SB 254

This bill extends the term or duration of certain approvals that are the subject

of administrative, judicial, or appellate proceedings that may result in the

invalidation, reconsideration, or modification of the approval. The terms or

durations are extended by an amount of time equal to 36 months plus the duration

of the administrative, judicial, or appellate proceeding to which the covered approval

is subject. The approvals covered under the bill are, with certain exceptions, 1)

unexpired permits or approvals for construction projects issued by the Department

of Safety and Professional Services, the Department of Natural Resources, the

Department of Transportation, a political subdivision, or a special purpose district

and 2) plats or certified survey map approvals. The extension is exercised by the

holder of the approval notifying the governmental unit that issued the approval of

the person's decision to exercise the extension not less than 90 days before the

expiration of the unextended term or duration of the approval. In general, the laws,

regulations, ordinances, rules, or other properly adopted requirements that were in

effect at the time the approval was issued continue to apply to the construction

project, plat, or certified survey map during the period of extension.

The bill also specifies that a dwelling that is occupied before undergoing all

inspections for compliance with the uniform dwelling code may be granted an

occupancy permit if the dwelling later passes a uniform dwelling code final

inspection. Also, if an occupancy permit for a dwelling is granted after it is occupied,

any missed inspection of the dwelling may not be listed as a finding on the occupancy

permit.

Current rules promulgated by the Department of Safety and Professional

Services generally allow a dwelling to be occupied without a uniform dwelling code

final inspection if the inspection is not completed by DSPS or a municipality within

five business days of an applicant's notification.

The bill also allows municipalities to waive interest and penalties on late

installment payments of property taxes payable in 2021. Under current law, a late

installment payment of property taxes is subject to interest and penalties, with the

interest accruing from February 1 of the year in which the taxes are due. For

property taxes payable in 2020, if an installment payment due after April 1, 2020,

is late, current law allows a municipality to temporarily waive the interest and

penalties in cases of hardship if the entire amount due is paid no later than October

1, 2020, and both the county and municipality adopt resolutions authorizing the

waiver.

Under the bill, for an installment payment due after January 1, 2021, that is

late, a municipality may waive the interest and penalties if the municipality makes

a general or case-by-case finding of hardship and the total amount due is paid no

later than October 1, 2021. A municipality may waive the interest and penalties only

if the county first adopts a resolution authorizing the waiver and establishing