House Bill 909 Passed. Click Here to read the entire Bill.

Highlights from House Bill 909:

• Develops a uniform policies and procedures manual for use during the proceedings before the Valuation Adjustment Board(VAB).
• Requires that the VAB verify the qualifications of the Special Magistrates(the independent appraiser who makes decisions on appeals).
• Requires the Department of Revenue(DOR) to provide and conduct training for the Special Magistrates.
• Requires two citizen of the County to be appointed to the Valuation Adjustment Board rather than just the members of the County Commissioners and School Board Members. Neither of the citizen appointed to the VAB can be members of the County's Taxing Authority.
• The Valuation Adjustment Board will hire the Special Magistrate with no influence from the Property Appraiser's Office.
• Removes the Burden of Proof from the taxpayer, stating "It is the express intent of the Legislature that a taxpayer shall never have the burden of proving that the property appraiser's assessment is not supported by any reasonable hypothesis of legal assessment".