Sec. 12-40a. Committee for training, examination and certification of assessment personnel. Fees. Certification by Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 12-40a. Committee for training, examination and certification of assessment personnel. Fees. Certification by Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. (a) There shall be a committee for the purpose of establishing a program and procedures for the training, examination and certification of assessment personnel, appointed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and consisting of seven members, six of whom shall serve without pay and shall be appointed initially as follows: Two members for two-year terms; two members for four-year terms; and two members for six-year terms. No less than one member shall be from a municipality with a population over fifty thousand, and no less than one member shall be from a municipality with a population under five thousand. The seventh member shall be an employee of the Office of Policy and Management, who shall have demonstrated competence in Connecticut assessment practices. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall thereafter appoint two members every two years for six-year terms. Each member of the committee, other than the representative from the Office of Policy and Management, shall, on and after July 1, 1984, be a person certified pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and shall have demonstrated competence in Connecticut assessment practices. Each member of the committee, other than the representative from the Office of Policy and Management, appointed on or after July 1, 1984, shall be employed by a municipality in the state in a position relating to the assessment of property for the purposes of the property tax. Any member of the committee who ceases to be an employee of the Office of Policy and Management, or to be certified pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, as the case may be, shall cease to be a member of the committee and the secretary shall appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term. Said committee shall elect its own chairman and adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, for the training, fees and examination of assessment personnel including standards for the certification and recertification of assessors. Such regulations may include requirements for any type of training or experience, or combination thereof, the committee deems appropriate.

      (b) Any person may participate in training on assessment practices prescribed by said committee. Upon completion of the requirements provided for in regulations adopted under subsection (a) of this section and successful completion of any examination prescribed by said committee, any person shall be recommended to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management as a candidate for certification as a certified Connecticut municipal assessor. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall certify any qualified candidate recommended by said committee as a certified Connecticut municipal assessor and may rescind such certification for sufficient cause as said secretary may determine. Such certification shall be valid for five years from the date of issuance. Said secretary may certify a candidate who has not completed such training provided such candidate has experience in Connecticut assessment practices to such extent, determined by said secretary, as to make it unnecessary to complete such training; provided, such candidate shall be required to successfully complete any examination prescribed by said committee.

      (P.A. 74-255, S. 1-3; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 84-485, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-283, S. 1, 68; P.A. 96-224, S. 3; P.A. 97-80, S. 1, 2.)

      History: P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 84-485 amended Subsec. (a) to include a member from the office of policy and management, halved population requirements related to member selection, and added certification and employment qualification for other members; P.A. 95-283 amended Subsec. (a) to add requirement for rules and regulations to include standards for certification and recertification of assessors and Subsec. (b) to provide that certification is valid for five years, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 96-224 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize fees and amended Subsec. (b) to eliminate reference to training "courses"; P.A. 97-80 amended Subsec. (a) to make a technical change and add provision authorizing regulations to include requirements for any type of training or experience and amended Subsec. (b) to require completion of regulation requirements and successful completion of examination for recommendation, effective May 29, 1997.