15-24-1209. Adjustment of taxes for formerly taxed property -- presumption of taxability. - Montana Statutes

     15-24-1209. Adjustment of taxes for formerly taxed property -- presumption of taxability. (1) If the department reduces the amount of taxable property owned by a person or entity because of a determination that the property consists of the bed of a navigable river or stream, the department shall, as applicable, reduce the amount of tract land that is taxable or grazing land that is taxable before reducing the amount of irrigated land or nonirrigated land that is taxable.
     (2) In the absence of adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of the ownership of the bed of any river or stream, it is the policy of the state that the department shall assess all land that is part of the bed and banks of a river or stream to the owner of record of the property.
     (3) The department shall notify landowners of their right to request and shall provide upon request a revised assessment for tax year 2008 for the bed of any stream:
     (a) not adjudicated to be navigable by a court of competent jurisdiction; or
     (b) not determined navigable at the time of the original federal government surveys of the public land as evidenced by the recorded and monumented surveys of the meander lines of the river.

     History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 472, L. 2009.