Bill Text: IA SF49 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act requiring county and city property assessors to stand for retention at election and including applicability provisions. (See SF 411.)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-28 - Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 411. S.J. 438. [SF49 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-SF49-Introduced.html
Senate
File
49
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
49
BY
CHAPMAN
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
requiring
county
and
city
property
assessors
to
stand
1
for
retention
at
election
and
including
applicability
2
provisions.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
TLSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
S.F.
49
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
39.19
Retention
of
county
assessor
1
at
election.
2
At
each
general
election
for
the
election
of
county
officers
3
listed
in
section
39.17,
subsection
2,
the
county
assessor
4
shall
stand
for
retention
as
provided
in
section
441.9A.
5
Sec.
2.
Section
441.5,
subsections
5,
6,
and
8,
Code
2019,
6
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:
7
5.
The
director
of
revenue
shall
grade
the
examination
8
taken.
The
director
shall
notify
each
applicant
of
the
score
9
attained
by
the
applicant
on
the
examination.
An
individual
10
who
attains
a
score
of
seventy
percent
or
greater
on
the
11
examination
is
eligible
to
be
certified
by
the
director
of
12
revenue
as
a
candidate
for
any
assessor
position.
Any
person
13
who
passes
the
examination
and
who
possesses
at
least
two
14
years
of
appraisal
related
experience
as
determined
by
the
15
director
of
revenue
shall
be
granted
regular
certification
and
16
become
eligible
for
appointment
to
a
six-year
four-year
term
as
17
assessor.
Any
person
who
passes
the
examination
but
who
lacks
18
such
experience
shall
be
granted
temporary
certification,
and
19
shall
be
eligible
for
a
provisional
appointment
as
assessor.
20
6.
Any
person
possessing
temporary
certification
who
21
receives
a
provisional
appointment
as
assessor
shall,
during
22
the
person’s
first
eighteen
months
in
office,
be
required
to
23
complete
a
course
of
study
prescribed
and
administered
by
24
the
director
of
revenue.
Upon
the
successful
completion
of
25
this
course
of
study,
the
assessor
shall
be
granted
regular
26
certification
and
shall
be
eligible
to
remain
in
office
for
27
the
balance
of
the
assessor’s
six-year
four-year
term.
All
28
expenses
incurred
in
obtaining
regular
certification
shall
be
29
defrayed
by
the
assessment
expense
fund.
30
8.
Incumbent
assessors
who
have
served
six
four
consecutive
31
years
shall
be
placed
on
the
register
of
individuals
eligible
32
for
appointment
as
assessor.
In
order
to
be
appointed
to
33
the
position
of
assessor,
the
assessor
shall
comply
with
the
34
continuing
education
requirements.
The
number
of
credits
35
-1-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
1/
7
S.F.
49
required
for
certification
as
eligible
for
appointment
as
1
assessor
in
a
jurisdiction
other
than
where
the
assessor
2
is
currently
serving
shall
be
prorated
according
to
the
3
percentage
of
the
assessor’s
term
which
is
covered
by
the
4
continuing
education
requirements
of
section
441.8
.
The
5
credit
necessary
for
certification
for
appointment
is
the
6
product
of
one
hundred
fifty
multiplied
by
the
quotient
of
the
7
number
of
months
served
of
an
assessor’s
term
covered
by
the
8
continuing
education
requirements
of
section
441.8
divided
by
9
seventy-two
forty-eight
.
If
the
number
of
credits
necessary
10
for
certification
for
appointment
as
determined
under
this
11
subsection
results
in
a
partial
credit
hour,
the
credit
hour
12
shall
be
rounded
to
the
nearest
whole
number.
13
Sec.
3.
Section
441.8,
subsections
1,
4,
5,
and
7,
Code
14
2019,
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:
15
1.
The
term
of
office
of
an
assessor
appointed
under
16
this
chapter
shall
be
for
six
four
years.
Appointments
for
17
each
succeeding
term
shall
be
made
in
the
same
manner
as
18
the
original
appointment
except
that
not
less
than
At
least
19
ninety
days
before
the
expiration
of
the
term
of
the
retention
20
election
for
the
county
or
city
assessor
under
section
441.9A
21
or
441.9B,
the
conference
board
shall
hold
a
meeting
to
22
determine
whether
or
not
it
desires
to
reappoint
the
board
23
approves
of
having
an
incumbent
assessor
to
a
new
term
,
in
24
the
last
year
of
the
assessor’s
term,
stand
for
retention
.
25
The
conference
board
shall
have
the
power
to
reappoint
the
26
approve
of
an
incumbent
assessor
standing
for
retention
only
27
if
the
incumbent
assessor
has
satisfactorily
completed
the
28
continuing
education
program
provided
for
in
this
section
.
If
29
the
decision
is
made
not
to
reappoint
approve
of
the
assessor
30
standing
for
retention
,
the
assessor
shall
be
notified,
in
31
writing,
of
such
decision
not
less
than
ninety
days
prior
to
32
the
expiration
of
the
assessor’s
term
of
office
retention
33
election
.
Failure
of
If
the
conference
board
to
does
not
34
provide
timely
notification
of
the
board’s
decision
,
not
to
35
-2-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
2/
7
S.F.
49
reappoint
the
assessor
shall
result
in
the
assessor
being
1
reappointed
be
eligible
to
stand
for
retention
.
2
4.
Upon
receiving
credit
equal
to
one
hundred
fifty
hours
3
of
classroom
instruction
during
the
assessor’s
current
term
of
4
office
of
which
at
least
ninety
sixty
of
the
one
hundred
fifty
5
hours
are
from
courses
requiring
an
examination
upon
conclusion
6
of
the
course,
the
director
of
revenue
shall
certify
to
the
7
assessor’s
conference
board
that
the
assessor
is
eligible
to
8
be
reappointed
to
the
position.
For
persons
appointed
to
9
complete
an
unexpired
term,
the
number
of
credits
required
to
10
be
certified
as
eligible
for
reappointment
shall
be
prorated
11
according
to
the
amount
of
time
remaining
in
the
present
term
12
of
the
assessor.
If
the
person
was
an
assessor
in
another
13
jurisdiction,
the
assessor
may
carry
forward
any
credit
hours
14
received
in
the
previous
position
in
excess
of
the
number
that
15
would
be
necessary
to
be
considered
current
in
that
position.
16
Upon
written
request
by
the
person
seeking
a
waiver
of
the
17
continuing
education
requirements,
the
director
may
waive
the
18
continuing
education
requirements
if
the
director
determines
19
good
cause
exists
for
the
waiver.
20
5.
Within
each
six-year
four-year
period
following
the
21
appointment
of
a
deputy
assessor,
the
deputy
assessor
shall
22
comply
with
this
section
except
that
upon
the
successful
23
completion
of
ninety
sixty
hours
of
classroom
instruction
24
of
which
at
least
sixty
forty
of
the
ninety
sixty
hours
are
25
from
courses
requiring
an
examination
upon
conclusion
of
the
26
course,
the
deputy
assessor
shall
be
certified
by
the
director
27
of
revenue
as
being
eligible
to
remain
in
the
position.
If
a
28
deputy
assessor
fails
to
comply
with
this
section
,
the
deputy
29
assessor
shall
be
removed
from
the
position
until
successful
30
completion
of
the
required
hours
of
credit.
If
a
deputy
is
31
appointed
to
the
office
of
assessor,
the
hours
of
credit
32
obtained
as
deputy
pursuant
to
this
section
shall
be
credited
33
to
that
individual
as
assessor
and
for
the
individual
to
be
34
reappointed
at
the
expiration
of
the
term
as
assessor,
that
35
-3-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
3/
7
S.F.
49
individual
must
obtain
the
credits
which
are
necessary
to
total
1
the
number
of
hours
for
reappointment.
Upon
written
request
2
by
the
person
seeking
a
waiver
of
the
continuing
education
3
requirements,
the
director
may
waive
the
continuing
education
4
requirements
if
the
director
determines
good
cause
exists
for
5
the
waiver.
6
7.
a.
If
the
incumbent
assessor
is
not
reappointed
as
7
provided
in
this
section
,
then
not
less
than
sixty
days
before
8
the
expiration
of
the
term
of
said
assessor,
a
new
assessor
9
shall
be
selected
as
provided
in
section
441.6
.
10
b.
If
an
assessor
is
not
retained
at
an
election,
as
11
provided
for
in
section
441.9A
or
441.9B,
then
the
conference
12
board
of
that
county
or
city
shall
not
reappoint
that
person
to
13
the
position
of
assessor
for
the
subsequent
term
of
office
and
14
shall
select
a
new
assessor
as
provided
in
section
441.6.
15
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
441.9A
Retention
of
county
assessor.
16
1.
At
least
sixty-nine
days
before
the
general
election
17
described
in
section
39.19,
a
county
assessor
receiving
18
approval
pursuant
to
section
441.8,
subsection
1,
may
file
19
a
declaration
of
candidacy
with
the
appropriate
county
20
commissioner
of
elections
to
stand
for
retention
at
that
21
election.
If
a
county
assessor
fails
to
file
the
declaration,
22
a
vacancy
shall
exist
in
the
office
at
the
end
of
the
term.
23
2.
The
name
of
a
county
assessor
to
be
voted
on
shall
be
24
placed
upon
one
ballot
after
all
other
county
offices,
and
25
shall
be
in
substantially
the
following
form:
26
COUNTY
ASSESSOR
27
VOTE
BY
MARKING
THE
APPROPRIATE
VOTING
TARGET.
28
Shall
the
following
county
assessor
be
retained
in
office?
29
CANDIDATE’S
NAME
YES
☐
NO
☐
30
3.
A
county
assessor
must
receive
more
affirmative
than
31
negative
votes
to
be
retained
in
office.
If
the
county
32
assessor
is
not
retained
in
office,
a
vacancy
shall
exist
in
33
the
office
at
the
end
of
the
term.
34
4.
Terms
of
office
for
a
county
assessor
shall
begin
and
35
-4-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
4/
7
S.F.
49
end
at
noon
on
the
first
day
in
January
which
is
not
a
Sunday
1
or
legal
holiday,
following
the
general
election
described
in
2
section
39.19.
3
Sec.
5.
NEW
SECTION
.
441.9B
Retention
of
city
assessor.
4
1.
At
least
sixty-nine
days
before
the
regular
city
election
5
held
pursuant
to
section
376.1
in
the
year
2021
and
every
four
6
years
thereafter,
a
city
assessor
receiving
approval
pursuant
7
to
section
441.8,
subsection
1,
may
file
a
declaration
of
8
candidacy
as
provided
for
other
city
candidates
under
section
9
376.4
to
stand
for
retention
at
that
election.
If
a
city
10
assessor
fails
to
file
the
declaration,
a
vacancy
shall
exist
11
in
the
office
at
the
end
of
the
term.
12
2.
The
name
of
a
city
assessor
to
be
voted
on
shall
be
13
placed
upon
one
ballot
after
all
other
city
offices,
and
shall
14
be
in
substantially
the
following
form:
15
CITY
ASSESSOR
16
VOTE
BY
MARKING
THE
APPROPRIATE
VOTING
TARGET.
17
Shall
the
following
city
assessor
be
retained
in
office?
18
CANDIDATE’S
NAME
YES
☐
NO
☐
19
3.
A
city
assessor
must
receive
more
affirmative
than
20
negative
votes
to
be
retained
in
office.
If
the
city
assessor
21
is
not
retained
in
office,
a
vacancy
shall
exist
in
the
office
22
at
the
end
of
the
term.
23
Sec.
6.
Section
441.10,
subsection
4,
Code
2019,
is
amended
24
to
read
as
follows:
25
4.
Incumbent
deputy
assessors
who
have
served
six
26
four
consecutive
years
shall
be
placed
on
the
register
of
27
individuals
eligible
for
appointment
as
deputy
assessor.
In
28
order
to
be
appointed
to
the
position
of
deputy
assessor,
29
the
deputy
assessor
shall
comply
with
the
continuing
30
education
requirements.
The
number
of
credits
required
31
for
certification
as
eligible
for
appointment
as
a
deputy
32
assessor
in
a
jurisdiction
other
than
where
the
deputy
assessor
33
is
currently
serving
shall
be
prorated
according
to
the
34
percentage
of
the
deputy
assessor’s
term
which
is
covered
by
35
-5-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
5/
7
S.F.
49
the
continuing
education
requirements
of
section
441.8
.
The
1
credit
necessary
for
certification
for
appointment
is
the
2
product
of
ninety
multiplied
by
the
quotient
of
the
number
3
of
months
served
of
a
deputy
assessor’s
term
covered
by
the
4
continuing
education
requirements
of
section
441.8
divided
by
5
seventy-two
forty-eight
.
If
the
number
of
credits
necessary
6
for
certification
for
appointment
as
determined
under
this
7
subsection
results
in
a
partial
credit
hour,
the
credit
hour
8
shall
be
rounded
to
the
nearest
whole
number.
9
Sec.
7.
Section
441.11,
Code
2019,
is
amended
to
read
as
10
follows:
11
441.11
Incumbent
deputy
assessors.
12
A
deputy
assessor
shall
be
considered
eligible
to
remain
in
13
the
deputy’s
present
position
provided
continuing
education
14
requirements
are
met.
To
become
eligible
for
another
deputy
15
assessor
position,
a
deputy
assessor
presently
holding
office
16
is
required
to
obtain
certification
as
provided
for
in
sections
17
441.5
and
441.10
.
The
number
of
credit
hours
required
for
18
certification
as
eligible
for
appointment
as
a
deputy
in
a
19
jurisdiction
other
than
where
the
deputy
is
currently
serving
20
shall
be
prorated
according
to
the
completed
portion
of
the
21
deputy’s
six-year
four-year
continuing
education
period.
22
Sec.
8.
APPLICABILITY.
This
Act
applies
to
the
office
of
23
county
assessor
beginning
with
the
general
election
in
November
24
2020
and
to
the
office
of
city
assessor
beginning
with
the
25
regular
city
election
in
November
2021.
26
EXPLANATION
27
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
28
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
29
This
bill
requires
that
county
and
city
property
assessors
30
stand
for
retention
at
the
general
election
or
regular
city
31
election
every
four
years.
32
Under
the
bill,
county
assessors
may
stand
for
retention
at
33
the
2020
general
election
and
every
four
years
thereafter,
and
34
city
assessors
may
stand
for
retention
at
the
2021
regular
city
35
-6-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
6/
7
S.F.
49
election
and
every
four
years
thereafter.
1
Under
current
law,
an
assessor
serves
a
term
of
six
years
2
and
is
required
to
complete
certain
continuing
education
3
requirements
during
the
term
of
office.
Under
the
bill,
4
the
terms
of
assessors
are
reduced
to
four
years,
and
the
5
continuing
education
requirements
are
reduced
proportionally.
6
Under
current
law,
a
county
or
city
conference
board
7
provides
for
the
appointment
and
reappointment
of
county
and
8
city
assessors,
respectively.
Under
the
bill,
an
assessor
9
is
only
permitted
to
stand
for
retention
at
an
election
upon
10
receiving
the
approval
of
the
conference
board.
11
The
bill
makes
corresponding
changes
related
to
the
terms
of
12
office
for
deputy
assessors.
13
The
bill
applies
to
the
office
of
county
assessor
beginning
14
with
the
general
election
in
November
2020
and
to
the
office
15
of
city
assessor
beginning
with
the
regular
city
election
in
16
November
2021.
17
-7-
LSB
1126XS
(5)
88
ss/jh
7/
7
