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House approves changes to property‑tax appeals, adds training requirement for hearing officers
Summary
First substitute House Bill 54 narrows who may serve as hearing officers, requires competency training beginning January 2014, and broadens the types of evidence taxpayers may present in property‑tax appeals; sponsors said the changes increase fairness, while some members warned the list of eligible hearing officers may be too broad.
The Utah House on Jan. 30 adopted a first substitute to House Bill 54, a package of changes to the property‑tax appeals process that sponsors said will give taxpayers a fairer opportunity to challenge assessed values.
Representative Ford, the sponsor, told members the measure clarifies that hearing officers who decide appeal cases must not be employees of the county assessor's office and, beginning in January 2014, must complete a course on valuation and administrative law approved by the Tax Commission. The bill also allows people other than licensed appraisers or brokers — including neighbors, real estate professionals, attorneys or other qualified individuals — to present evidence on a taxpayer's behalf in an appeal.
"What this bill…
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