Sponsor of bill to allow public hearings on denied tax‑exemption reconsiderations asks for re‑referral to rewrite procedure

Senate Bill 220 would allow, at the property owner’s request, reconsideration hearings on the denial of tax exemptions to be public rather than held in nonpublic session. Prime sponsor Senator Daryl Abbess (district name in transcript) opened the public hearing and asked the committee to re‑refer the bill so he could work on the draft language.

Senator Abbess told the committee the bill was intended to give property owners the option to have a reconsideration hearing in public when a town denies a tax exemption, because information that appears on paper may not reflect a homeowner’s lived reality. He said existing practice sometimes resolves exemption denials in nonpublic hearings and that allowing a public reconsideration at the owner’s request would provide greater transparency.

Jim Michaud, Hudson’s chief assessor, testified in a technical capacity and said he would support re‑referral for further work; he noted towns operate differently and some exemption processes involve sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers and medical or financial records. Michaud recommended careful drafting to protect confidential data and to coordinate with municipal boards and town counsel before establishing a statewide public‑hearing option.

Senators agreed the concept merits additional study but said the bill needs work to protect privacy and define the appropriate procedure; the sponsor asked for re‑referral and the committee granted time for him to consult interested parties before crossover.