A bill that would effectively end late property tax bills is on its way to Gov. Mitch Daniels to become law.

H.B. 1059, authored by Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point, and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, was unanimously approved by the Senate. The bill now goes to the governor for final action.

The legislation would require counties that anticipate being late with spring tax bills to send provisional tax bills by April 1. With a provisional bill, 50 percent of the previous year’s total tax liability would be due by May 10, the normal due date for property tax bills.

Exceptions can be made under the bill if a county appeals to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance by showing that it would be able to send out tax bills with a due date no later than June 10.

The final property tax bills would then be calculated and a reconciling bill would be due Nov. 10, the normal due date for the second installment of taxes. If the final bills cannot be determined by the fall, the remaining 50 percent of the previous year’s bill would be collected by Nov. 10.

Tallian also announced that another one of her bills, S.B. 87, which she authored, is on its way to the governor. The bill would entitle EMS personnel to a hearing and an appeals process if a medical director refuses to supervise that individual or suspends the individual without just cause.

The bill would also require the commission hearing the appeal to consult with an independent medical expert. The independent medical expert must be a physician trained in emergency medical services and must be unaffiliated with the same hospital as the medical director whose opinion is being challenged.

Posted 3/8/2010