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Committee approves expanding recognition payments for assessors and staff
Summary
Lawmakers advanced HB 16-38 to authorize professional-development payments for county assessors and eligible staff who reach higher designations; the state Assessment Coordination Division told the committee the payments are drawn from an existing ACD fund and amounted to about $133,000 last year, though members pressed for clearer revenue estimates.
The committee approved HB 16-38, which expands statutory recognition for assessors and their employees who attain advanced designations and authorizes cash payments from the Assessment Coordination Division's existing fund.
Representative Jack Fortner, sponsor of the bill, said the proposal recognizes assessors and staff who complete higher-level appraisal education and professional credentials. Sandra Collier, director of ACD, told the committee the program dates to the 1990s, that the ACD pays recognition amounts on a pro rata basis up to statutory caps (previously two levels but the bill would recognize six), and that ACD paid about $133,000 in recognition payments last year.
Members asked whether payments would be recurring; Collier said employees must recertify annually to remain eligible and that payments are pro rata if more people qualify in a year. Senator Johnson and others pressed staff on the fiscal-impact statement, which showed no change to the ACD budget because the agency is not requesting additional funds; Collier said if more people qualify the fixed fund may be spread more thinly and individual payments could fall.
The committee passed HB 16-38 by voice vote.
What happens next: The bill advances out of committee; ACD staff and members asked for clearer budget projections during committee discussion.
