Property taxation: property statement: change in ownership statement: penalty.

Existing law authorizes the county board of equalization or the assessment appeals board to order the penalty abated for failure to file a specified property statement or change in ownership statement, if the assessee establishes to the satisfaction of the county board of equalization or the assessment appeals board that the failure to file the property statement or change in ownership statement within the specified time required was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and the assessee has filed a written application for abatement of the penalty, as provided. This bill would instead authorize the penalty to be abated if the assessee establishes that the failure to file the property statement or change in ownership statement within the specified time period was due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the assessee's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect.