26-37-313. Reassessment of parcels of land upon depreciation since forfeiture.

26-37-313. Reassessment of parcels of land upon depreciation since forfeiture. (a)(1) Town and city lots and blocks and acreage tracts, lots, blocks, divisions, and subdivisions that have been platted and sold as being outside of the corporate limits of towns and cities, and rural lots and parcels of land now, or which may hereafter be, forfeited to the state for nonpayment of taxes due thereon that have depreciated in value since forfeiture may be reassessed at their present value by the county assessor of the county in which the lands are located, upon application being made in writing by the application to redeem or purchase them, setting forth the reasons for the reassessment. No application shall contain more than five (5) descriptive calls. Before any such reassessment shall be valid, it shall be presented to the county judge and the chief county school officer of the county in which the lands are located and approved by them in writing and made a matter of record in the county by the county clerk. (2) The fee of the county assessor shall be one dollar ($1.00) for each application. The fee shall be paid to the county treasurer and credited by him or her to the county general revenue fund. The fee of the county clerk shall be the regular fee allowed by law and shall be paid by the applicant seeking reassessment. (b)(1) If the county assessor deems the assessment for which parcels of land were forfeited to be too high, he or she shall prepare a certificate stating that a reassessment has been made under this section and shall state, under oath, the cause for the depreciation in the value of the lots or parcels of land. (2) The county assessor, the county judge, and the chief county school officer are prohibited from making any such reassessment as set out in this section except for the following causes: (A) Burned buildings not replaced and on which the applicant did not collect insurance; (B) Buildings removed and from which the applicant received no benefit; (C) Erosion; (D) Damage by flood; (E) Damage by tornado; (F) Removal of timber from which the applicant received no benefit; or (G) Any act of God. (3) When the reassessment has been made, a complete record thereof, including a certified copy of the application, the reassessment, and the court order, shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of State Lands, who shall, upon its receipt, enter it upon a record to be kept by him or her in his or her office for that purpose, and he or she shall issue redemption deeds or sale deeds for forfeited lands in the manner and form provided by law, based upon the reassessment value.