The bill establishes a program fee for forest and fruit-tree reservations that are exempt from tax, effective for assessment years beginning January 1, 2026. Each acre of such reservations will incur a fee payable to the county treasurer by September of each assessment year, with the collected funds deposited into the county general fund. The fee structure varies based on the location of the reservations, with rates set at two dollars per acre for reservations where at least one owner maintains a homestead, three dollars per acre for contiguous counties, and a variable rate for other reservations based on agricultural property tax data. Additionally, the bill outlines how the collected fees will be utilized, particularly emphasizing property tax relief starting in fiscal years after July 1, 2029.

The bill also amends existing legislation regarding the calculation of county levy rates, specifically incorporating the fees collected under the new program into the formula used to determine the levy rate for general county services. This adjustment ensures that the fees collected will be accounted for in the budgetary process, thereby impacting the overall tax rate imposed on property owners. The bill includes a contingent effective date, which aligns with the effective date of another legislative act, ensuring that the new provisions take effect simultaneously.

Statutes affected:
Reprinted: 331.423