SB-0133, As Passed House, July 2, 2003                                      

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                           HOUSE SUBSTITUTE FOR                                 

                                                                                

                           SENATE BILL NO. 133                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "The general property tax act,"                                             

                                                                                

    by amending sections 7u, 7cc, 7dd, 9, 24c, 27d, and 120 (MCL                

                                                                                

    211.7u, 211.7cc, 211.7dd, 211.9, 211.24c, 211.27d, and 211.120),            

                                                                                

    sections 7u and 24c as amended by 2002 PA 620, section 7cc as               

                                                                                

    amended by 2002 PA 624, section 7dd as amended and section 27d as           

                                                                                

    added by 1996 PA 476, section 9 as amended by 1996 PA 582, and              

                                                                                

    section 120 as added by 1995 PA 74.                                         

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 7u.  (1) The  homestead  principal residence of persons                

                                                                                

2   who, in the judgment of the supervisor and board of review, by              

                                                                                

3   reason of poverty, are unable to contribute toward the public               

                                                                                

4   charges is eligible for exemption in whole or in part from                  

                                                                                

5   taxation under this act.  This section does not apply to the                

                                                                                

6   property of a corporation.                                                  

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (2) To be eligible for exemption under this section, a person               

                                                                                

2   shall do all of the following on an annual basis:                           

                                                                                

3       (a) Be an owner of and occupy as a  homestead  principal                    

                                                                                

4   residence the property for which an exemption is requested.                 

                                                                                

5       (b) File a claim with the supervisor or board of review on a                

                                                                                

6   form provided by the local assessing unit, accompanied by federal           

                                                                                

7   and state income tax returns for all persons residing in the                

                                                                                

8   homestead  principal residence, including any property tax                 

                                                                                

9   credit returns, filed in the immediately preceding year or in the           

                                                                                

10  current year.  The filing of a claim under this subsection                  

                                                                                

11  constitutes an appearance before the board of review for the                

                                                                                

12  purpose of preserving the claimant's right to appeal the decision           

                                                                                

13  of the board of review regarding the claim.                                 

                                                                                

14      (c) Produce a valid driver's license or other form of                       

                                                                                

15  identification if requested by the supervisor or board of                   

                                                                                

16  review.                                                                     

                                                                                

17      (d) Produce a deed, land contract, or other evidence of                     

                                                                                

18  ownership of the property for which an exemption is requested if            

                                                                                

19  required by the supervisor or board of review.                              

                                                                                

20      (e) Meet the federal poverty guidelines updated annually in                 

                                                                                

21  the federal register by the United States department of health              

                                                                                

22  and human services under authority of section 673 of subtitle B             

                                                                                

23  of title VI of the omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1981,               

                                                                                

24  Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. 9902, or alternative guidelines                 

                                                                                

25  adopted by the governing body of the local assessing unit                   

                                                                                

26  provided the alternative guidelines do not provide income                   

                                                                                

27  eligibility requirements less than the federal guidelines.                  


                                                                                

1       (3) The application for an exemption under this section shall               

                                                                                

2   be filed after January 1 but before the day prior to the last day           

                                                                                

3   of the board of review.                                                     

                                                                                

4       (4) The governing body of the local assessing unit shall                    

                                                                                

5   determine and make available to the public the policy and                   

                                                                                

6   guidelines the local assessing unit uses for the granting of                

                                                                                

7   exemptions under this section.  The guidelines shall include but            

                                                                                

8   not be limited to the specific income and asset levels of the               

                                                                                

9   claimant and total household income and assets.                             

                                                                                

10      (5) The board of review shall follow the policy and                         

                                                                                

11  guidelines of the local assessing unit in granting or denying an            

                                                                                

12  exemption under this section unless the board of review                     

                                                                                

13  determines there are substantial and compelling reasons why there           

                                                                                

14  should be a deviation from the policy and guidelines and the                

                                                                                

15  substantial and compelling reasons are communicated in writing to           

                                                                                

16  the claimant.                                                               

                                                                                

17      (6) A person who files a claim under this section is not                    

                                                                                

18  prohibited from also appealing the assessment on the property for           

                                                                                

19  which that claim is made before the board of review in the same             

                                                                                

20  year.                                                                       

                                                                                

21      (7) As used in this section,  "homestead" means homestead                   

                                                                                

22  "principal residence" means principal residence or qualified                

                                                                                

23  agricultural property as those terms are defined in section 7dd.            

                                                                                

24      Sec. 7cc.  (1) A  homestead  principal residence is exempt                  

                                                                                

25  from the tax levied by a local school district for school                   

                                                                                

26  operating purposes to the extent provided under section 1211 of             

                                                                                

27  the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1211, if an owner             


                                                                                

1   of that  homestead  principal residence claims an exemption as              

                                                                                

2   provided in this section.  Notwithstanding the tax day provided             

                                                                                

3   in section 2, for taxes levied before January 1, 2004, the status           

                                                                                

4   of property as a  homestead  principal residence shall be                   

                                                                                

5   determined on the date an affidavit claiming an exemption is                

                                                                                

6   filed under subsection (2).  For taxes levied after December 31,            

                                                                                

7   2003, the status of property as a principal residence shall be              

                                                                                

8   determined on the tax day provided in section 2.                            

                                                                                

9       (2) An owner of property may claim an exemption under this                  

                                                                                

10  section by filing an affidavit on or before May 1 for taxes                 

                                                                                

11  levied before January 1, 2004 and the tax day as provided in                

                                                                                

12  section 2 for taxes levied after December 31, 2003 with the local           

                                                                                

13  tax collecting unit in which the property is located.  The                  

                                                                                

14  affidavit shall state that the property is owned and occupied as            

                                                                                

15  a  homestead  principal residence by that owner of the property             

                                                                                

16  on the date that the affidavit is signed.  The affidavit shall be           

                                                                                

17  on a form prescribed by the department of treasury.   Beginning             

                                                                                

18  in 1995, 1  One copy of the affidavit shall be retained by the              

                                                                                

19  owner, 1 copy shall be retained by the local tax collecting unit            

                                                                                

20  until any appeal or audit period under this act has expired, and            

                                                                                

21  1 copy shall be forwarded to the department of treasury pursuant            

                                                                                

22  to subsection (4), together with all information submitted under            

                                                                                

23  subsection  (18)  (27) for a cooperative housing corporation.               

                                                                                

24  Beginning in 1995, the  The affidavit shall require the owner              

                                                                                

25  claiming the exemption to indicate if that owner or that owner's            

                                                                                

26  spouse has claimed another exemption on property in this state              

                                                                                

27  that is not rescinded or a substantially similar exemption,                 


                                                                                

1   deduction, or credit on property in another state that is not               

                                                                                

2   rescinded.  If the affidavit requires an owner to include a                 

                                                                                

3   social security number, that owner's number is subject to the               

                                                                                

4   disclosure restrictions in 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31.  If            

                                                                                

5   an owner of property filed an affidavit for an exemption under              

                                                                                

6   this section before January 1, 2004, that affidavit shall be                

                                                                                

7   considered the affidavit required under this subsection for a               

                                                                                

8   principal residence exemption and that exemption shall remain in            

                                                                                

9   effect until rescinded as provided in this section.                         

                                                                                

10      (3) A husband and wife who are required to file or who do                   

                                                                                

11  file a joint Michigan income tax return are entitled to not more            

                                                                                

12  than 1  homestead  exemption under this sectionA person is not           

                                                                                

13  entitled to an exemption under this section if any of the                   

                                                                                

14  following conditions occur:                                                 

                                                                                

15      (a) That person has claimed a substantially similar                         

                                                                                

16  exemption, deduction, or credit on property in another state that           

                                                                                

17  is not rescinded.                                                           

                                                                                

18      (b) Subject to subdivision (a), that person or his or her                   

                                                                                

19  spouse owns property in a state other than this state for which             

                                                                                

20  that person or his or her spouse claims an exemption, deduction,            

                                                                                

21  or credit substantially similar to the exemption provided under             

                                                                                

22  this section, unless that person and his or her spouse file                 

                                                                                

23  separate income tax returns.                                                

                                                                                

24      (c) That person has filed a nonresident Michigan income tax                 

                                                                                

25  return, except active duty military personnel stationed in this             

                                                                                

26  state with his or her principal residence in this state.                    

                                                                                

27      (d) That person has filed an income tax return in a state                   


                                                                                

1   other than this state as a resident, except active duty military            

                                                                                

2   personnel stationed in this state with his or her principal                 

                                                                                

3   residence in this state.                                                    

                                                                                

4       (4) Upon receipt of an affidavit filed under subsection (2)                 

                                                                                

5   and unless the claim is denied under  subsection (6)  this                  

                                                                                

6   section, the assessor shall exempt the property from the                    

                                                                                

7   collection of the tax levied by a local school district for                 

                                                                                

8   school operating purposes to the extent provided under section              

                                                                                

9   1211 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1211, as              

                                                                                

10  provided in subsection (1) until December 31 of the year in which           

                                                                                

11  the property is transferred or is no longer a  homestead                    

                                                                                

12  principal residence as defined in section 7dd.  The local tax               

                                                                                

13  collecting unit shall forward copies of affidavits to the                   

                                                                                

14  department of treasury according to a schedule prescribed by the            

                                                                                

15  department of treasury.                                                     

                                                                                

16      (5) Not more than 90 days after exempted property is no                     

                                                                                

17  longer used as a  homestead  principal residence by the owner               

                                                                                

18  claiming an exemption, that owner shall rescind the claim of                

                                                                                

19  exemption by filing with the local tax collecting unit a                    

                                                                                

20  rescission form prescribed by the department of treasury.                   

                                                                                

21  Beginning October 1, 1994, an  An owner who fails to file a                

                                                                                

22  rescission as required by this subsection is subject to a penalty           

                                                                                

23  of $5.00 per day for each separate failure beginning after the 90           

                                                                                

24  days have elapsed, up to a maximum of $200.00.  This penalty                

                                                                                

25  shall be collected under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and              

                                                                                

26  shall be deposited in the state school aid fund established in              

                                                                                

27  section 11 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963.  This           


                                                                                

1   penalty may be waived by the department of treasury.                        

                                                                                

2       (6) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit believes               

                                                                                

3   that the property for which an exemption is claimed is not the              

                                                                                

4   homestead  principal residence of the owner claiming the                   

                                                                                

5   exemption,  effective for taxes levied after 1994  the assessor             

                                                                                

6   may deny a new or existing claim by notifying the owner and the             

                                                                                

7   department of treasury in writing of the reason for the denial              

                                                                                

8   and advising the owner that the denial may be appealed to the               

                                                                                

9   department of treasury  residential and small claims division of           

                                                                                

10  the Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days after the date of the              

                                                                                

11  notice.  The assessor may deny a claim for exemption for the                

                                                                                

12  current year and for the 3 immediately preceding calendar years.            

                                                                                

13  If the assessor denies an existing claim for exemption, the                 

                                                                                

14  assessor shall remove the exemption of the property and, if the             

                                                                                

15  tax roll is in the local tax collecting unit's possession, amend            

                                                                                

16  the tax roll to reflect the denial and the local treasurer shall            

                                                                                

17  within 30 days of the date of the denial issue a corrected tax              

                                                                                

18  bill for previously unpaid taxes with interest at the rate of               

                                                                                

19  1.25% per month and penalties computed from the date the taxes              

                                                                                

20  were last payable without interest or penalty.  If the tax roll             

                                                                                

21  is in the county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be              

                                                                                

22  amended to reflect the denial and the county treasurer shall                

                                                                                

23  within 30 days of the date of the denial prepare and submit a               

                                                                                

24  supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with               

                                                                                

25  interest at the rate of 1.25% per month and penalties computed              

                                                                                

26  from the date the taxes were last payable without interest or               

                                                                                

27  penalty.  Additional interest on any tax set forth in a corrected           


                                                                                

1   or supplemental tax bill shall begin to accrue 60 days after the            

                                                                                

2   date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued at the rate           

                                                                                

3   of 1.25% per month.  Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental            

                                                                                

4   tax bill shall be returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the              

                                                                                

5   year immediately succeeding the year in which the corrected or              

                                                                                

6   supplemental tax bill is issued.  If the assessor denies an                 

                                                                                

7   existing claim for exemption, the interest due shall be                     

                                                                                

8   distributed as provided in subsection (24).  However, if the                

                                                                                

9   property has been transferred to a bona fide purchaser before               

                                                                                

10  additional taxes were billed to the seller as a result of the               

                                                                                

11  denial of a claim for exemption, the taxes, interest, and                   

                                                                                

12  penalties shall not be a lien on the property and shall not be              

                                                                                

13  billed to the bona fide purchaser, and the local tax collecting             

                                                                                

14  unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession of the tax             

                                                                                

15  roll or the county treasurer if the county has possession of the            

                                                                                

16  tax roll shall notify the department of treasury of the amount of           

                                                                                

17  tax due, interest, and penalties through the date of that                   

                                                                                

18  notification.  The department of treasury shall then assess the             

                                                                                

19  owner who claimed the exemption under this section for the tax,             

                                                                                

20  interest, and penalties accruing as a result of the denial of the           

                                                                                

21  claim for exemption, if any, as for unpaid taxes provided under             

                                                                                

22  1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall deposit any tax or              

                                                                                

23  penalty collected into the state school aid fund and shall                  

                                                                                

24  distribute any interest collected as provided in subsection (24).           

                                                                                

25  The denial shall be made on a form prescribed by the department             

                                                                                

26  of treasury.   If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit             

                                                                                

27  believes that the property for which the exemption is claimed is            


                                                                                

1   not the homestead of the owner claiming the exemption, for taxes            

                                                                                

2   levied in 1994 the assessor may send a recommendation for denial            

                                                                                

3   for any affidavit that is forwarded to the department of treasury           

                                                                                

4   stating the reasons for the recommendation.  If the property for            

                                                                                

5   which the assessor has denied a claim for exemption under this              

                                                                                

6   subsection is located in a county in which the county treasurer             

                                                                                

7   or the county equalization director have elected to audit                   

                                                                                

8   exemptions under subsection (10), the assessor shall notify the             

                                                                                

9   county treasurer or the county equalization director of the                 

                                                                                

10  denial under this subsection.                                               

                                                                                

11      (7) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit believes               

                                                                                

12  that the property for which the exemption is claimed is not the             

                                                                                

13  homestead  principal residence of the owner claiming the                   

                                                                                

14  exemption and has not denied the claim,  for taxes levied after             

                                                                                

15  1994  the assessor shall include a recommendation for denial with           

                                                                                

16  any affidavit that is forwarded to the department of treasury or,           

                                                                                

17  for an existing claim, shall send a recommendation for denial to            

                                                                                

18  the department of treasury, stating the reasons for the                     

                                                                                

19  recommendation.                                                             

                                                                                

20      (8)  (7)  The department of treasury shall determine if the                 

                                                                                

21  property is the  homestead  principal residence of the owner                

                                                                                

22  claiming the exemption.  The department of treasury may review              

                                                                                

23  the validity of exemptions for the current calendar year and for            

                                                                                

24  the 3 immediately preceding calendar years.  If the department of           

                                                                                

25  treasury determines that the property is not the  homestead                 

                                                                                

26  principal residence of the owner claiming the exemption, the                

                                                                                

27  department shall send a notice of that determination to the local           


                                                                                

1   tax collecting unit and to the owner of the property claiming the           

                                                                                

2   exemption, indicating that the claim for exemption is denied,               

                                                                                

3   stating the reason for the denial, and advising the owner                   

                                                                                

4   claiming the exemption of the right to appeal the determination             

                                                                                

5   to the department of treasury and what those rights of appeal               

                                                                                

6   are.  The department of treasury may issue a notice denying a               

                                                                                

7   claim if an owner fails to respond within 30 days of receipt of a           

                                                                                

8   request for information from that department.  An owner may                 

                                                                                

9   appeal the denial of a claim of exemption to the department of              

                                                                                

10  treasury within 35 days of receipt of the notice of denial.  An             

                                                                                

11  appeal to the department of treasury shall be conducted according           

                                                                                

12  to the provisions for an informal conference in section 21 of               

                                                                                

13  1941 PA 122, MCL 205.21.  Within 10 days after acknowledging an             

                                                                                

14  appeal of a denial of a claim of exemption, the department of               

                                                                                

15  treasury shall notify the assessor and the treasurer for the                

                                                                                

16  county in which the property is located that an appeal has been             

                                                                                

17  filed.  Upon receipt of a notice that the department of treasury            

                                                                                

18  has denied a claim for exemption, the assessor shall remove the             

                                                                                

19  exemption of the property and, if the tax roll is in the local              

                                                                                

20  tax collecting unit's possession, amend the tax roll to reflect             

                                                                                

21  the denial and the local treasurer shall within 30 days of the              

                                                                                

22  date of the denial issue a corrected tax bill for previously                

                                                                                

23  unpaid taxes with interest at the rate of 1.25% per month and               

                                                                                

24  penalties computed  based on the interest and penalties that                

                                                                                

25  would have accrued  from the date the taxes were  originally                

                                                                                

26  levied if there had not been an exemption  last payable without             

                                                                                

27  interest and penalty.  If the tax roll is in the county                     


                                                                                

1   treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be amended to reflect            

                                                                                

2   the denial and the county treasurer shall within 30 days of the             

                                                                                

3   date of the denial prepare and submit a supplemental tax bill for           

                                                                                

4   any additional taxes, together with  any interest and penalties             

                                                                                

5   interest at the rate of 1.25% per month and penalties computed              

                                                                                

6   from the date the taxes were last payable without interest or               

                                                                                

7   penalty For taxes levied in 1994 only, the county treasurer              

                                                                                

8   shall waive any interest and penalties due if the owner pays the            

                                                                                

9   supplemental tax bill not more than 30 days after the owner                 

                                                                                

10  receives the supplemental tax bill.  Interest and penalties shall           

                                                                                

11  not be assessed for any period before February 14, 1995.                    

                                                                                

12  Additional interest on any tax set forth in a corrected or                  

                                                                                

13  supplemental tax bill shall begin to accrue 60 days after the               

                                                                                

14  date the corrected or supplemental tax bill is issued at the rate           

                                                                                

15  of 1.25% per month.  Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental            

                                                                                

16  tax bill shall be returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the              

                                                                                

17  year immediately succeeding the year in which the corrected or              

                                                                                

18  supplemental tax bill is issued.  If the department of treasury             

                                                                                

19  denies an existing claim for exemption, the interest due shall be           

                                                                                

20  distributed as provided in subsection (24). However, if the                 

                                                                                

21  property has been transferred to a bona fide purchaser before               

                                                                                

22  additional taxes were billed to the seller as a result of the               

                                                                                

23  denial of a claim for exemption, the taxes, interest, and                   

                                                                                

24  penalties shall not be a lien on the property and shall not be              

                                                                                

25  billed to the bona fide purchaser, and the local tax collecting             

                                                                                

26  unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession of the tax             

                                                                                

27  roll or the county treasurer if the county has possession of the            


                                                                                

1   tax roll shall notify the department of treasury of the amount of           

                                                                                

2   tax due and interest through the date of that notification.  The            

                                                                                

3   department of treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed              

                                                                                

4   the  homestead property tax  exemption under this section for the           

                                                                                

5   tax and interest plus penalty accruing as a result of the denial            

                                                                                

6   of the claim for exemption, if any, as for unpaid taxes provided            

                                                                                

7   under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall deposit any tax           

                                                                                

8   , interest,  or penalty collected into the state school aid fund           

                                                                                

9   and shall distribute any interest collected as provided in                  

                                                                                

10  subsection (24).                                                            

                                                                                

11      (8) An owner may appeal a final decision of the department                  

                                                                                

12  of treasury to the residential and small claims division of the             

                                                                                

13  Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days of that decision.  An                  

                                                                                

14  assessor may appeal a final decision of the department of                   

                                                                                

15  treasury to the residential and small claims division of the                

                                                                                

16  Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days of that decision if the                

                                                                                

17  assessor denied the exemption under subsection (6), or, for taxes           

                                                                                

18  levied in 1994 only, the assessor forwarded a recommendation for            

                                                                                

19  denial to the department of treasury under subsection (6).  An              

                                                                                

20  owner is not required to pay the amount of tax in dispute in                

                                                                                

21  order to appeal a denial of a claim of exemption to the                     

                                                                                

22  department of treasury or to receive a final determination of the           

                                                                                

23  residential and small claims division of the Michigan tax                   

                                                                                

24  tribunal.  However, interest and penalties except as provided in            

                                                                                

25  subsection (7), if any, shall accrue and be computed based on the           

                                                                                

26  interest and penalties that would have accrued from the date the            

                                                                                

27  taxes were originally levied as if there had not been an                    


                                                                                

1   exemption.                                                                  

                                                                                

2       (9) The department of treasury may enter into an agreement                  

                                                                                

3   regarding the implementation or administration of subsection (8)            

                                                                                

4   with the assessor of any local tax collecting unit in a county              

                                                                                

5   that has not elected to audit exemptions claimed under this                 

                                                                                

6   section as provided in subsection (10).  The agreement may                  

                                                                                

7   specify that for a period of time, not to exceed 120 days, the              

                                                                                

8   department of treasury will not deny an exemption identified by             

                                                                                

9   the department of treasury in the list provided under subsection            

                                                                                

10  (11).                                                                       

                                                                                

11      (10) A county may elect to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

12  this section in all local tax collecting units located in that              

                                                                                

13  county as provided in this subsection.  The election to audit               

                                                                                

14  exemptions shall be made by the county treasurer, or by the                 

                                                                                

15  county equalization director with the concurrence by resolution             

                                                                                

16  of the county board of commissioners.  The initial election to              

                                                                                

17  audit exemptions shall require an audit period of 2 years.                  

                                                                                

18  Subsequent elections to audit exemptions shall be made every 2              

                                                                                

19  years and shall require 2 annual audit periods.  An election to             

                                                                                

20  audit exemptions shall be made by submitting an election to audit           

                                                                                

21  form to the assessor of each local tax collecting unit in that              

                                                                                

22  county and to the department of treasury not later than October 1           

                                                                                

23  in the year in which an election to audit is made.  The election            

                                                                                

24  to audit form required under this subsection shall be in a form             

                                                                                

25  prescribed by the department of treasury.  If a county elects to            

                                                                                

26  audit the exemptions claimed under this section, the department             

                                                                                

27  of treasury may continue to review the validity of exemptions as            


                                                                                

1   provided in subsection (8).  If a county does not elect to audit            

                                                                                

2   the exemptions claimed under this section as provided in this               

                                                                                

3   subsection, the department of treasury shall conduct an audit of            

                                                                                

4   exemptions claimed under this section in the initial 2-year audit           

                                                                                

5   period for each local tax collecting unit in that county unless             

                                                                                

6   the department of treasury has entered into an agreement with the           

                                                                                

7   assessor for that local tax collecting unit under subsection (9).           

                                                                                

8       (11) If a county elects to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

9   this section as provided in subsection (10) and the county                  

                                                                                

10  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

11  director or his or her designee believes that the property for              

                                                                                

12  which an exemption is claimed is not the principal residence of             

                                                                                

13  the owner claiming the exemption, the county treasurer or his or            

                                                                                

14  her designee or the county equalization director or his or her              

                                                                                

15  designee may deny an existing claim by notifying the owner, the             

                                                                                

16  assessor of the local tax collecting unit, and the department of            

                                                                                

17  treasury in writing of the reason for the denial and advising the           

                                                                                

18  owner that the denial may be appealed to the residential and                

                                                                                

19  small claims division of the Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days           

                                                                                

20  after the date of the notice.  The county treasurer or his or her           

                                                                                

21  designee or the county equalization director or his or her                  

                                                                                

22  designee may deny a claim for exemption for the current year and            

                                                                                

23  for the 3 immediately preceding calendar years.  If the county              

                                                                                

24  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

25  director or his or her designee denies an existing claim for                

                                                                                

26  exemption, the county treasurer or his or her designee or the               

                                                                                

27  county equalization director or his or her designee shall direct            


                                                                                

1   the assessor of the local tax collecting unit in which the                  

                                                                                

2   property is located to remove the exemption of the property from            

                                                                                

3   the assessment roll and, if the tax roll is in the local tax                

                                                                                

4   collecting unit's possession, direct the assessor of the local              

                                                                                

5   tax collecting unit to amend the tax roll to reflect the denial             

                                                                                

6   and the treasurer of the local tax collecting unit shall within             

                                                                                

7   30 days of the date of the denial issue a corrected tax bill for            

                                                                                

8   previously unpaid taxes with interest at the rate of 1.25% per              

                                                                                

9   month and penalties computed from the date the taxes were last              

                                                                                

10  payable without interest and penalty.  If the tax roll is in the            

                                                                                

11  county treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be amended to             

                                                                                

12  reflect the denial and the county treasurer shall within 30 days            

                                                                                

13  of the date of the denial prepare and submit a supplemental tax             

                                                                                

14  bill for any additional taxes, together with interest at the rate           

                                                                                

15  of 1.25% per month and penalties computed from the date the taxes           

                                                                                

16  were last payable without interest or penalty.  Additional                  

                                                                                

17  interest on any tax set forth in a corrected or supplemental tax            

                                                                                

18  bill shall begin to accrue 60 days after the date the corrected             

                                                                                

19  or supplemental tax bill is issued at the rate of 1.25% per                 

                                                                                

20  month.  Taxes levied in a corrected or supplemental tax bill                

                                                                                

21  shall be returned as delinquent on the March 1 in the year                  

                                                                                

22  immediately succeeding the year in which the corrected or                   

                                                                                

23  supplemental tax bill is issued.  If the county treasurer or his            

                                                                                

24  or her designee or the county equalization director or his or her           

                                                                                

25  designee denies an existing claim for exemption, the interest due           

                                                                                

26  shall be distributed as provided in subsection (24).  However, if           

                                                                                

27  the property has been transferred to a bona fide purchaser before           


                                                                                

1   additional taxes were billed to the seller as a result of the               

                                                                                

2   denial of a claim for exemption, the taxes, interest, and                   

                                                                                

3   penalties shall not be a lien on the property and shall not be              

                                                                                

4   billed to the bona fide purchaser, and the local tax collecting             

                                                                                

5   unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession of the tax             

                                                                                

6   roll or the county treasurer if the county has possession of the            

                                                                                

7   tax roll shall notify the department of treasury of the amount of           

                                                                                

8   tax due and interest through the date of that notification.  The            

                                                                                

9   department of treasury shall then assess the owner who claimed              

                                                                                

10  the exemption under this section for the tax and interest plus              

                                                                                

11  penalty accruing as a result of the denial of the claim for                 

                                                                                

12  exemption, if any, as for unpaid taxes provided under 1941 PA               

                                                                                

13  122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall deposit any tax or penalty              

                                                                                

14  collected into the state school aid fund and shall distribute any           

                                                                                

15  interest collected as provided in subsection (24).  The                     

                                                                                

16  department of treasury shall annually provide the county                    

                                                                                

17  treasurer or his or her designee or the county equalization                 

                                                                                

18  director or his or her designee a list of parcels of property               

                                                                                

19  located in that county for which an exemption may be erroneously            

                                                                                

20  claimed.  The county treasurer or his or her designee or the                

                                                                                

21  county equalization director or his or her designee shall forward           

                                                                                

22  copies of the list provided by the department of treasury to each           

                                                                                

23  assessor in each local tax collecting unit in that county within            

                                                                                

24  10 days of receiving the list.                                              

                                                                                

25      (12) If a county elects to audit exemptions claimed under                   

                                                                                

26  this section as provided in subsection (10), the county treasurer           

                                                                                

27  or the county equalization director may enter into an agreement             


                                                                                

1   with the assessor of a local tax collecting unit in that county             

                                                                                

2   regarding the implementation or administration of this section.             

                                                                                

3   The agreement may specify that for a period of time, not to                 

                                                                                

4   exceed 120 days, the county will not deny an exemption identified           

                                                                                

5   by the department of treasury in the list provided under                    

                                                                                

6   subsection (11).                                                            

                                                                                

7       (13) An owner may appeal a denial by the assessor of the                    

                                                                                

8   local tax collecting unit under subsection (6), a final decision            

                                                                                

9   of the department of treasury under subsection (8), or a denial             

                                                                                

10  by the county treasurer or his or her designee or the county                

                                                                                

11  equalization director or his or her designee under subsection               

                                                                                

12  (11) to the residential and small claims division of the Michigan           

                                                                                

13  tax tribunal within 35 days of that decision.  An owner is not              

                                                                                

14  required to pay the amount of tax in dispute in order to appeal a           

                                                                                

15  denial of a claim of exemption to the department of treasury or             

                                                                                

16  to receive a final determination of the residential and small               

                                                                                

17  claims division of the Michigan tax tribunal.  However, interest            

                                                                                

18  at the rate of 1.25% per month and penalties shall accrue and be            

                                                                                

19  computed from the date the taxes were last payable without                  

                                                                                

20  interest and penalty.  If the residential and small claims                  

                                                                                

21  division of the Michigan tax tribunal grants an owner's appeal of           

                                                                                

22  a denial and that owner has paid the interest due as a result of            

                                                                                

23  a denial under subsection (6), (8), or (11), the interest                   

                                                                                

24  received after a distribution was made under subsection (24)                

                                                                                

25  shall be refunded.                                                          

                                                                                

26      (14) For taxes levied after December 31, 2005, for each                     

                                                                                

27  county in which the county treasurer or the county equalization             


                                                                                

1   director does not elect to audit the exemptions claimed under               

                                                                                

2   this section as provided in subsection (10), the department of              

                                                                                

3   treasury shall conduct an annual audit of exemptions claimed                

                                                                                

4   under this section for the current calendar year.                           

                                                                                

5       (15)  (9)  An affidavit filed by an owner for  a homestead                  

                                                                                

6   the exemption under this section rescinds all previous exemptions           

                                                                                

7   filed by that owner for any other  homestead  property.  The                

                                                                                

8   department of treasury shall notify the assessor of the local tax           

                                                                                

9   collecting unit in which the property for which a previous                  

                                                                                

10  exemption was claimed is located that the previous exemption is             

                                                                                

11  rescinded by the subsequent affidavit.  Upon receipt of notice              

                                                                                

12  that an exemption is rescinded, the assessor of the local tax               

                                                                                

13  collecting unit shall remove the exemption effective December 31            

                                                                                

14  of the year in which the property is transferred or is no longer            

                                                                                

15  a  homestead  principal residence as defined in section 7dd.  The           

                                                                                

16  assessor of the local tax collecting unit in which that property            

                                                                                

17  is located shall notify the treasurer in possession of the tax              

                                                                                

18  roll for a year for which the exemption is rescinded.  If the tax           

                                                                                

19  roll is in the local tax collecting unit's possession, the tax              

                                                                                

20  roll shall be amended to reflect the rescission and the local               

                                                                                

21  treasurer shall prepare and issue a corrected tax bill for                  

                                                                                

22  previously unpaid taxes with interest and penalties computed                

                                                                                

23  based on the interest and penalties that would have accrued from            

                                                                                

24  the date the taxes were originally levied if there had not been             

                                                                                

25  an exemption for that year.  If the tax roll is in the county               

                                                                                

26  treasurer's possession, the tax roll shall be amended to reflect            

                                                                                

27  the rescission and the county treasurer shall prepare and submit            


                                                                                

1   a supplemental tax bill for any additional taxes, together with             

                                                                                

2   any interest and penalties.  However, if the property has been              

                                                                                

3   transferred to a bona fide purchaser, the taxes, interest, and              

                                                                                

4   penalties shall not be billed to the bona fide purchaser, and the           

                                                                                

5   local tax collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has              

                                                                                

6   possession of the tax roll or the county treasurer if the county            

                                                                                

7   has possession of the tax roll shall notify the department of               

                                                                                

8   treasury of the amount of tax due and interest through the date             

                                                                                

9   of that notification.  The department of treasury shall then                

                                                                                

10  assess the owner who received the  homestead property tax                   

                                                                                

11  exemption under this section when the property was not a                    

                                                                                

12  homestead  principal residence as defined in section 7dd for the           

                                                                                

13  tax and interest plus penalty accruing, if any, as for unpaid               

                                                                                

14  taxes provided under 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.1 to 205.31, and shall            

                                                                                

15  deposit any tax, interest, or penalty collected into the state              

                                                                                

16  school aid fund.                                                            

                                                                                

17      (16)  (10)  An owner of property for which a claim of                       

                                                                                

18  exemption is rescinded may appeal that rescission with either the           

                                                                                

19  July or December board of review in either the year for which the           

                                                                                

20  exemption is rescinded or in the immediately succeeding year.  If           

                                                                                

21  an appeal of a rescission of a claim for exemption is received              

                                                                                

22  not later than 5 days prior to the date of the December board of            

                                                                                

23  review, the local tax collecting unit shall convene a December              

                                                                                

24  board of review and consider the appeal pursuant to this section            

                                                                                

25  and section 53b.  An owner of property for which a claim of                 

                                                                                

26  exemption is rescinded may appeal the decision of the board of              

                                                                                

27  review to the residential and small claims division of the                  


                                                                                

1   Michigan tax tribunal within 35 days of that decision.                      

                                                                                

2       (17)  (11)  If the  homestead  principal residence is part of               

                                                                                

3   a unit in a multiple-unit dwelling or a dwelling unit in a                  

                                                                                

4   multiple-purpose structure, an owner shall claim an exemption for           

                                                                                

5   only that portion of the total taxable value of the property used           

                                                                                

6   as the  homestead  principal residence of that owner in a manner            

                                                                                

7   prescribed by the department of treasury.  If a portion of a                

                                                                                

8   parcel for which the owner claims an exemption is used for a                

                                                                                

9   purpose other than as a  homestead  principal residence, the                

                                                                                

10  owner shall claim an exemption for only that portion of the                 

                                                                                

11  taxable value of the property used as the  homestead  principal             

                                                                                

12  residence of that owner in a manner prescribed by the department            

                                                                                

13  of treasury.                                                                

                                                                                

14      (18)  (12)  When a county register of deeds records a                       

                                                                                

15  transfer of ownership of a property, he or she shall notify the             

                                                                                

16  local tax collecting unit in which the property is located of the           

                                                                                

17  transfer.                                                                   

                                                                                

18      (19)  (13)  The department of treasury shall make available                 

                                                                                

19  the affidavit forms and the forms to rescind an exemption, which            

                                                                                

20  may be on the same form, to all city and township assessors,                

                                                                                

21  county equalization officers, county registers of deeds, and                

                                                                                

22  closing agents.  A person who prepares a closing statement for              

                                                                                

23  the sale of property shall provide affidavit and rescission forms           

                                                                                

24  to the buyer and seller at the closing and, if requested by the             

                                                                                

25  buyer or seller after execution by the buyer or seller, shall               

                                                                                

26  file the forms with the local tax collecting unit in which the              

                                                                                

27  property is located.  If a closing statement preparer fails to              


                                                                                

1   provide  homestead  exemption affidavit and rescission forms to             

                                                                                

2   the buyer and seller, or fails to file the affidavit and                    

                                                                                

3   rescission forms with the local tax collecting unit if requested            

                                                                                

4   by the buyer or seller, the buyer may appeal to the department of           

                                                                                

5   treasury within 30 days of notice to the buyer that an exemption            

                                                                                

6   was not recorded.  If the department of treasury determines that            

                                                                                

7   the buyer qualifies for the exemption, the department of treasury           

                                                                                

8   shall notify the assessor of the local tax collecting unit that             

                                                                                

9   the exemption is granted and the assessor of the local tax                  

                                                                                

10  collecting unit or, if the tax roll is in the possession of the             

                                                                                

11  county treasurer, the county treasurer shall correct the tax roll           

                                                                                

12  to reflect the exemption.  This subsection does not create a                

                                                                                

13  cause of action at law or in equity against a closing statement             

                                                                                

14  preparer who fails to provide  homestead  exemption affidavit and           

                                                                                

15  rescission forms to a buyer and seller or who fails to file the             

                                                                                

16  affidavit and rescission forms with the local tax collecting unit           

                                                                                

17  when requested to do so by the buyer or seller.                             

                                                                                

18      (20)  (14)  An owner who owned and occupied a  homestead                    

                                                                                

19  principal residence on May 1 for taxes levied before January 1,             

                                                                                

20  2004 and the tax day as provided in section 2 for taxes levied              

                                                                                

21  after December 31, 2003 for which the exemption was not on the              

                                                                                

22  tax roll may file an appeal with the July board of review or                

                                                                                

23  December board of review in the year for which the exemption was            

                                                                                

24  claimed or the immediately succeeding 3 years.  If an appeal of a           

                                                                                

25  claim for exemption that was not on the tax roll is received not            

                                                                                

26  later than 5 days prior to the date of the December board of                

                                                                                

27  review, the local tax collecting unit shall convene a December              


                                                                                

1   board of review and consider the appeal pursuant to this section            

                                                                                

2   and section 53b.                                                            

                                                                                

3       (21)  (15)  If the assessor or treasurer of the local tax                   

                                                                                

4   collecting unit believes that the department of treasury                    

                                                                                

5   erroneously denied a claim for exemption, the assessor or                   

                                                                                

6   treasurer may submit written information supporting the owner's             

                                                                                

7   claim for exemption to the department of treasury within 35 days            

                                                                                

8   of the owner's receipt of the notice denying the claim for                  

                                                                                

9   exemption.  If, after reviewing the information provided, the               

                                                                                

10  department of treasury determines that the claim for exemption              

                                                                                

11  was erroneously denied, the department of treasury shall grant              

                                                                                

12  the exemption and the tax roll shall be amended to reflect the              

                                                                                

13  exemption.                                                                  

                                                                                

14      (22)  (16)  If granting the exemption under this section                    

                                                                                

15  results in an overpayment of the tax, a rebate, including any               

                                                                                

16  interest paid, shall be made to the taxpayer by the local tax               

                                                                                

17  collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession             

                                                                                

18  of the tax roll or by the county treasurer if the county has                

                                                                                

19  possession of the tax roll within 30 days of the date the                   

                                                                                

20  exemption is granted.  The rebate shall be without interest.                

                                                                                

21      (23)  (17)  If an exemption under this section is erroneously               

                                                                                

22  granted for an affidavit filed before October 1, 2003, an owner             

                                                                                

23  may request in writing that the department of treasury withdraw             

                                                                                

24  the exemption.  The request to withdraw the exemption shall be              

                                                                                

25  received not later than November 1, 2003. If an owner requests              

                                                                                

26  that an exemption be withdrawn, the department of treasury shall            

                                                                                

27  issue an order notifying the local assessor that the exemption              


                                                                                

1   issued under this section has been denied based on the owner's              

                                                                                

2   request.  If an exemption is withdrawn, the property that had               

                                                                                

3   been subject to that exemption shall be immediately placed on the           

                                                                                

4   tax roll by the local tax collecting unit if the local tax                  

                                                                                

5   collecting unit has possession of the tax roll or by the county             

                                                                                

6   treasurer if the county has possession of the tax roll as though            

                                                                                

7   the exemption had not been granted.  A corrected tax bill shall             

                                                                                

8   be issued for the tax year being adjusted by the local tax                  

                                                                                

9   collecting unit if the local tax collecting unit has possession             

                                                                                

10  of the tax roll or by the county treasurer if the county has                

                                                                                

11  possession of the tax roll.   If  Unless a denial has been issued           

                                                                                

12  prior to July 1, 2003, if an owner requests that an exemption               

                                                                                

13  under this section be withdrawn  before that owner is contacted             

                                                                                

14  in writing by either the local assessor or the department of                

                                                                                

15  treasury regarding that owner's eligibility for the exemption               

                                                                                

16  and that owner pays the corrected tax bill issued under this                

                                                                                

17  subsection within 30 days after the corrected tax bill is issued,           

                                                                                

18  that owner is not liable for any penalty or interest on the                 

                                                                                

19  additional tax.  An owner who pays a corrected tax bill issued              

                                                                                

20  under this subsection more than 30 days after the corrected tax             

                                                                                

21  bill is issued is liable for the penalties and interest that                

                                                                                

22  would have accrued if the exemption had not been granted from the           

                                                                                

23  date the taxes were originally levied.                                      

                                                                                

24      (24) Subject to subsection (25), interest at the rate of                    

                                                                                

25  1.25% per month collected under subsection (6), (8), or (11)                

                                                                                

26  shall be distributed as follows:                                            

                                                                                

27      (a) If the assessor of the local tax collecting unit denies                 


                                                                                

1   the exemption under this section, as follows:                               

                                                                                

2                                                                                (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 70%.                                          

                                                                                

3       (ii) To the department of treasury, 10%.                                     

                                                                                

4       (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 20%.                   

                                                                                

5       (b) If the department of treasury denies the exemption this                 

                                                                                

6   section, as follows:                                                        

                                                                                

7                                                                                (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 20%.                                          

                                                                                

8       (ii) To the department of treasury, 70%.                                     

                                                                                

9       (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 10%.                   

                                                                                

10      (c) If the county treasurer or his or her designee or the                   

                                                                                

11  county equalization director or his or her designee denies the              

                                                                                

12  exemption under this section, as follows:                                   

                                                                                

13                                                                               (i) To the local tax collecting unit, 20%.                                          

                                                                                

14      (ii) To the department of treasury, 10%.                                     

                                                                                

15      (iii) To the county in which the property is located, 70%.                   

                                                                                

16      (25) Interest distributed under subsection (24) is subject to               

                                                                                

17  the following conditions:                                                   

                                                                                

18      (a) Interest distributed to a county shall be deposited into                

                                                                                

19  a restricted fund to be used solely for the administration of               

                                                                                

20  exemptions under this section.  Money in that restricted fund               

                                                                                

21  shall lapse to the county general fund on the December 31 in the            

                                                                                

22  year 3 years after the first distribution of interest to the                

                                                                                

23  county under subsection (24) and on each succeeding December 31             

                                                                                

24  thereafter.                                                                 

                                                                                

25      (b) Interest distributed to the department of treasury shall                

                                                                                

26  be deposited into the principal residence property tax exemption            

                                                                                

27  audit fund, which is created within the state treasury.  The                


                                                                                

1   state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source           

                                                                                

2   for deposit into the fund.  The state treasurer shall direct the            

                                                                                

3   investment of the fund.  The state treasurer shall credit to the            

                                                                                

4   fund interest and earnings from fund investments.  Money in the             

                                                                                

5   fund shall be considered a work project account and at the close            

                                                                                

6   of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse             

                                                                                

7   to the general fund.  Money from the fund shall be expended, upon           

                                                                                

8   appropriation, only for the purpose of auditing exemption                   

                                                                                

9   affidavits.                                                                 

                                                                                

10      (26) Interest distributed under subsection (24) is in                       

                                                                                

11  addition to and shall not affect the levy or collection of the              

                                                                                

12  county property tax administration fee established under this               

                                                                                

13  act.                                                                        

                                                                                

14      (27)  (18) For tax years beginning on and after January 1,                  

                                                                                

15  1994, a  A cooperative housing corporation is entitled to a full            

                                                                                

16  or partial exemption under this section for the tax year in which           

                                                                                

17  the cooperative housing corporation files all of the following              

                                                                                

18  with the local tax collecting unit in which the cooperative                 

                                                                                

19  housing corporation is located if filed on or before May 1  of              

                                                                                

20  the tax year, or for the tax year following the year in which all           

                                                                                

21  of the following are filed if filed after May 1 of the tax year             

                                                                                

22  for taxes levied before January 1, 2004 and the tax day as                  

                                                                                

23  provided in section 2 for taxes levied after December 31, 2003:             

                                                                                

24      (a) An affidavit form.                                                      

                                                                                

25      (b) A statement of the total number of units owned by the                   

                                                                                

26  cooperative housing corporation and occupied as the principal               

                                                                                

27  residence of a tenant stockholder as of the date of the filing              


                                                                                

1   under this subsection.                                                      

                                                                                

2       (c) A list that includes the name, address, and social                      

                                                                                

3   security number of each tenant stockholder of the cooperative               

                                                                                

4   housing corporation occupying a unit in the cooperative housing             

                                                                                

5   corporation as his or her principal residence as of the date of             

                                                                                

6   the filing under this subsection.                                           

                                                                                

7       (d) A statement of the total number of units of the                         

                                                                                

8   cooperative housing corporation on which an exemption under this            

                                                                                

9   section was claimed and that were transferred in the tax year               

                                                                                

10  immediately preceding the tax year in which the filing under this           

                                                                                

11  section was made.                                                           

                                                                                

12      (28) Before May 1, 2004 and before May 1, 2005, the treasurer               

                                                                                

13  of each county shall forward to the department of education a               

                                                                                

14  statement of the taxable value of each school district and                  

                                                                                

15  fraction of a school district within the county for the preceding           

                                                                                

16  4 calendar years.  This requirement is in addition to the                   

                                                                                

17  requirement set forth in section 151 of the state school aid act            

                                                                                

18  of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1751.                                          

                                                                                

19      Sec. 7dd.  As used in sections 7cc and 7ee:                                 

                                                                                

20      (a) "Homestead" means that portion of a dwelling or unit in                 

                                                                                

21  a multiple-unit dwelling that is subject to ad valorem taxes and            

                                                                                

22  is owned and occupied as a principal residence by an owner of the           

                                                                                

23  dwelling or unit.  Homestead also includes all of an owner's                

                                                                                

24  unoccupied property classified as residential that is adjoining             

                                                                                

25  or contiguous to the dwelling subject to ad valorem taxes and               

                                                                                

26  that is owned and occupied as a principal residence by the                  

                                                                                

27  owner.  Contiguity is not broken by a road, a right-of-way, or              


                                                                                

1   property purchased or taken under condemnation proceedings by a             

                                                                                

2   public utility for power transmission lines if the 2 parcels                

                                                                                

3   separated by the purchased or condemned property were a single              

                                                                                

4   parcel prior to the sale or condemnation.  Homestead also                   

                                                                                

5   includes any portion of a principal residence of an owner that is           

                                                                                

6   rented or leased to another person as a residence as long as that           

                                                                                

7   portion of the principal residence that is rented or leased is              

                                                                                

8   less than 50% of the total square footage of living space in that           

                                                                                

9   principal residence.  Homestead also includes a life care                   

                                                                                

10  facility registered under the living care disclosure act, Act               

                                                                                

11  No. 440 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 554.801 to               

                                                                                

12  554.844 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.  Homestead also includes             

                                                                                

13  property owned by a cooperative housing corporation and occupied            

                                                                                

14  as a principal residence by tenant stockholders.                            

                                                                                

15      (a)  (b)  "Owner" means any of the following:                               

                                                                                

16                                                                               (i) A person who owns property or who is purchasing property                        

                                                                                

17  under a land contract.                                                      

                                                                                

18      (ii) A person who is a partial owner of property.                            

                                                                                

19      (iii) A person who owns property as a result of being a                      

                                                                                

20  beneficiary of a will or trust or as a result of intestate                  

                                                                                

21  succession.                                                                 

                                                                                

22      (iv) A person who owns or is purchasing a dwelling on leased                 

                                                                                

23  land.                                                                       

                                                                                

24      (v) A person holding a life lease in property previously sold               

                                                                                

25  or transferred to another.                                                  

                                                                                

26      (vi) A grantor who has placed the property in a revocable                    

                                                                                

27  trust or a qualified personal residence trust.                              


                                                                                

1       (vii) A cooperative housing corporation.                                     

                                                                                

2       (viii) A facility registered under  Act No. 440 of the Public                 

                                                                                

3   Acts of 1976  the living care disclosure act, 1976 PA 440, MCL              

                                                                                

4   554.801 to 554.844.                                                         

                                                                                

5       (b)  (c)  "Person", for purposes of defining owner as used in               

                                                                                

6   section 7cc, means an individual and for purposes of defining               

                                                                                

7   owner as used in section 7ee means an individual, partnership,              

                                                                                

8   corporation, limited liability company, association, or other               

                                                                                

9   legal entity.                                                               

                                                                                

10      (c)  (d)  "Principal residence" means the 1 place where  a                  

                                                                                

11  person  an owner of the property has his or her true, fixed, and            

                                                                                

12  permanent home to which, whenever absent, he or she intends to              

                                                                                

13  return and that shall continue as a principal residence until               

                                                                                

14  another principal residence is established.  Principal residence            

                                                                                

15  includes only that portion of a dwelling or unit in a                       

                                                                                

16  multiple-unit dwelling that is subject to ad valorem taxes and              

                                                                                

17  that is owned and occupied by an owner of the dwelling or unit.             

                                                                                

18  Principal residence also includes all of an owner's unoccupied              

                                                                                

19  property classified as residential that is adjoining or                     

                                                                                

20  contiguous to the dwelling subject to ad valorem taxes and that             

                                                                                

21  is owned and occupied by the owner.  Contiguity is not broken by            

                                                                                

22  a road, a right-of-way, or property purchased or taken under                

                                                                                

23  condemnation proceedings by a public utility for power                      

                                                                                

24  transmission lines if the 2 parcels separated by the purchased or           

                                                                                

25  condemned property were a single parcel prior to the sale or                

                                                                                

26  condemnation.  Principal residence also includes any portion of a           

                                                                                

27  dwelling or unit of an owner that is rented or leased to another            


                                                                                

1   person as a residence as long as that portion of the dwelling or            

                                                                                

2   unit that is rented or leased is less than 50% of the total                 

                                                                                

3   square footage of living space in that dwelling or unit.                    

                                                                                

4   Principal residence also includes a life care facility registered           

                                                                                

5   under the living care disclosure act, 1976 PA 440, MCL 554.801 to           

                                                                                

6   554.844.  Principal residence also includes property owned by a             

                                                                                

7   cooperative housing corporation and occupied by tenant                      

                                                                                

8   stockholders.                                                               

                                                                                

9       (d)  (e)  "Qualified agricultural property" means unoccupied                

                                                                                

10  property and related buildings classified as agricultural, or               

                                                                                

11  other unoccupied property and related buildings located on that             

                                                                                

12  property devoted primarily to agricultural use as defined in                

                                                                                

13  section 36101 of  part 361 (farmland and open space preservation)           

                                                                                

14  of  the natural resources and environmental protection act,  Act            

                                                                                

15  No. 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being section 324.36101 of              

                                                                                

16  the Michigan Compiled Laws  1994 PA 451, MCL 324.36101.  Related            

                                                                                

17  buildings include a residence occupied by a person employed in or           

                                                                                

18  actively involved in the agricultural use and who has not claimed           

                                                                                

19  a  homestead  principal residence exemption on other property.              

                                                                                

20  Property used for commercial storage, commercial processing,                

                                                                                

21  commercial distribution, commercial marketing, or commercial                

                                                                                

22  shipping operations or other commercial or industrial purposes is           

                                                                                

23  not qualified agricultural property.  A parcel of property is               

                                                                                

24  devoted primarily to agricultural use only if more than 50% of              

                                                                                

25  the parcel's acreage is devoted to agricultural use.  An owner              

                                                                                

26  shall not receive an exemption for that portion of the total                

                                                                                

27  state equalized valuation of the property that is used for a                


                                                                                

1   commercial or industrial purpose or that is a residence that is             

                                                                                

2   not a related building.                                                     

                                                                                

3       Sec. 9.  The following personal property is exempt from                     

                                                                                

4   taxation:                                                                   

                                                                                

5       (a) The personal property of charitable, educational, and                   

                                                                                

6   scientific institutions incorporated under the laws of this                 

                                                                                

7   state.  This exemption does not apply to secret or fraternal                

                                                                                

8   societies, but the personal property of all charitable homes of             

                                                                                

9   the  secret or fraternal societies and nonprofit corporations              

                                                                                

10  that own and operate facilities for the aged and chronically ill            

                                                                                

11  in which the net income from the operation of the nonprofit                 

                                                                                

12  corporations or secret or fraternal societies does not inure to             

                                                                                

13  the benefit of a person other than the residents is exempt.                 

                                                                                

14      (b) The property of all library associations, circulating                   

                                                                                

15  libraries, libraries of reference, and reading rooms owned or               

                                                                                

16  supported by the public and not used for gain.                              

                                                                                

17      (c) The property of posts of the grand army of the republic,                

                                                                                

18  sons of veterans' unions, and of the women's relief corps                   

                                                                                

19  connected with them, of young men's Christian associations,                 

                                                                                

20  women's Christian temperance union associations, young people's             

                                                                                

21  Christian unions, a boy or girl scout or camp fire girls                    

                                                                                

22  organization, 4-H clubs, and other similar associations.                    

                                                                                

23      (d) Pensions receivable from the United States.                             

                                                                                

24      (e) The property of Indians who are not citizens.                           

                                                                                

25      (f) The personal property owned and used by a householder                   

                                                                                

26  such as customary furniture, fixtures, provisions, fuel, and                

                                                                                

27  other similar equipment,  and the  wearing apparel including                


                                                                                

1   personal jewelry, family pictures, school books, library books of           

                                                                                

2   reference, and allied items.  Personal property is not exempt               

                                                                                

3   under this subdivision if it is used to produce income, if it is            

                                                                                

4   held for speculative investment, or if it constitutes an                    

                                                                                

5   inventory of goods for sale in the regular course of trade.                 

                                                                                

6       (g) Household furnishings, provisions, and fuel  to the state               

                                                                                

7   equalized value  of not more than $5,000.00 in taxable value, of            

                                                                                

8   each social or professional fraternity, sorority, and student               

                                                                                

9   cooperative house recognized by the educational institution at              

                                                                                

10  which it is located.                                                        

                                                                                

11      (h) The working tools of a mechanic  to the state equalized                 

                                                                                

12  value  of not more than $500.00 in taxable value.  "Mechanic", as           

                                                                                

13  used in this subdivision, means a person skilled in a trade                 

                                                                                

14  pertaining to a craft or in the construction or repair of                   

                                                                                

15  machinery if the person's employment by others is dependent on              

                                                                                

16  his or her furnishing the tools.                                            

                                                                                

17      (i) Fire engines and other implements used in extinguishing                 

                                                                                

18  fires owned or used by an organized or independent fire company.            

                                                                                

19      (j) Property actually  being  used in agricultural operations               

                                                                                

20  and  the  farm implements held for sale or resale by retail                 

                                                                                

21  servicing dealers for use in agricultural production.  As used in           

                                                                                

22  this subdivision, "agricultural operations" means farming in all            

                                                                                

23  its branches, including cultivation of the soil, growing and                

                                                                                

24  harvesting of an agricultural, horticultural, or floricultural              

                                                                                

25  commodity, dairying, raising of livestock, bees, fur-bearing                

                                                                                

26  animals, or poultry, turf and tree farming, raising and                     

                                                                                

27  harvesting of fish, and any practices performed by a farmer or on           


                                                                                

1   a farm as an incident to, or in conjunction with, farming                   

                                                                                

2   operations, but excluding retail sales and food processing                  

                                                                                

3   operations.  Property used in agricultural operations includes              

                                                                                

4   machinery used to prepare the crop for market operated incidental           

                                                                                

5   to a farming operation that does not substantially alter the                

                                                                                

6   form, shape, or substance of the crop and is limited to cleaning,           

                                                                                

7   cooling, washing, pitting, grading, sizing, sorting, drying,                

                                                                                

8   bagging, boxing, crating, and handling if not less than 33% of              

                                                                                

9   the volume of the crops processed in the year ending on the                 

                                                                                

10  applicable tax day or in at least 3 of the immediately preceding            

                                                                                

11  5 years were grown by the farmer in Michigan who is the owner or            

                                                                                

12  user of the crop processing machinery.                                      

                                                                                

13      (k) Personal property  to the state equalized value  of not                 

                                                                                

14  more than $500.00 in taxable value used by a householder in the             

                                                                                

15  operation of a business in the householder's dwelling or at 1               

                                                                                

16  other location in the city, township, or village  where  in which           

                                                                                

17  the householder resides.                                                    

                                                                                

18                                                                               (l) The products, materials, or goods processed or otherwise                        

                                                                                

19  and in whatever form, but expressly excepting alcoholic                     

                                                                                

20  beverages, located in a public warehouse, United States customs             

                                                                                

21  port of entry bonded warehouse, dock, or port facility on                   

                                                                                

22  December 31 of each year, if those products, materials, or goods            

                                                                                

23  are designated as in transit to destinations  out of  outside               

                                                                                

24  this state pursuant to the published tariffs of a railroad or               

                                                                                

25  common carrier by  the  filing  of  the freight bill covering the           

                                                                                

26  products, materials, or goods with the agency designated by the             

                                                                                

27  tariffs,  so as to entitle  entitling the shipper to                        


                                                                                

1   transportation rate privileges.  Products in a United States                

                                                                                

2   customs port of entry bonded warehouse that arrived from another            

                                                                                

3   state or a foreign country, whether awaiting shipment to another            

                                                                                

4   state or to a final destination within this state, are considered           

                                                                                

5   to be in transit and temporarily at rest, and not subject to                

                                                                                

6   personal property taxation  the collection of taxes under this             

                                                                                

7   act.  To obtain an exemption for products, materials, or goods              

                                                                                

8   under this subdivision, the owner shall file a sworn statement              

                                                                                

9   with, and in the form required by, the assessing officer of the             

                                                                                

10  tax district in which the warehouse, dock, or port facility is              

                                                                                

11  located, at a time between the tax day, December 31, and before             

                                                                                

12  closing of  the assessing officer closes the assessment rolls              

                                                                                

13  by the assessing officer,  describing the products, materials,             

                                                                                

14  or goods, and reporting their cost and value as of December 31 of           

                                                                                

15  each year.  The status of persons  ,  and products, materials, or           

                                                                                

16  goods for which an exemption is requested  shall be  is                     

                                                                                

17  determined as of December 31, which  shall be  is the tax day.              

                                                                                

18  The assessment on the basis of average monthly inventory does              

                                                                                

19  not apply in valuing products, materials, or goods for which                

                                                                                

20  exemption is requested.  Any property located in a public                   

                                                                                

21  warehouse, dock, or port facility on December 31 of each year  ,            

                                                                                

22  which  that is exempt from taxation under this subdivision but              

                                                                                

23  which  that is not shipped outside  the  this state pursuant to            

                                                                                

24  the particular tariff under which the transportation rate                   

                                                                                

25  privilege was established  ,  shall be assessed upon the  next              

                                                                                

26  immediately succeeding or a subsequent assessment roll by the               

                                                                                

27  assessing officer and taxed at the same rate of taxation as other           


                                                                                

1   taxable  properties  property for the year or years for which the           

                                                                                

2   property was exempted  ,  to the owner at the time of the                   

                                                                                

3   omission  ,  unless the owner or person entitled to possession of           

                                                                                

4   the products, materials, or goods is a resident of, or authorized           

                                                                                

5   to do business in, this state and files with the assessing                  

                                                                                

6   officer, with whom statements of taxable property are required to           

                                                                                

7   be filed, a statement under oath that the products, materials, or           

                                                                                

8   goods are not for sale or use in this state and will be shipped             

                                                                                

9   to a point or points outside this state.  If a person, firm, or             

                                                                                

10  corporation claims exemption by  the  filing  of  a sworn                   

                                                                                

11  statement, the person, firm, or corporation shall append to the             

                                                                                

12  statement of taxable property required to be filed in the  next             

                                                                                

13  immediately succeeding year or, if a statement of taxable                   

                                                                                

14  property is not filed for the  next  immediately succeeding year,           

                                                                                

15  to a sworn statement filed on a form required by the assessing              

                                                                                

16  officer,  shall be filed showing  a complete list of the property           

                                                                                

17  for which the exemption was claimed with a statement of the                 

                                                                                

18  manner of shipment and of the point or points to which the                  

                                                                                

19  products, materials, or goods were shipped from the public                  

                                                                                

20  warehouse, dock, or port facility.  and  The assessing officer              

                                                                                

21  shall assess the products, materials, or goods not shipped to a             

                                                                                

22  point or points outside this state  shall be assessed  upon the             

                                                                                

23  next  immediately succeeding assessment roll  ,  or on a                   

                                                                                

24  subsequent assessment roll  by the assessing officer  and the               

                                                                                

25  products, materials, or goods shall be taxed at the same rate of            

                                                                                

26  taxation as other taxable  properties  property for the year or             

                                                                                

27  years for which the property was exempted  ,  to the owner at the           


                                                                                

1   time of the omission.  The records, accounts, and books of                  

                                                                                

2   warehouses, docks, or port facilities, individuals, partnerships,           

                                                                                

3   corporations, owners, or those in possession of tangible personal           

                                                                                

4   property shall be open to and available for inspection,                     

                                                                                

5   examination, or auditing by assessing officers.  A warehouse,               

                                                                                

6   dock,  or  port facility, individual, partnership, corporation,             

                                                                                

7   owner, or person in possession of tangible personal property                

                                                                                

8   shall report within 90 days after shipment of products,                     

                                                                                

9   materials, or goods in transit, for which an exemption under this           

                                                                                

10  section was claimed or granted, the destination of shipments or             

                                                                                

11  parts of shipments and the cost value of those shipments or parts           

                                                                                

12  of shipments to the assessing officer.   For failure to comply              

                                                                                

13  with this requirement, the  A warehouse, dock,  or  port                    

                                                                                

14  facility, individual, partnership, corporation, or owner is                 

                                                                                

15  subject to a fine of $100.00 for each  omission  failure to                 

                                                                                

16  report the destination and cost value of shipments or parts of              

                                                                                

17  shipments as required in this subdivision.  A person, firm,                 

                                                                                

18  individual, partnership, corporation, or owner failing to report            

                                                                                

19  products, materials, or goods located in a warehouse, dock, or              

                                                                                

20  port facility to the assessing officer is subject to a fine of              

                                                                                

21  $100.00 and a penalty of 50% of the final amount of taxes found             

                                                                                

22  to be assessable for the year on property not reported, the                 

                                                                                

23  assessable taxes and penalty to be spread on a subsequent                   

                                                                                

24  assessment roll in the same manner as general taxes on personal             

                                                                                

25  property.  For the purpose of this subdivision, a public                    

                                                                                

26  warehouse, dock, or port facility means a warehouse, dock, or               

                                                                                

27  port facility owned or operated by a person, firm, or corporation           


                                                                                

1   engaged in the business of storing products, materials, or goods            

                                                                                

2   for hire for profit who issues a schedule of rates for storage of           

                                                                                

3   the products, materials, or goods and who issues warehouse                  

                                                                                

4   receipts pursuant to  Act No. 303 of the Public Acts of 1909,               

                                                                                

5   being sections 443.50 to 443.55 of the Michigan Compiled Laws               

                                                                                

6   1909 PA 303, MCL 443.50 to 443.55.  A United States customs port            

                                                                                

7   of entry bonded warehouse means a customs warehouse within a                

                                                                                

8   classification designated by 19 C.F.R. 19.1 and  which  that is             

                                                                                

9   located in a port of entry, as defined by 19 C.F.R.  101.1(m)               

                                                                                

10  101.1.  A portion of a public warehouse, United States customs              

                                                                                

11  port of entry bonded warehouse, dock, or port facility leased to            

                                                                                

12  a tenant or a portion of any premises owned or leased or operated           

                                                                                

13  by a consignor or consignee or an affiliate or subsidiary of the            

                                                                                

14  consignor or consignee  shall  is not  be considered  a public              

                                                                                

15  warehouse, dock, or port facility.                                          

                                                                                

16      (m) Personal property owned by a bank or trust company                      

                                                                                

17  organized under the laws of this state, a national banking                  

                                                                                

18  association, or an incorporated bank holding company as defined             

                                                                                

19  in section 2 of the bank holding company act of 1956, chapter               

                                                                                

20  240, 70 Stat. 133, 12 U.S.C. 1841, that controls a bank, national           

                                                                                

21  banking association, trust company, or industrial bank subsidiary           

                                                                                

22  located in this state.   However, buildings  Buildings owned by a           

                                                                                

23  state or national bank, trust company, or incorporated bank                 

                                                                                

24  holding company and situated upon lands of which the state or               

                                                                                

25  national bank, trust company, or incorporated bank holding                  

                                                                                

26  company is not the owner of the fee are considered real property            

                                                                                

27  and are not exempt from taxation.  and personal  Personal                   


                                                                                

1   property owned by a state or national bank, trust company, or               

                                                                                

2   incorporated bank holding company that is leased, loaned, or                

                                                                                

3   otherwise made available to and used by a private individual,               

                                                                                

4   association, or corporation in connection with a business                   

                                                                                

5   conducted for profit is not exempt from taxation.                           

                                                                                

6       (n) Farm products, processed or otherwise, the ultimate use                 

                                                                                

7   of which is for human or animal consumption as food, except wine,           

                                                                                

8   beer, and other alcoholic beverages regularly placed in storage             

                                                                                

9   in a public warehouse, dock, or port facility  ,  while in                  

                                                                                

10  storage are considered in transit and only temporarily at rest              

                                                                                

11  ,  and are not subject to personal property taxation.  The                 

                                                                                

12  assessing officer is the determining authority as to what                   

                                                                                

13  constitutes, is defined as, or classified as, farm products as              

                                                                                

14  used in this subdivision.  The records, accounts, and books of              

                                                                                

15  warehouses, docks, or port facilities, individuals, partnerships,           

                                                                                

16  corporations, owners, or those in possession of farm products               

                                                                                

17  shall be open to and available for inspection, examination, or              

                                                                                

18  auditing by assessing officers.                                             

                                                                                

19      (o) Sugar, in solid or liquid form, produced from sugar                     

                                                                                

20  beets,  and  dried beet pulp, and beet molasses  , when  if owned           

                                                                                

21  or held by processors.                                                      

                                                                                

22      (p) The personal property of a parent cooperative preschool.                

                                                                                

23  As used in this subdivision and section 7z, "parent cooperative             

                                                                                

24  preschool" means a nonprofit, nondiscriminatory educational                 

                                                                                

25  institution maintained as a community service and administered by           

                                                                                

26  parents of children currently enrolled in the preschool, that               

                                                                                

27  provides an educational and developmental program for children              


                                                                                

1   younger than compulsory school age, that provides an educational            

                                                                                

2   program for parents, including active participation with children           

                                                                                

3   in preschool activities, that is directed by qualified preschool            

                                                                                

4   personnel, and that is licensed  by the department of social                

                                                                                

5   services  under  Act No. 116 of the Public Acts of 1973, being              

                                                                                

6   sections 722.111 to 722.128 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1973             

                                                                                

7   PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128.                                             

                                                                                

8       (q) All equipment used exclusively in wood harvesting, but                  

                                                                                

9   not including portable or stationary sawmills or other equipment            

                                                                                

10  used in secondary processing operations.  As used in this                   

                                                                                

11  subdivision, "wood harvesting" means  the  clearing  of  land for           

                                                                                

12  forest management purposes,  the  planting  of  trees,  and  all            

                                                                                

13  forms of cutting or chipping  of  trees, and  the  loading  of              

                                                                                

14  them  trees on trucks for removal from the harvest area.                    

                                                                                

15      (r) Liquefied petroleum gas tanks located on residential or                 

                                                                                

16  agricultural property  and  used to store liquefied petroleum gas           

                                                                                

17  for residential or agricultural property use.   As used in this             

                                                                                

18  subdivision, "liquefied petroleum gas" means that term as defined           

                                                                                

19  in section 51 of Act No. 150 of the Public Acts of 1927, being              

                                                                                

20  section 207.151 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.                              

                                                                                

21      (s) Water conditioning systems used for a residential                       

                                                                                

22  dwelling.                                                                   

                                                                                

23      (t) For taxes levied after December 31, 2000, aircraft                      

                                                                                

24  excepted from the registration provisions of the aeronautics code           

                                                                                

25  of the state of Michigan, 1945 PA 327, MCL 259.1 to 259.208, and            

                                                                                

26  all other aircraft operating under the provisions of a                      

                                                                                

27  certificate issued under 14 C.F.R. part 121, and all spare parts            


                                                                                

1   for such aircraft.                                                          

                                                                                

2       Sec. 24c.  (1) The assessor shall give to each owner or                     

                                                                                

3   person or persons listed on the assessment roll of the property a           

                                                                                

4   notice by first-class mail of an increase in the tentative state            

                                                                                

5   equalized valuation or the tentative taxable value for the year.            

                                                                                

6   The notice shall specify each parcel of property, the tentative             

                                                                                

7   taxable value for the current year, and  , beginning in 1996,               

                                                                                

8   the taxable value for the immediately preceding year.  The notice           

                                                                                

9   shall also specify the time and place of the meeting of the board           

                                                                                

10  of review.   Beginning in 1996, the  The notice shall also                  

                                                                                

11  specify the difference between the property's tentative taxable             

                                                                                

12  value in the current year and the property's taxable value in the           

                                                                                

13  immediately preceding year.                                                 

                                                                                

14      (2) The notice shall include, in addition to the information                

                                                                                

15  required by subsection (1), all of the following:                           

                                                                                

16      (a) The state equalized valuation for the immediately                       

                                                                                

17  preceding year.                                                             

                                                                                

18      (b) The tentative state equalized valuation for the current                 

                                                                                

19  year.                                                                       

                                                                                

20      (c) The net change between the tentative state equalized                    

                                                                                

21  valuation for the current year and the state equalized valuation            

                                                                                

22  for the immediately preceding year.                                         

                                                                                

23      (d) The classification of the property as defined by section                

                                                                                

24  34c.                                                                        

                                                                                

25      (e) The inflation rate for the immediately preceding year as                

                                                                                

26  defined in section 34d.                                                     

                                                                                

27      (f) A statement provided by the state tax commission                        


                                                                                

1   explaining the relationship between state equalized valuation and           

                                                                                

2   taxable value.   Beginning in 1996, if  If the assessor believes            

                                                                                

3   that a transfer of ownership has occurred in the immediately                

                                                                                

4   preceding year, the statement shall state that the ownership was            

                                                                                

5   transferred and that the taxable value of that property is the              

                                                                                

6   same as the state equalized valuation of that property.                     

                                                                                

7       (3) When required by the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281,               

                                                                                

8   MCL 206.1 to 206.532, the assessment notice shall include or be             

                                                                                

9   accompanied by information or forms prescribed by the income tax            

                                                                                

10  act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.1 to 206.532.                             

                                                                                

11      (4) The assessment notice shall be addressed to the owner                   

                                                                                

12  according to the records of the assessor and mailed not less than           

                                                                                

13  10 days before the meeting of the board of review.  The failure             

                                                                                

14  to send or receive an assessment notice does not invalidate an              

                                                                                

15  assessment roll or an assessment on that property.                          

                                                                                

16      (5) The tentative state equalized valuation shall be                        

                                                                                

17  calculated by multiplying the assessment by the tentative                   

                                                                                

18  equalized valuation multiplier.  If the assessor has made                   

                                                                                

19  assessment adjustments that would have changed the tentative                

                                                                                

20  multiplier, the assessor may recalculate the multiplier for use             

                                                                                

21  in the notice.                                                              

                                                                                

22      (6) The state tax commission shall prepare a model assessment               

                                                                                

23  notice form that shall be made available to local units of                  

                                                                                

24  government.                                                                 

                                                                                

25      (7) Beginning in 1995 through 2003, the assessment notice                   

                                                                                

26  under subsection (1) shall include the following statement:                 

                                                                                

                                                                                


                                                                                

1        "If you purchased your homestead after May 1 last                      

                                                                                

2        year, to claim the homestead exemption, if you have                    

                                                                                

3        not already done so, you are required to file an                       

                                                                                

4        affidavit before May 1.".                                              

                                                                                

5       (8) Beginning in 2004, the assessment notice under subsection               

                                                                                

6   (1) shall include the following statement:                                  

                                                                                

7        "If you purchased your principal residence after                       

                                                                                

8        December 31 last year, to claim the principal                          

                                                                                

9        residence exemption for next year, if you have not                     

                                                                                

10       already done so, you are required to file an                           

                                                                                

11       affidavit on or before December 31 this year.".                        

                                                                                

12      (9)  (8)  For taxes levied after December 31, 2003, the                     

                                                                                

13  assessment notice under subsection (1) shall separately state the           

                                                                                

14  state equalized valuation and taxable value for any leasehold               

                                                                                

15  improvements.                                                               

                                                                                

16      Sec. 27d.  Not later than the fourth Monday in June in each                 

                                                                                

17  year, the county equalization director for each county shall                

                                                                                

18  report all of the following to the state tax commission on a form           

                                                                                

19  prepared by the state tax commission:                                       

                                                                                

20      (a) Total taxable value of all property in the county as of                 

                                                                                

21  the fourth Monday in May in that year.                                      

                                                                                

22      (b) Taxable value for each separately equalized class of                    

                                                                                

23  property.                                                                   

                                                                                

24      (c) Total taxable value of all property in the county for                   

                                                                                

25  which a  homestead  principal residence exemption is granted                

                                                                                

26  under section 7cc or a qualified agricultural property exemption            

                                                                                

27  is granted under section 7ee.                                               


                                                                                

1       (d) Total taxable value of all property in the county for                   

                                                                                

2   which a  homestead  principal residence exemption has not been              

                                                                                

3   granted under section 7cc and a qualified agricultural property             

                                                                                

4   exemption has not been granted under section 7ee.                           

                                                                                

5       Sec. 120.  (1) A person claiming an exemption under section                 

                                                                                

6   7cc shall not do any of the following:                                      

                                                                                

7       (a) Make a false or fraudulent affidavit claiming an                        

                                                                                

8   exemption or a false statement on an affidavit claiming an                  

                                                                                

9   exemption.                                                                  

                                                                                

10      (b) Aid, abet, or assist another in an attempt to wrongfully                

                                                                                

11  obtain an exemption.                                                        

                                                                                

12      (c) Make or permit to be made for himself or herself or for                 

                                                                                

13  any other person a false affidavit claiming an exemption or a               

                                                                                

14  false statement on an affidavit claiming an exemption, either in            

                                                                                

15  whole or in part.                                                           

                                                                                

16      (d) Fail to rescind an exemption after the property subject                 

                                                                                

17  to that exemption is no longer a  homestead  principal residence            

                                                                                

18  as defined in section 7dd.                                                  

                                                                                

19      (2) A person who violates a provision of subsection (1) with                

                                                                                

20  the intent to wrongfully obtain or attempt to obtain an exemption           

                                                                                

21  under section 7cc is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by                  

                                                                                

22  imprisonment of not more than 1 year and punishable by a fine of            

                                                                                

23  not more than $5,000.00 or public service of not more than 1,500            

                                                                                

24  hours, or both.                                                             

                                                                                

25      (3) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (2),                

                                                                                

26  a person who knowingly swears to or verifies an affidavit                   

                                                                                

27  claiming an exemption under section 7cc, or an affidavit claiming           


                                                                                

1   any exemption under section 7cc that contains a false or                    

                                                                                

2   fraudulent statement, with the intent to aid, abet, or assist in            

                                                                                

3   defrauding this state or a political subdivision of this state,             

                                                                                

4   is guilty of perjury, a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of           

                                                                                

5   not more than 1 year and punishable by a fine of not more than              

                                                                                

6   $5,000.00 or public service of not more than 1,500 hours, or                

                                                                                

7   both.                                                                       

                                                                                

8       (4) A person who does not violate a provision of subsection                 

                                                                                

9   (1), but who knowingly violates any other provision of this act             

                                                                                

10  with the intent to defraud this state or a political subdivision            

                                                                                

11  of this state, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of           

                                                                                

12  not more than $1,000.00 or public service of not more than 500              

                                                                                

13  hours, or both.                                                             

                                                                                

14      (5) The attorney general and the prosecuting attorney of each               

                                                                                

15  county of this state have concurrent power to enforce this act.             

                                                                                

16      (6) The penalty provisions set forth in subsections (2), (3),               

                                                                                

17  and (4) do not apply to a violation of subsection (1) or any                

                                                                                

18  other provision of this act occurring before December 31, 1995.             

                                                                                

19      Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act takes effect                       

                                                                                

20  January 1, 2004.                                                            

                                                                                

21      Enacting section 2.  Section 9(t) of the general property                   

                                                                                

22  tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.9, as added by this amendatory act            

                                                                                

23  is retroactive and is effective for taxes levied after December             

                                                                                

24  31, 2000.                                                                   

                                                                                

25      Enacting section 3.  This amendatory act does not take                      

                                                                                

26  effect unless all of the following bills of the 92nd Legislature            

                                                                                

27  are enacted into law:                                                       


                                                                                

1       (a) Senate Bill No. 129.                                                    

                                                                                

2       (b) Senate Bill No. 130.                                                    

                                                                                

3       (c) Senate Bill No. 131.                                                    

                                                                                

4       (d) Senate Bill No. 132.                                                    

                                                                                

5       (e) Senate Bill No. 134.                                                    

                                                                                

6       (f) Senate Bill No. 135.                                                    

                                                                                

7       (g) House Bill No. 4192.