What's happening
This bill requires real property tax assessment information and related calculation data to be accessible under the Freedom of Information Law.
Why it matters
Increases transparency and public oversight. by making not just the assessment values, but also the detailed formulas and data used to calculate property tax assessments, available to the public through Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests.
Empowers property owners and advocates. to better understand, question, or challenge their property tax assessments by granting them access to the specific information and methodologies used in determining their property’s valuation.
Limits privacy concerns. by clarifying that while assessment calculation data must be disclosed, electronic contact information (like emails or social media usernames) collected from taxpayers remains protected and cannot be released under FOIL.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make Tax Assessments Public
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to real property taxation
- Referred to real property taxation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5768
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 15, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ERRIGO, MORINELLO, CASTORINA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GIGLIO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Real Property Taxation
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law and the public officers law, in relation to requiring real property tax assessment information be subject to the freedom of information law
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 501 of the real property tax law, as added by chapter 773 of the laws of 1981, subdivision 2 as further amended by section 1 of part W of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
§ 501. Examination of assessment inventory and valuation data. 1. Upon ascertainment of real property as required by section five hundred of this title, the assessor shall forthwith cause a notice, the contents of which are set forth in subdivision two of this section, to be published at least once in each of two consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general local circulation. Notice shall also be posted on the signboard maintained for the posting of legal notices at the entrance of the town clerk's office pursuant to subdivision six of section thirty of the town law, and any official web site maintained by the town.
2. The notice shall state that the assessor has available for review assessment inventory [and], valuation data, and any formulas and other information used to calculate assessments, that an appointment may be made to review this information during certain times as specified in the notice, and any other information which the commissioner may require by rule and regulation.
3. The information available for review in subdivision two of this section shall also be subject to the provisions of article six of the public officers law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09055-01-7
A. 5768 2
§ 2. Subparagraph iv of paragraph (c) of subdivision 2 of section 89 of the public officers law, as amended by section 11 of part U of chapter 61 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
iv. when a record or group of records relates to the right, title or interest in real property, or relates to the inventory, status or characteristics of real property or any information used to calculate a real property tax assessment, in which case disclosure and providing copies of such record or group of records shall not be deemed an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, provided that nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the disclosure of electronic contact information, such as an e-mail address or a social network username, that has been collected from a taxpayer under section one hundred four of the real property tax law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.