayer may protest the 1 13 application of this equalization order by filing an appeal 1 14 between October 16 and October 25 with the county board of 1 15 review of the county where the property is located." 1 16 PARAGRAPH DIVIDED. Failure to publish the equalization 1 17 order has no effect upon the validity of the orders. 1 18 EXPLANATION 1 19 This bill requires that the notice of an equalization order 1 20 published by the county auditor contain a statement indicating 1 21 that an affected property owner or taxpayer may protest the 1 22 application of the equalization order by filing an appeal with 1 23 the local board of review between October 16 and October 25, 1 24 which is the current statutory time period for filing such an 1 25 appeal. 1 26 LSB 1848HC 83 1 27 md/sc/14