Committee approves bill requiring PTABOA members to be Indiana residents

The House Local Government Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 187, a measure that would add an Indiana residency requirement to the qualifications for appointment to the property tax assessment board of appeals (PTABOA), by a roll call of 8-0.

The bill, introduced in the committee by Representative James Altoff, would require members of county and multi-county PTABOAs to be Indiana residents and would require a member who moves out of the state to resign and be replaced for the remainder of the term. "This is a pretty simple bill," Representative Altoff told the committee, adding that the change responds to a recent Lake County instance where a PTABOA member lived near Chicago and also served on Cook County, Illinois boards.

Supporters said the change clarifies appointment qualifications; the bill passed the Senate unanimously and was brought to the committee by Senators Jurnell and Niemeyer. Chairman May put the motion to pass the bill; the committee recorded an 8-0 passage with several members excused.

Votes at the committee roll call show the following recorded positions: Chairman May — yes; Representative Bascom — yes; Representative Engleman — yes; Representative Hall — yes; Representative Miller — yes; Representative Meltzer — yes; Representative Sweet — yes; Representative Johnson — yes. Representatives Borders, Commons, Moed, Smith and Summers were recorded as excused.

The committee did not record additional amendments or requests for further study during the hearing.

Pending next steps, the measure will proceed according to the legislature's scheduling rules.