§ 2-4-3.1. Rhode Island farm, forest and open space land value subcommittee. (a) There is hereby authorized, created and established the "Rhode Island Farm, Forest, and Open Space Land Value Subcommittee" (the subcommittee) to recommend the methodology and values for the assessment of land for property taxation on the basis of current use for farm, forest, and open space lands, as established by chapter 27 of title 44 and § 44-5-12. The values recommended by the subcommittee, upon review and approval by the state conservation committee, shall be made available to local tax assessors and such value shall be the recommended maximum current use value per acre at which such land classifications can be assessed.

(b) The subcommittee shall consist of the following twelve (12) members: the chair of the state conservation committee, or designee; three (3) local tax assessors appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate; the director of the department of administration, or designee, who shall be a subordinate within the department of administration; the chief of the department of environmental management's division of agriculture, or designee, who shall be a subordinate within the division who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member; the chief of the department of environmental management's division of forest environment, or designee, who shall be a subordinate within the division who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member; the dean of the University of Rhode Island's College of Natural Resources, or designee, who shall be a subordinate within the college who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member; the executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or his or her designee, who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the subcommittee; the chairperson of the Rhode Island Agricultural Council, or his or her designee, who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the subcommittee; and two (2) public members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, one of whom shall be a landowner currently enrolled under the forest land provision of chapter 27 of title 44, one of whom shall be a member of a land trust. Each appointed member of the subcommittee shall serve for a term of three (3) years, and shall serve until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy which may occur in the subcommittee of the members appointed by the governor shall be filled by the governor for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner as the predecessor as prescribed in this section. The members of the subcommittee shall be eligible to succeed themselves. No one shall be eligible for appointment unless he or she is a resident of this state. Those members of the subcommittee as of the effective date of this act [April 20, 2006] who were appointed by the speaker of the house and the president of the senate shall cease to be members of the subcommittee on the effective date of this act [April 20, 2006], and the governor shall thereupon appoint four (4) members as prescribed in this section, each of whom shall serve for the balance of the unexpired term of his or her predecessor.

(c) The state conservation committee shall provide the subcommittee's list of current use values for farm, forest, and open space land to each tax assessor, through the department of administration, on or before February 15 of each year in which the subcommittee is required to determine such figures.

(d) The subcommittee shall abide by the rules governing the state conservation committee, as provided in § 2-4-5. Five (5) voting members of the subcommittee shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of those present shall be required for action.

(e) The subcommittee shall meet at the call of the chair. All meetings shall be held consistent with chapter 46 of title 42.

(f) The subcommittee shall conduct a training course for newly appointed and qualified members and new designees of ex officio members within six (6) months of their qualification or designation. The course shall be developed by the chair of the subcommittee, approved by the subcommittee and conducted by the chair of the subcommittee. The subcommittee may approve the use of any subcommittee or staff members or other individuals to assist with training. The training course shall include instruction in the following areas: chapters 44-27, 44-5, 2-4, 42-46, 36-14 and 38-2; and the subcommittee's rules. The director of the department of administration shall, within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this act [April 20, 2006], prepare and disseminate training materials relating to the provisions of chapters 42-46, 36-14 and 38-2.

History of Section. (P.L. 1999, ch. 252, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 2; P.L. 2006, ch. 22, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 27, § 1.)