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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill amends provisions related to the taxation of property.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ requires a county assessor to consider certain factors in determining the fair market
14 value of property; and
15 ▸ provides that provisions requiring a county assessor to consider certain factors in
16 determining the fair market value of property apply to the privilege tax.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 This bill provides a special effective date.
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 AMENDS:
23 59-4-101, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 36
24 ENACTS:
25 59-2-301.7, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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27 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
28 Section 1. Section 59-2-301.7 is enacted to read:
29 59-2-301.7. Definitions -- Assessment of property used for radioactive or
30 hazardous waste storage.
31 (1) As used in this section:
32 (a) "Hazardous waste" has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section
33 19-6-102.
34 (b) (i) "Radioactive waste" means:
35 (A) low-level radioactive waste as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 10101; or
36 (B) high-level radioactive waste as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 10101.
37 (ii) "Radioactive waste" does not include naturally occurring radioactive materials.
38 (2) Subject to Subsection (3), in assessing the fair market value of property, a county
39 assessor shall consider, as part of the determination of fair market value, whether property that
40 is not currently used for the storage of hazardous waste or radioactive waste has been used in
41 the past for the storage of hazardous waste or radioactive waste in a manner that affects:
42 (a) the functionality of the property;
43 (b) the ability to use the property; or
44 (c) property rights.
45 (3) Subsection (2) applies to the extent a county assessor knows, or reasonably should
46 have known, that property has been used in the past for the storage of hazardous waste or
47 radioactive waste.
48 (4) This section does not prohibit a county assessor from including as part of a
49 determination of the fair market value of property any other factor affecting the fair market
50 value of the property.
51 Section 2. Section 59-4-101 is amended to read:
52 59-4-101. Tax basis -- Exceptions -- Assessment and collection.
53 (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (1)(b) and (c), a tax is imposed on the
54 possession or other beneficial use enjoyed by any person of any real or personal property which
55 for any reason is exempt from taxation, if that property is used in connection with a business
56 conducted for profit.
57 (b) Any interest remaining in the state in state lands after subtracting amounts paid or
58 due in part payment of the purchase price as provided in Subsection 59-2-1103(2)(b)(i) under a
59 contract of sale is subject to taxation under this chapter regardless of whether the property is
60 used in connection with a business conducted for profit.
61 (c) The tax imposed under Subsection (1)(a) does not apply to property exempt from
62 taxation under Section 59-2-1114.
63 (2) The tax imposed under this chapter is the same amount that the ad valorem property
64 tax would be if the possessor or user were the owner of the property. The amount of any
65 payments which are made in lieu of taxes is credited against the tax imposed on the beneficial
66 use of property owned by the federal government.
67 (3) A tax is not imposed under this chapter on the following:
68 (a) the use of property which is a concession in, or relative to, the use of a public
69 airport, park, fairground, or similar property which is available as a matter of right to the use of
70 the general public;
71 (b) the use or possession of property by a religious, educational, or charitable
72 organization;
73 (c) the use or possession of property if the revenue generated by the possessor or user
74 of the property through its possession or use of the property inures only to the benefit of a
75 religious, educational, or charitable organization and not to the benefit of any other person;
76 (d) the possession or other beneficial use of public land occupied under the terms of an
77 agricultural lease or permit issued by the United States or this state;
78 (e) the use or possession of any lease, permit, or easement unless the lease, permit, or
79 easement entitles the lessee or permittee to exclusive possession of the premises to which the
80 lease, permit, or easement relates. Every lessee, permittee, or other holder of a right to remove
81 or extract the mineral covered by the holder's lease, right, permit, or easement except from
82 brines of the Great Salt Lake, is considered to be in possession of the premises,
83 notwithstanding the fact that other parties may have a similar right to remove or extract another
84 mineral from the same lands or estates;
85 (f) the use or possession of property by a public agency, as defined in Section
86 11-13-103, to the extent that the ownership interest of the public agency in that property is
87 subject to a fee in lieu of ad valorem property tax under Section 11-13-302; or
88 (g) the possession or beneficial use of public property as a tollway by a private entity
89 through a tollway development agreement as defined in Section 72-6-202.
90 (4) A tax imposed under this chapter is assessed to the possessors or users of the
91 property on the same forms, and collected and distributed at the same time and in the same
92 manner, as taxes assessed owners, possessors, or other claimants of property which is subject to
93 ad valorem property taxation. The tax is not a lien against the property, and no tax-exempt
94 property may be attached, encumbered, sold, or otherwise affected for the collection of the tax.
95 (5) Sections 59-2-301.1 through 59-2-301.7 apply for purposes of assessing a tax under
96 this chapter.
97 Section 3. Effective date.
98 This bill takes effect on January 1, 2016.