S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2088
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 22, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. STEC --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Real Property Taxation
 
 AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to the assessment
   of  private  forest lands and to provide state assistance to municipal
   corporations relating thereto

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  480  of  the real property tax law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
   10. (A) THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER  OF  A  MUNICIPAL  CORPORATION  IN
 WHICH  THERE  ARE  PRIVATELY  OWNED  FOREST  LANDS WHICH ARE ASSESSED IN
 ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION  MAY
 MAKE APPLICATION FOR STATE ASSISTANCE AS PROVIDED IN THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (B)  APPLICATION  FOR  STATE  ASSISTANCE  PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION
 SHALL BE MADE ON A FORM PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SHALL CONTAIN
 SUCH INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE COMMISSION-
 ER AND THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROMULGATE RULES AND  REGULATIONS  NECESSARY
 TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (C) UPON RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION FOR STATE ASSISTANCE, SUCH PRIVATE
 FOREST  LANDS  SHALL  BE  VALUED  BY THE COMMISSIONER AND THE CUMULATIVE
 VALUE OF ALL SUCH LANDS SHALL  BE  EQUALIZED  BY  APPLYING  THERETO  THE
 APPROPRIATE  STATE EQUALIZATION RATE OR SPECIAL EQUALIZATION RATE ESTAB-
 LISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF THE COMMISSIONER.
   (D) IF THE CUMULATIVE VALUE DETERMINED AND EQUALIZED PURSUANT TO PARA-
 GRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION EXCEEDS THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION  OF
 SUCH  PROPERTY ON THE PRECEDING ASSESSMENT ROLL, AS REQUIRED BY SUBDIVI-
 SION THREE OF THIS SECTION THE COMMISSIONER SHALL COMPUTE THE AMOUNT  OF
 STATE  ASSISTANCE PAYABLE TO OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF EACH MUNICIPAL CORPO-
 RATION BY APPLYING TO THE AMOUNT OF THE EXCESS THE APPROPRIATE TAX  RATE
 OF  THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION AND SUCH AMOUNT SHALL BE PAID ON AUDIT AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00906-01-9
              

 A. 2088                             2
 
 WARRANT OF THE COMPTROLLER OUT OF MONEYS APPROPRIATED  BY  THE  LEGISLA-
 TURE.
   § 2. Section 480-a of the real property tax law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 11 to read as follows:
   11.  (A)  THE  CHIEF  EXECUTIVE  OFFICER OF A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN
 WHICH THERE ARE PRIVATELY OWNED  FOREST  LANDS  WHICH  ARE  ASSESSED  IN
 ACCORDANCE  WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION MAY MAKE APPLICATION FOR
 STATE ASSISTANCE AS PROVIDED IN THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (B) APPLICATION FOR STATE  ASSISTANCE  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION
 SHALL BE MADE ON A FORM PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SHALL CONTAIN
 SUCH INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE COMMISSION-
 ER  AND  THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY
 TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   (C) UPON RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION FOR STATE ASSISTANCE, SUCH PRIVATE
 FOREST LANDS SHALL BE VALUED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  AND  THE  CUMULATIVE
 VALUE  OF  ALL  SUCH  LANDS  SHALL  BE EQUALIZED BY APPLYING THERETO THE
 APPROPRIATE STATE EQUALIZATION RATE OR SPECIAL EQUALIZATION RATE  ESTAB-
 LISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF THE COMMISSIONER.
   (D) IF THE CUMULATIVE VALUE DETERMINED AND EQUALIZED PURSUANT TO PARA-
 GRAPH  (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION EXCEEDS THE TAXABLE ASSESSED VALUATION OF
 SUCH PROPERTY ON THE PRECEDING ASSESSMENT  ROLL,  AS  REQUIRED  BY  THIS
 SECTION  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL COMPUTE THE AMOUNT OF STATE ASSISTANCE
 PAYABLE TO OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF EACH MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BY  APPLYING
 TO  THE  AMOUNT  OF THE EXCESS THE APPROPRIATE TAX RATE OF THE MUNICIPAL
 CORPORATION AND SUCH AMOUNT SHALL BE PAID ON AUDIT AND  WARRANT  OF  THE
 COMPTROLLER OUT OF MONEYS APPROPRIATED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to taxes
 levied upon assessment rolls prepared on the  basis  of  taxable  status
 dates occurring on or after January 1, 2021.