182:1 New Section; Forest Conservation and Taxation; Waiver of Yield Tax by Municipality in Certain Cases. Amend RSA 79 by inserting after section 3-a the following new section:

79:3-b Waiver of Yield Tax by Municipality in Certain Cases. When timber harvesting is conducted on land owned by, and located in, a municipality, the municipality may waive the yield tax, but shall report the location, species, and volume of wood and timber cut to the commissioner of revenue administration, who shall send one copy of the report to the division of forests and lands of the department of natural and cultural resources.

182:2 Forest Conservation and Taxation; Notice of Intent to Cut. Amend RSA 79:10, I(a) and (b) to read as follows:

I.(a) Every owner, as defined in RSA 79:1, II, shall, prior to commencing each cutting operation and at the beginning of each new tax year into which the cutting operation shall continue, file with the proper assessing officials in the city, town, or unincorporated place where such cutting is to take place a notice of intent to cut provided by the commissioner of revenue administration, stating the owner's name, residence, an estimate of the volume of each species to be cut, and such other information as may be required. Except when a bond is required pursuant to RSA 79:3-a or RSA 79:10-a, II, a supplemental notice of intent shall not be required when the total volume of the cut exceeds the total volume reported in the intent to cut by less than 25 percent. When required, the supplemental notice shall be filed in the same manner for any additional volume of wood or timber to be cut in excess of the original estimate and within the tax year.

(b) Any intent received by a city, town, or unincorporated place shall, within 30 15 days, be assigned a number in accordance with the guidelines provided by the commissioner of revenue administration, and be signed by the assessing officials if all conditions for approval have been met. Public notice shall be posted for any intent to cut received by a municipality before it is signed by assessing officials. The notice shall be posted in the 2 places where the municipality regularly posts notices of its governing body meetings. Notwithstanding RSA 91-A, the assessing officials may sign the intent to cut outside a public meeting. If the conditions for approval have not been met, the assessing officials shall send a letter to the owner or the person responsible for cutting, explaining the reason for the intent not being signed. The assessing officials shall immediately forward any signed intent to the commissioner of revenue administration and shall also supply a copy to the owner upon request. Failure of the assessing officials to forward signed intent to cut forms to the department of revenue administration shall constitute a violation.

182:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect September 1, 2018.

Approved: June 08, 2018

Effective Date: September 01, 2018

182:1 New Section; Forest Conservation and Taxation; Waiver of Yield Tax by Municipality in Certain Cases. Amend RSA 79 by inserting after section 3-a the following new section:

79:3-b Waiver of Yield Tax by Municipality in Certain Cases. When timber harvesting is conducted on land owned by, and located in, a municipality, the municipality may waive the yield tax, but shall report the location, species, and volume of wood and timber cut to the commissioner of revenue administration, who shall send one copy of the report to the division of forests and lands of the department of natural and cultural resources.

182:2 Forest Conservation and Taxation; Notice of Intent to Cut. Amend RSA 79:10, I(a) and (b) to read as follows:

I.(a) Every owner, as defined in RSA 79:1, II, shall, prior to commencing each cutting operation and at the beginning of each new tax year into which the cutting operation shall continue, file with the proper assessing officials in the city, town, or unincorporated place where such cutting is to take place a notice of intent to cut provided by the commissioner of revenue administration, stating the owner's name, residence, an estimate of the volume of each species to be cut, and such other information as may be required. Except when a bond is required pursuant to RSA 79:3-a or RSA 79:10-a, II, a supplemental notice of intent shall not be required when the total volume of the cut exceeds the total volume reported in the intent to cut by less than 25 percent. When required, the supplemental notice shall be filed in the same manner for any additional volume of wood or timber to be cut in excess of the original estimate and within the tax year.

(b) Any intent received by a city, town, or unincorporated place shall, within 15 days, be assigned a number in accordance with the guidelines provided by the commissioner of revenue administration, and be signed by the assessing officials if all conditions for approval have been met. Public notice shall be posted for any intent to cut received by a municipality before it is signed by assessing officials. The notice shall be posted in the 2 places where the municipality regularly posts notices of its governing body meetings. Notwithstanding RSA 91-A, the assessing officials may sign the intent to cut outside a public meeting. If the conditions for approval have not been met, the assessing officials shall send a letter to the owner or the person responsible for cutting, explaining the reason for the intent not being signed. The assessing officials shall immediately forward any signed intent to the commissioner of revenue administration and shall also supply a copy to the owner upon request. Failure of the assessing officials to forward signed intent to cut forms to the department of revenue administration shall constitute a violation.

182:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect September 1, 2018.

Approved: June 08, 2018

Effective Date: September 01, 2018