To amend sections 5727.08 and 5727.47 of the Revised Code to require public utilities to pay only the undisputed portion of property taxes if the utility disputes the Tax Commissioner's valuation, and to provide for notification of any disputes to be given to county auditors and affected taxing districts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Sec. 5727.08. On or before the first day of March, annually, each public utility shall file a report with the tax commissioner, on a form prescribed by him THE TAX COMMISSIONER. The report shall include such information as the TAX commissioner requires to enable him THE TAX COMMISSIONER to make any assessment or apportionment required under this chapter.

Such THE report shall be signed by either the owner of the public utility or the president, secretary, treasurer, or another duly authorized person.

If a public utility fails to file the report on or before the first day of March, or the date it is due under an extension allowed pursuant to section 5727.48 of the Revised Code, or fails to accurately report all taxable property, the TAX commissioner shall MAY impose a penalty of up to fifty per cent of the taxable value of the property that was not timely or accurately reported. However, if such THE public utility files, within sixty days after the first day of March or the extended due date, the report or an amended report and discloses all items of taxable property that are required by this chapter to be reported, the penalty shall be up to NOT BE MORE THAN five per cent of the taxable value that was not timely or accurately reported. The penalty shall be added to and considered a part of the total taxable value of the property that was not timely or accurately reported, and may be abated in whole or in part by the tax commissioner pursuant to a petition for reassessment filed under section 5727.47 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 5727.47. (A) A copy of each assessment certified pursuant to section 5727.23 or 5727.38 of the Revised Code shall be mailed to the public utility, and its mailing shall be prima-facie evidence of its receipt by the public utility to which it is addressed. If a public utility objects to any assessment certified to it pursuant to such sections, it may file a petition for reassessment with the tax commissioner. The petition must be made in writing, signed by the authorized agent of the utility having knowledge of the facts, and filed with the TAX commissioner, in person or by certified mail, within thirty days from the date that the assessment was mailed. If the petition is filed by certified mail, the date of the United States postmark placed on the sender's receipt by the postal employee to whom the petition is presented shall be treated as the date of filing. A true copy of the assessment objected to shall be attached to the petition and shall be incorporated by reference into the petition, but the failure to attach a copy of the assessment and incorporate it by reference does not invalidate the petition. The petition also shall indicate the utility's objections, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received prior to the date shown on the final determination by the commissioner.

Notwithstanding the fact that a petition has been filed, IN THE CASE OF A PETITION SEEKING A REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE FILED WITH RESPECT TO AN ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code, THE PETITIONER SHALL STATE IN THE PETITION THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER. IF THE PETITIONER OBJECTS TO THE PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE AT WHICH TAXABLE PROPERTY IS ASSESSED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER, THE PETITIONER SHALL STATE IN THE PETITION THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT REGARD TO THE OBJECTION PERTAINING TO THE PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE AT WHICH ITS TAXABLE PROPERTY IS ASSESSED. IF A PETITIONER OBJECTS TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY, THE PETITIONER SHALL DISTINCTLY STATE IN THE PETITION THAT THE PETITIONER OBJECTS TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT, AND, WITHIN FORTY-FIVE DAYS AFTER FILING THE PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT, SHALL SUBMIT THE PETITIONER'S PROPOSED APPORTIONMENT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF ITS TAXABLE PROPERTY AMONG TAXING DISTRICTS. IF A PETITIONER THAT OBJECTS TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT FAILS TO STATE ITS OBJECTIONS TO THAT APPORTIONMENT IN ITS PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT OR FAILS TO SUBMIT ITS PROPOSED APPORTIONMENT WITHIN FORTY-FIVE DAYS AFTER FILING THE PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT, THE TAX COMMISSIONER SHALL DISMISS THE PETITIONER'S OBJECTION TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT, AND THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY, SUBJECT TO ANY ADJUSTMENT TO TAXABLE VALUE PURSUANT TO THE PETITION OR APPEAL, SHALL BE APPORTIONED IN THE MANNER USED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER IN THE PRELIMINARY OR AMENDED PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code.

IF AN ADDITIONAL OBJECTION SEEKING A REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE REDUCTION STATED IN THE ORIGINAL PETITION IS PROPERLY AND TIMELY RAISED WITH RESPECT TO AN ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code, THE PETITIONER SHALL STATE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT IN THE ADDITIONAL OBJECTION BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE PERTAINING TO THE PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE AT WHICH TAXABLE PROPERTY IS ASSESSED. IF A PETITIONER FAILS TO STATE THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT IN THE ORIGINAL PETITION OR IN ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS PROPERLY RAISED AFTER THE PETITION IS FILED, THE TAX COMMISSIONER SHALL NOTIFY THE PETITIONER OF THE FAILURE BY CERTIFIED MAIL. IF THE PETITIONER FAILS TO NOTIFY THE TAX COMMISSIONER IN WRITING OF THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT IN THE PETITION OR IN AN ADDITIONAL OBJECTION WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER RECEIVING THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S NOTICE, THE TAX COMMISSIONER SHALL DISMISS THE PETITION OR THE ADDITIONAL OBJECTION IN WHICH THAT REDUCTION IS SOUGHT.

(B)(1) SUBJECT TO DIVISIONS (B)(2) AND (3) OF THIS SECTION, A PUBLIC UTILITY FILING A PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT REGARDING AN ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 OR 5727.38 of the Revised Code SHALL PAY the tax with respect to the assessment objected to shall be paid as required by law. The acceptance of the ANY tax payment by the treasurer of state or any county treasurer shall not prejudice any claim for taxes on final determination by the TAX commissioner or final decision by the board of tax appeals or any court.

(2) IF A PUBLIC UTILITY PROPERLY AND TIMELY FILES A PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT REGARDING AN ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code, THE PETITIONER SHALL PAY THE TAX AS PRESCRIBED BY DIVISIONS (B)(2)(a), (b), AND (c) OF THIS SECTION:

(a) IF THE PETITIONER DOES NOT OBJECT TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY, THE PETITIONER IS NOT REQUIRED TO PAY THE PART OF THE TAX OTHERWISE DUE ON THE TAXABLE VALUE THAT THE PETITIONER SEEKS TO HAVE REDUCED, SUBJECT TO DIVISION (B)(2)(c) OF THIS SECTION.

(b) IF THE PETITIONER OBJECTS TO THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE OF THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY, THE PETITIONER IS NOT REQUIRED TO PAY THE TAX OTHERWISE DUE ON THE PART OF THE TAXABLE VALUE APPORTIONED TO ANY TAXING DISTRICT THAT THE PETITIONER OBJECTS TO, SUBJECT TO DIVISION (B)(2)(c) OF THIS SECTION. IF, PURSUANT TO DIVISION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE PETITIONER HAS, IN A PROPER AND TIMELY MANNER, APPORTIONED TAXABLE VALUE TO A TAXING DISTRICT TO WHICH THE TAX COMMISSIONER DID NOT APPORTION THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE VALUE, THE PETITIONER SHALL PAY THE TAX DUE ON THE TAXABLE VALUE THAT THE PETITIONER HAS APPORTIONED TO THE TAXING DISTRICT, SUBJECT TO DIVISION (B)(2)(c) OF THIS SECTION.

(c) IF A PETITIONER OBJECTS TO THE PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE AT WHICH TAXABLE PROPERTY IS ASSESSED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER, THE PETITIONER SHALL PAY THE TAX DUE ON THE BASIS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE AT WHICH THE PUBLIC UTILITY'S TAXABLE PROPERTY IS ASSESSED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER. IN ANY CASE, THE PETITIONER'S PAYMENT OF TAX SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF TAX DUE BASED ON THE TAXABLE VALUE REFLECTED ON THE LAST APPEAL NOTICE ISSUED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER UNDER DIVISION (C) OF THIS SECTION. UNTIL THE COUNTY AUDITOR RECEIVES NOTIFICATION UNDER DIVISION (E) OF THIS SECTION AND PROCEEDS UNDER SECTION 5727.471 of the Revised Code TO ISSUE ANY REFUND THAT IS FOUND TO BE DUE, THE COUNTY AUDITOR SHALL NOT ISSUE A REFUND FOR ANY INCREASE IN THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE THAT IS SOUGHT BY A PETITIONER LATER THAN FORTY-FIVE DAYS AFTER THE PETITIONER FILES THE ORIGINAL PETITION AS REQUIRED UNDER DIVISION (A) OF THIS SECTION.

(3) ANY PART OF THE TAX THAT, UNDER DIVISION (B)(2)(a) OR (b) OF THIS SECTION, IS NOT PAID SHALL BE COLLECTED UPON RECEIPT OF THE NOTIFICATION AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 5727.471 of the Revised Code WITH INTEREST THEREON COMPUTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS INTEREST IS COMPUTED UNDER DIVISION (E) OF SECTION 5715.19 of the Revised Code, SUBJECT TO ANY CORRECTION OF THE ASSESSMENT BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER UNDER DIVISION (E) OF THIS SECTION OR THE FINAL JUDGMENT OF THE BOARD OF TAX APPEALS OR A COURT TO WHICH THE BOARD'S FINAL JUDGMENT IS APPEALED. THE PENALTY IMPOSED UNDER SECTION 323.121 of the Revised Code SHALL APPLY ONLY TO THE UNPAID PORTION OF THE TAX IF THE PETITIONER'S TAX PAYMENT IS LESS THAN THE AMOUNT OF TAX DUE BASED ON THE TAXABLE VALUE REFLECTED ON THE LAST APPEAL NOTICE ISSUED BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER UNDER DIVISION (C) OF THIS SECTION.

(C) Upon receipt of a properly filed petition FOR REASSESSMENT, the TAX commissioner shall notify the treasurer of state or the auditor of each county to which the assessment objected to has been certified. IN THE CASE OF A PETITION WITH RESPECT TO AN ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code, THE TAX COMMISSIONER SHALL ISSUE AN APPEAL NOTICE WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER RECEIVING THE AMOUNT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE REDUCTION AND APPORTIONMENT CHANGES SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER IN THE ORIGINAL PETITION OR IN ANY ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS PROPERLY AND TIMELY RAISED BY THE PETITIONER. THE APPEAL NOTICE SHALL INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT IN THE PETITION OR IN THE ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE AND ANY CHANGE IN APPORTIONMENT REQUESTED BY THE PETITIONER WOULD AFFECT THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S APPORTIONMENT OF THE TAXABLE VALUE AMONG TAXING DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY AS SHOWN IN THE ASSESSMENT. IF A PETITIONER IS SEEKING A REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE ON THE BASIS OF A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE THAN THE PERCENTAGE AT WHICH THE TAX COMMISSIONER ASSESSED THE PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY, THE APPEAL NOTICE SHALL INDICATE THE REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER WITHOUT REGARD TO THE REDUCTION SOUGHT ON THE BASIS OF THE LOWER PERCENTAGE AND SHALL INDICATE THAT THE PETITIONER IS REQUIRED TO PAY TAX ON THE REDUCED TAXABLE VALUE DETERMINED WITHOUT REGARD TO THE REDUCTION SOUGHT ON THE BASIS OF A LOWER PERCENTAGE OF TRUE VALUE, AS PROVIDED UNDER DIVISION (B)(2)(c) OF THIS SECTION. THE APPEAL NOTICE SHALL INCLUDE A STATEMENT THAT THE REDUCED TAXABLE VALUE AND THE APPORTIONMENT INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ARE NOT FINAL AND ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT BY THE TAX COMMISSIONER OR BY THE BOARD OF TAX APPEALS OR A COURT ON APPEAL. IF THE TAX COMMISSIONER FINDS AN ERROR IN THE APPEAL NOTICE, THE TAX COMMISSIONER MAY AMEND THE NOTICE, BUT THE NOTICE IS ONLY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND TAX PAYMENT PURPOSES; THE NOTICE IS NOT SUBJECT TO APPEAL BY ANY PERSON. THE TAX COMMISSIONER ALSO SHALL MAIL A COPY OF THE APPEAL NOTICE TO THE PETITIONER. UPON THE REQUEST OF A TAXING AUTHORITY, THE COUNTY AUDITOR MAY DISCLOSE TO THE TAXING AUTHORITY THE EXTENT TO WHICH A REDUCTION IN TAXABLE VALUE SOUGHT BY A PETITIONER WOULD AFFECT THE APPORTIONMENT OF TAXABLE VALUE TO THE TAXING DISTRICT OR DISTRICTS UNDER THE TAXING AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION, BUT SUCH A DISCLOSURE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A NOTICE REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE GIVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 5717.02 of the Revised Code.

(D) Unless the petitioner waives a hearing, the commissioner shall assign a time and place for the hearing on the petition and notify the petitioner of the time and place of the hearing by personal service or certified mail, but the commissioner may continue the hearing from time to time if necessary.

(E) The TAX commissioner may make such correction to the assessment as the TAX commissioner finds proper. The TAX commissioner shall serve a copy of the commissioner's final determination on the petitioner by personal service or certified mail, and the TAX commissioner's decision in the matter shall be final, subject to appeal as provided in section 5717.02 of the Revised Code. The TAX commissioner also shall transmit a copy of the final determination to the treasurer of state or applicable county auditor. In the absence of any further appeal, or when a decision of the board of tax appeals or of any court to which the decision has been appealed becomes final, the TAX commissioner shall notify the public utility and, as appropriate, the treasurer of state who shall proceed under section 5727.42 of the Revised Code, or the applicable county auditor who shall proceed under section 5727.471 of the Revised Code. The notification is not subject to further appeal.

(F) ON APPEAL, NO ADJUSTMENT SHALL BE MADE IN THE TAX COMMISSIONER'S ASSESSMENT ISSUED UNDER SECTION 5727.23 of the Revised Code THAT REDUCES THE TAXABLE VALUE OF A PETITIONER'S TAXABLE PROPERTY BY AN AMOUNT THAT EXCEEDS THE REDUCTION SOUGHT BY THE PETITIONER IN ITS PETITION FOR REASSESSMENT OR IN ANY ADDITIONAL OBJECTIONS PROPERLY AND TIMELY RAISED AFTER THE PETITION IS FILED WITH THE TAX COMMISSIONER.