The equalization standards board shall have the following powers and duties:
   I. The board shall meet, at least annually, to review the procedures of the prior year's ratio studies conducted by the department of revenue administration for the purposes of equalization and the evaluation of assessment performance and to establish procedures for improving the ratio studies for the forthcoming property tax year.
   II. The board shall develop standards for equalization and shall review, revise, and approve the equalization manual published by the department of revenue administration. In developing its standards, the board shall review the standards of the International Association of Assessing Officials and any other standards that are consistent with the work of the board.
   III. The board shall annually determine, vote upon, and recommend to the department of revenue administration, the ratio study procedures for use in the forthcoming tax year. Prior to the adoption of such recommendations, the board shall hold a series of at least 3 public forums annually throughout the state to receive general comment through verbal and written testimony on the ratio study procedures. A quorum of the board shall not be required to hold such public forums.
   IV. The board, on or before December 1 of each year, shall report its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, and the state library.
   V. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A, with specific attention to RSA 541-A:25 prohibiting unfunded state mandates, relative to the organization of and the practices and procedures of the board, and other rules necessary to fulfill the duties of the board.
Source. 2001, 297:2, eff. Sept. 15, 2001. 2002, 217:5, 6, eff. May 16, 2002.