House committee keeps long‑term homeowner property tax exemption, adds $3 million cap and portability

The House Committee of the Whole advanced House Bill 45 with a standing committee amendment that substantially changes the long‑term homeowner exemption. Representative Lean, explaining the amendment, said it moves application timing to March 1, allows re‑application by phone, removes the sunset, and introduces a cap that exempts the first $3,000,000 of fair market value while allowing the exemption to "follow the person" when they move within the state.

Chairman Locke and Representative Brown debated whether the amendment changed the bill's scope from a calendar adjustment to a larger policy reform; Brown said the cap and assessed‑value language represented a "bait and switch" from the original intent but supporters said the change was necessary to target fixed‑income, long‑term homeowners rather than high‑value properties. Representative Store said the $3 million figure targets the intended beneficiaries and helps avoid billion‑dollar exemptions for very high‑value properties.

Representative Lien clarified that the bill allows initial certification with the county assessor in person, while reapplications can be done by phone after the initial verification of residence and length of occupancy. The committee adopted the standing committee amendment and passed HB45 out of the Committee of the Whole.