Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] revises the property taxation framework for Class 17 property, particularly focusing on dedicated communications infrastructure. The bill introduces new definitions and provisions for local assessment, notably deleting the previous requirement that property of a certain value remains subject to Class 17 property taxation. Instead, it establishes that dedicated communications infrastructure will be locally assessed and taxed at a rate of 0.9% of its market value. Furthermore, the bill clarifies the classification and taxation of qualified data centers, specifying that dedicated communications infrastructure must be locally assessed if located solely within one county and requiring property owners to report the installed costs of qualified data center property annually by March 1.

Additionally, the bill amends Section 15-23-101 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to change the assessment process for various properties, removing the requirement for local assessment of qualified data centers and dedicated communications infrastructure. It establishes a new framework for the department to centrally assess properties annually or biennially, starting January 1, 2024, with specific assessment cycles for different property types. The bill also includes provisions for retroactive applicability to property tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, ensuring that the new assessment practices align with the updated valuation cycles.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1(1): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1(2): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1(3): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1(4): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1(5): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_1: 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(1): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(2): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(3): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(4): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(5): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(6): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(7): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(8): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2(9): 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101
SB0540_2: 15-6-156, 15-6-162, 15-23-101