SENATE BILL NO. 449

INTRODUCED BY B. DEPRATU

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ADJUSTING THE DEPRECIATION SCHEDULES USED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF LIGHT TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE TAXATION; AMENDING SECTION 61-3-503, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN APPLICABILITY DATE."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 61-3-503, MCA, is amended to read:

"61-3-503. Assessment. (1) Except as provided in 61-3-520 and subsection (4) of this section, the following apply to the taxation of motor vehicles:

(a) Vehicles subject to the provisions of 61-3-313 through 61-3-316 must be assessed as of the first day of the registration period, using the depreciated value of the manufacturer's suggested retail price as determined in subsection (2).

(b) A lien for taxes and fees due on the vehicle occurs on the anniversary date of the registration and continues until the fees and taxes have been paid. If the depreciated value is less than $500, the department shall value the vehicle at $500.

(2) (a) Except as provided in subsections (2)(c) and (2)(d), the depreciated value for the taxation of light vehicles is computed by multiplying the manufacturer's suggested retail price by a percentage multiplier based on the type and age of the vehicle determined from the following table:

Age of Vehicle	Type of Vehicle

Sport

(in years)	Automobile	Truck	Van	Utility

-1	100%	100%	100%	100%

0	90	96	93	98

1	80	89	86	89

2	69	84	78	85

3	58	70	69	69

4	49	61	60	61

5	41	53	52	52

6	33	44	45	43

7	26	39	38	36

8	21	32	32	29

9	17	25	27	24

10	14	19	22	19

11	12	16	18	15

12	10	13	15	12

13	09	10	13	10

14	09	8	11	9

15	09	7	09	8

16	09	5	09	7

(b) The age for the light vehicle is determined by subtracting the manufacturer's model year of the vehicle from the calendar year for which the tax is due.

(c) If the value of the vehicle determined under subsection (2)(a) is $500 or less, the value of the vehicle is $500 and the value must remain at that amount as long as the vehicle is registered.

(d) The depreciated value of a light vehicle that is 17 years old or older is computed by depreciating the value obtained for the vehicle at 16 years old as determined under subsection (2)(a) by 10% a year until a minimum value of $500 is attained. The value must remain at that amount as long as the vehicle is registered.

(3) (a) For the purposes of this section, "manufacturer's suggested retail price" means the price suggested by the manufacturer for each given type, style, or model of light vehicle produced and first made available for retail sale by the manufacturer.

(b) The manufacturer's suggested retail price is based on standard equipment of a vehicle and does not contain price additions or deductions for optional accessories.

(c) When a manufacturer's suggested retail price is unavailable for a motor vehicle, the department shall determine an alternative valuation for the vehicle.

(4) The provisions of subsections (1) through (3) do not apply to buses, trucks having a manufacturer's rated capacity of more than 1 ton, truck tractors, motorcycles, motor homes, quadricycles, travel trailers, campers, mobile homes or manufactured homes as those terms are defined in 15-1-101(1)."

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Applicability. [This act] applies to registration periods beginning after December 31, 1999.

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