HB 1412 Summary

• Authorizes municipal governing authorities to assess costs and penalties for cleaning private property deemed a menace to public health, safety, or welfare, with costs capped at $20,000 per year or fair market value post-cleaning, whichever is less.

• Allows assessments for cleaning to be added to municipal ad valorem tax bills and collected by the tax collector using the same enforcement procedures as delinquent property taxes.

• Permits municipalities to impose penalties of $1,500 or 50% of actual cleaning costs, whichever is greater, with the ability to assess the same penalty for repeated cleanings up to 6 times yearly for building/fence removal or 12 times biannually for grass/debris removal.

• Establishes procedures for notifying property owners via mail, police officer service, or newspaper publication at least two weeks before a hearing to determine if property cleaning is necessary.

• Allows property to be sold for nonpayment of assessments in the same manner as sale for delinquent ad valorem taxes, with assessments combined with delinquent taxes if property is sold for tax delinquency.