WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2025 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
Senate Bill 618
By Senators Thorne and Willis
[Introduced February 27, 2025; referred to the Committee on Agriculture; and then to the Committee on Finance]
A BILL to amend and reenact ยง11-1A-10 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to allowing for a reduction in property tax for certain farmland in this state.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
## ARTICLE 1A. APPRAISAL OF PROPERTY.
(a) With respect to farm property, the Tax Commissioner shall appraise such property so as to ascertain its fair and reasonable value for farming purposes regardless of what the value of the property would be if used for some other purpose, and the value shall be arrived at by giving consideration to the fair and reasonable income which the property might be expected to earn in the locality wherein situated, if rented. The fair and reasonable value for farming purposes shall be deemed to be the market value of such property for appraisement purposes.
(b) A person is not engaged in farming if he or she is primarily engaged in forestry or growing timber. Additionally, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, a corporation is not engaged in farming unless its principal activity is the business of farming, and in the event that the controlling stock interest in the corporation is owned by another corporation, the corporation owning the controlling interest must also be primarily engaged in the business of farming.
(c) Farm property owned by a corporation that does not meet the 50% threshold to claim a reduction in property tax appraisal, but which has at least $20,000 in sales, use, or consumption of agricultural products on that farm property, shall be eligible for a reduction in property tax appraisals for all qualified farmland by the corporation. The Tax Commissioner shall promulgate rules to ensure that the provisions of this subsection are available to eligible persons and corporations.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill relates to allowing for a reduction in property tax for certain farmland in this state.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.