§ 68-2816. Officers and personnel - Educational accreditation.

A.  The Director of the Ad Valorem Division of the Oklahoma Tax Commission, the first deputy within such division, all field analysts or equalization and assessment analysts within such division, each elected county assessor assuming office on or after January 1, 1991, all first deputies within such assessors' offices and all personnel involved in the actual appraisal of real property shall be required to achieve educational accreditation as prescribed by this section.  Such accreditation shall be achieved within the time prescribed.  Failure to achieve such accreditation shall result in forfeiture of office or termination of employment.  A vacancy in a public office created for failure to achieve such accreditation shall be filled in the manner provided by law.

B.  Accreditation for persons designated in subsection A of this section shall consist of initial accreditation and advanced accreditation as follows:

1.  Within one (1) year from the date an assessor is elected to office, the assessor shall be required to successfully complete initial accreditation.  If the assessor does not successfully complete testing or some part of the requirement, initial accreditation shall be completed within eighteen (18) months from the date of the assessor's election to office.  Initial accreditation shall consist of successful completion of two (2) academic units.  The first academic unit shall consist of basic ad valorem taxation law, legal responsibilities of the assessor's office, the role of the county assessor, valuation requirements and assessment administration.  The second academic unit shall consist of basic appraisal and assessment processes.

2.  Within one (1) year from the completion date of initial accreditation, the assessor shall be required to successfully complete advanced accreditation.  If the assessor does not successfully complete advanced accreditation testing or some part of the requirement, advanced accreditation shall be completed by July 1, 1995, for persons holding office on May 27, 1993, or for persons assuming office after May 27, 1993, within eighteen (18) months from the date initial accreditation is completed.  Advanced accreditation shall consist of successful completion of four (4) academic units.  Each unit shall consist of one of the following topics:

a.appraisal procedures,

b.valuation of personal property,

c.valuation of agricultural property, and

d.mass appraisal procedures.

3.  A county assessor's deputy not previously accredited pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection shall be subject to the same requirements as the county assessor.  Failure to complete the accreditations within the times prescribed shall result in dismissal of the deputy.

4.  For any person required to achieve accreditation pursuant to this section and for whom the period of time to complete the accreditation is not otherwise prescribed, the accreditation shall be completed within eighteen (18) months of January 1, 1991 or within eighteen (18) months of the beginning date of employment if such person is initially employed after January 1, 1991.

C.  Each county assessor who has successfully completed advanced accreditation shall thereafter be required to complete a continuing education requirement of thirty (30) hours every three (3) years.  Failure to complete the continuing education requirement shall result in forfeiture of any travel reimbursement until the requirement is completed.  Continuing education shall consist of successful completion of academic units on changes in Oklahoma Statutes affecting ad valorem taxation, real estate or appraisal, valuation and appraisal methods, mass appraisal methods or other topics appropriate to the improvement of county assessor's offices.  A deputy who has completed advanced accreditation as required by this section shall be subject to the continuing education requirement.

D.  The Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the County Assessors' Association, shall develop educational requirements, curriculum materials, appropriate study resources and examinations for an education program for accreditation purposes established in this section.  The Center for Local Government Technology shall provide necessary classes, seminars and materials in support of the accreditation requirements.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit use of the International Association of Assessing Officers' course work, where applicable, or any of its professional designations, as a substitute for or supplement to the accreditation program requirements.

E.  For purposes of the administration of the accreditation requirements, the Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology shall be responsible for keeping an official record as to the accreditation of individual county assessors and deputies and others who are required to achieve accreditation.  Such record shall be the sole responsibility of Oklahoma State University and shall be defined as an open record under Section 24A.1 et seq. of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes.  The Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology shall be responsible for forwarding only the pass/fail results of individual testing to the Tax Commission.  The Tax Commission shall issue the accreditations to all persons who have so qualified.  All expenses incurred in the performance of the duties imposed upon the Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology shall be paid out of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Tax Commission or the university may charge a reasonable fee to defray the cost of sponsoring the educational accreditation academic units required by this section.

F.  The Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology, in cooperation with the Tax Commission, the County Assessors' Association and the County Treasurers’ Association shall provide computer software programs, support of software and hardware including installation, maintenance, data management and training, to counties currently using the services previously provided by the State Auditor and Inspector.  All expenses incurred in the performance of the duties imposed upon the Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology shall be paid out of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Tax Commission, or the University may charge a reasonable fee to defray the cost of sponsoring the County Computer Assistance Program support services required by this section.

Added by Laws 1988, c. 162, § 16, eff. Jan. 1, 1991.  Amended by Laws 1993, c. 273, § 8, emerg. eff. May 27, 1993; Laws 1996, c. 114, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 2007, c. 346, § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2008; Laws 2009, c. 170, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009.