At the beginning of each year, 105 elected representatives gather in Idaho’s Capitol building to pass new laws governing Idahoans’ daily lives. This gathering is called Idaho’s legislative session. The 2020 legislative session was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but lawmakers still managed to pass 232 laws (not including appropriations) — ranging from tiny technical corrections to brand new sections of Idaho Code.
Many of these laws have a built-in effective date of July 1, meaning they become enforceable starting just a few months after the governor approves them as the new law of the land. This year, one law that will go into effect July 1 will give property owners more information on their property tax bill.
Related: IFF’s Freedom Index applauds increased transparency regarding tax bills.
Currently, when a property owner is given an annual property tax bill, certain information has to be present on that bill. This includes the parcel number and market value of the property being taxed, the state, county, and city where it is located, each separate tax on the property, and any delinquencies on the property.
Effective July 1, the bill will also have to state the expiration date of any bonds or levies that are a part of the tax on the property and the tax information on that property from the previous year. This change will help property owners keep track of where their money is going and how rapidly their taxes are rising.