Bill
Bill > SF219
IA SF219
A bill for an act relating to forest and fruit-tree reservations, and providing for a fee.(See SF 633.)
summary
Introduced
02/05/2025
02/05/2025
In Committee
02/05/2025
02/05/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
Currently, a person who establishes a forest or fruit-tree reservation (reservation) is entitled to a property tax exemption on the tract of land selected to be a reservation, subject to certain conditions. Beginning January 1, 2026, this bill establishes a fee structure for reservations dependent upon where the reservation is located. For a reservation located in a county where the owner of the reservation maintains a homestead, the fee is $2 per acre per year. For a reservation located in a county contiguous to the county where the owner of the reservation maintains a homestead, the fee is $3 per acre per year. For all other reservations, including a reservation located inside the corporate limits of a city, the fee shall be a rate per acre equal to a formula calculated by the department of management. Fees collected under the bill are to be paid no later than September 1 of each year to the county treasurer of the county where the forest or fruit-tree reservation is located to be deposited into the county general fund.
AI Summary
This bill introduces a new fee structure for forest and fruit-tree reservations, effective January 1, 2026. Under the proposed legislation, landowners with these reservations will pay an annual fee per acre based on the location of the reservation relative to their homestead. If the reservation is in the same county as the owner's homestead, the fee will be $2 per acre; if it is in a contiguous county, the fee increases to $3 per acre. For reservations in other counties or within city limits, the fee will be calculated using a complex formula that considers the average property taxes on agricultural land and the corn suitability rating of the county with the most exempted land. The department of management will calculate this rate annually and notify county treasurers by July 1, with fees to be paid to the county treasurer by September 1 and deposited into the county general fund. This bill maintains the existing property tax exemption for forest and fruit-tree reservations while introducing a new fee mechanism that varies based on the location and characteristics of the land.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 633. S.J. 844. (on 04/21/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF219 |
| Fiscal Note - Forest and Fruit-Tree Reservations, Requirements | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/FN/1525426.pdf |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/SF219.html |
Loading...