Bill > S2497

This bill proposes changes to the application deadlines for land to be valued, assessed, and taxed as agricultural, horticultural, or recreational land, primarily by moving the deadline for applications to December 1st of the year preceding the tax year for which the special valuation is sought. It amends Chapter 61A and Chapter 61B of the General Laws, which govern these types of land classifications. The bill also clarifies that applications for these classifications, including for leased land, must be submitted on a form prescribed by the commissioner of revenue and requires applicants to notify assessors of any changes in land use. Additionally, it addresses situations where a city or town undergoes a property revaluation, allowing applications for these special tax classifications to be considered timely if filed by the deadline for tax abatement applications in that revaluation year, and it provides for the abatement of any excess tax paid. Finally, the bill makes a technical correction in Chapter 61B regarding the allowance of applications.