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Bill to expand aerial imagery and GIS for assessments draws questions about AI and permits
Summary
HB 176 would expand SDAT's use of oblique aerial photography and GIS in property assessments statewide; SDAT said imagery would assist assessors by measuring structures and identifying new construction, not by automated AI valuation, and delegates asked about permit enforcement, vendor procurement and whether the county assessment cycle should change.
Delegate Chris Fair asked the committee to approve House Bill 176 to expand the State Department of Assessments and Taxation's pilot use of oblique aerial photography and geographic information systems for statewide property assessment.
Fair and SDAT officials said the technology — angled aerial images overlaid with GIS tools — helps assessors measure building footprints and detect new construction without a physical on‑site visit every three years. Fair said nine counties already use the approach and SDAT estimates it could increase the accessible statewide real property base by as much as $1.25 billion, producing roughly $1.4 million in state revenue and $15 million to local jurisdictions annually (figures presented in testimony).
Delegates pressed whether the program would employ automated artificial intelligence analysis. SDAT Director Bob Yeager said current plans do not include an AI valuation system; imagery would be maintained as photographs that assessors use in conjunction with permitting data and human review. Committee members also asked whether assessments would trigger local permitting enforcement; SDAT said it relies on jurisdictions for permitting information and does not police permit compliance — the bill is focused on valuation, not code enforcement.
Questions also touched on procurement (whether an existing vendor would be prescribed or an RFP required) and whether extending the assessment cycle (from three to five years) might address workload. SDAT said procurement will follow state procurement rules and noted the pilot vendor could be expanded while procurement reviews whether a new RFP is necessary.
What happens next: The committee closed the hearing after technical questions; lawmakers may consider procurement language, data‑storage provisions, and clarifications on AI use as the bill advances.
