12D-9.005. Duties of the Board

(1)(a) The value adjustment board shall meet not earlier than 30 days and not later than 60 days after the mailing of the notice provided in Section 194.011(1), F.S.; however, no board hearing shall be held before approval of all or any part of the county’s assessment rolls by the Department of Revenue. The board shall meet for the following purposes:

1. Hearing petitions relating to assessments filed pursuant to Section 194.011(3), F.S.,

2. Hearing complaints relating to homestead exemptions as provided for under Section 196.151, F.S.,

3. Hearing appeals from exemptions denied, or disputes arising from exemptions granted, upon the filing of exemption applications under Section 196.011, F.S.,

4. Hearing appeals concerning ad valorem tax deferrals and classifications, or

5. Hearing appeals from determinations that a change of ownership under Section 193.155(3), F.S., a change of ownership or control under Section 193.1554(5) or 193.1555(5), F.S., or a qualifying improvement under Section 193.1555(5), F.S., has occurred.

(b) The board may not meet earlier than July 1 to hear appeals pertaining to the denial of exemptions, agricultural and high-water recharge classifications, classifications as historic property used for commercial or certain nonprofit purposes, deferrals, and refunds due to catastrophic events based on the statutory criteria in Section 197.319, F.S.

(c) The board shall remain in session until its duties are completed concerning all assessment rolls or parts of assessment rolls. The board may temporarily recess, but shall reconvene when necessary to hear petitions, complaints, or appeals and disputes filed upon the roll or portion of the roll when approved. The board shall make its decisions timely so that the board clerk may observe the requirement that such decisions shall be issued within 20 calendar days of the last day the board is in session pursuant to Section 194.034, F.S.

(2)(a) Value adjustment boards may have additional internal operating procedures, not rules, that do not conflict with, change, expand, suspend, or negate the rules adopted in this rule chapter or other provisions of law, and only to the extent indispensable for the efficient operation of the value adjustment board process. The board may publish fee schedules adopted by the board.

(b) These internal operating procedures may include methods for creating the verbatim record, provisions for parking by participants, assignment of hearing rooms, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other ministerial type procedures.

(c) The board shall not provide notices or establish a local procedure instructing petitioners to contact the property appraiser’s or tax collector’s office or any other agency with questions about board hearings or procedures. The board, board legal counsel, board clerk, special magistrate or other board representative shall not otherwise enlist the property appraiser’s or tax collector’s office to perform administrative duties for the board. Personnel performing any of the board’s duties shall be independent of the property appraiser’s and tax collector’s office. This section shall not prevent the board clerk or personnel performing board duties from referring petitioners to the property appraiser or tax collector for issues within the responsibility of the property appraiser or tax collector. This section shall not prevent the property appraiser from providing data to assist the board clerk with the notice of tax impact.

(3) The board must ensure that all board meetings are duly noticed under Section 286.011, F.S., and are held in accordance with the law.

(4) Other duties of value adjustment boards are set forth in other areas of Florida law. Value adjustment boards shall perform all duties required by law and shall abide by all limitations on their authority as provided by law.

(5) Failure on three occasions with respect to any single tax year for the board to convene at the scheduled time of meetings of the board is grounds for removal from office by the Governor for neglect of duties.

Rulemaking Authority 194.011(5), 194.034(1), 195.027(1) FS. Law Implemented 192.0105, 194.011, 194.015, 194.032, 194.034, 194.035, 194.037, 197.319 FS. History–New 3-30-10, Amended 9-19-17, 1-1-23.