§1957. Listing and assessing of property generally

A. All taxable property in the state, except public service properties, shall be assessed by the several assessors. The assessors shall be responsible, under the supervision of the tax commission, for listing and assessing all property within their respective parishes, except such property as is subject to direct assessment by the tax commission. The assessors shall list said property by parish, school board, police jury, levee district, special district and by any other recipients of ad valorem taxes, except by municipality. If any municipality requests such a listing, the assessor shall be required to prepare such a listing; however, the assessor's salary and expense fund shall be reimbursed by the municipality in accordance with R.S. 47:1993.1(C).

B. All property subject to taxation shall be listed and assessed at the proper percentage of its fair market or use value as required by the constitution and laws of this state. The assessors shall identify all mobile homes within their respective parishes with a numbered decal or other suitable means of identification. The owner of each mobile home shall provide such information as the assessor shall request, including but not limited to the mobile home brand name and serial number, when available.

C. The assessor, in person or by deputy, shall have the right and power to require of any property holder an inspection of his books and accounts, and shall have the right to examine them in full, and may, from such books and accounts, make an estimate of the value of the property to be assessed. In order to have accessible information regarding the business of nonresidents, all books and papers pertaining to the business transacted in Louisiana shall be kept within the state. The assessor shall also, if necessary, put upon oath the owner, agent, or employees of the owner, and propound to him or them such questions as will elicit from him or them the fair market or use value of the property. The assessor may inquire into the insured value of all property, or into the value at which it had been insured previously, and consider the insured value in listing the property for taxation. The assessor, except the assessor of the parish of Iberville, shall also have the right to obtain a list of any movable property owned by the taxpayer that is subject to lease or rental. Such list shall include the name and address of the lessee, a description of the property, and such other information as the assessor may request. The tax assessor shall value each item of property as he considers just, whenever he does not agree with the valuation as fixed by the taxpayer.

D. If any person fails or refuses to submit a list of his property including any list requested under Subsection C, or fails to make oath to its correctness, in addition to all other applicable penalties, he shall be subject to the penalties provided for failure to report under R.S. 47:2329, and the assessor shall himself make out a list from the best information he can obtain and shall make his own valuations thereon. To that end, he is authorized to administer oaths and propound questions to any person whom he supposes can give information in relation thereto. Any willful misstatement to the assessor, or any authorized deputy, made under oath, shall be considered and punished as false swearing as provided by the laws of this state in other cases.

E. If the assessors find or have reason to believe that the list of taxable property furnished by any person is incomplete or incorrect, they shall add to the list such property, which from the best information they can obtain, has been omitted or incorrectly described by the person signing the list. The assessor shall mail a notification to the taxpayer, at least three days before the first day of the inspection period, which summarizes the changes made to the list. The notice shall be mailed to the same address to which the notice of tax due is sent by the collector of taxes. By the conclusion of the inspection period, if the taxpayer does not challenge such changes, the taxpayer shall be subject to all applicable penalties, including those provided for by R.S. 47:2329.

F. If any tax assessor intentionally or knowingly or through negligence omits any taxable property from the assessment list, or permits it to be omitted therefrom, he and his sureties in solido shall be liable on his official bond for the full amount of the taxes due on the property so omitted from the list, together with ten percent interest per annum thereon from the due date of the taxes, ten percent attorney fees on the amount of the judgment recovered against him, and all costs of the suit.

G. The tax commission shall publicly reprimand any assessor if it shall appear that he is wilfully negligent or unfair in the assessment of property, or in omitting it from the rolls, and if the tax commission deems it necessary, shall institute removal proceedings through the attorney general, for gross misconduct in office.

H. If any tax assessor or deputy signs a jurat without having actually administered the oath, he shall be guilty of nonfeasance and malfeasance in office, and the tax assessor shall be liable on his bond for all the taxes due by the person purporting to have taken the oath or affirmation, and shall forfeit all his commissions and shall be at once removed from office by the governor.

Acts 1977, No. 125, §1; Acts 1982, No. 522, §1, eff. July 22, 1982; Acts 1986, No. 847, §1; Acts 1990, No. 829, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; H.C.R. No. 94, 1992 R.S., eff. June 16, 1992; H.C.R. No. 88, 1993 R.S., eff. May 30, 1993; H.C.R. No. 1, 1994 R.S., eff. May 11, 1994; Acts 2010, No. 926, §1.