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SB898 • 2026
Relating to valuation of farm property
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Relating to valuation of farm property
To Finance
Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance
To Agriculture
Introduced in Senate
To Agriculture then Finance
Filed for introduction
Relating to valuation of farm property
SB 898 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO. NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS sb898 sub1 Senate Bill 898 History OTHER VERSIONS - Introduced Version | | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature 2026 regular session Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 898 By Senators Thorne and Rucker [Reported February 25,2026 from the Committee on Agriculture] A BILL to amend and reenact §11-1A-10 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to valuation of farm property; providing that buildings and structures situated on farm property and used exclusively for purposes of agriculture shall be valued at their salvage value for purposes of ad valorem property taxation; defining term; and establishing an effective date. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: Article 1A. APPRAISAL OF PROPERTY. §11-1A-10. Valuation of farm 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, 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)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the value of buildings and structures situated on farm property and which are used exclusively for the purposes of agriculture, for the purpose of ad valorem property taxation under this chapter and under article X of the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, shall be their salvage value. Buildings and structures situated on farm property which are used exclusively for the purposes of agriculture include, but are not limited to, barns, stables, chicken houses, milking parlors, lean-tos, outbuildings, hay barns, silos, and any other building which is used solely in the production of an agricultural product, as that term is defined in §19-2-1(b) of this code, or as storage for agricultural tools or products. (2) For the purposes of this subsection, “salvage value” means the lower of fair market salvage value or five percent of the original cost of the property. (3) The provisions of this subsection shall be effective January 1, 2027. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the appraisal of certain buildings and structures on farm property at their salvage value. Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added. Bill Status | Bill Tracking | Legacy WV Code | Bulletin Board | District Maps | Senate Roster | House Roster | Live | Blog | Jobs | Links | Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information. | Terms of Use | Webmaster | © 2026 West Virginia Legislature ** Print On Demand Name: Email: Phone: