§ 354. Certification of assessors. 1. Any person appointed to the
office of chief or inferior assessor or city assessor shall be certified
by the commissioner pursuant to this section within a maximum of three
years after he or she commences his or her appointment or by April
first, two thousand nine whichever date is later, unless he or she has
been previously certified by the commissioner and his or her
certification has not expired.

2. An assessor shall be certified upon successful completion of the
basic course of training and such examinations as may be prescribed by
the commissioner. The basic course of training shall be prescribed by
the commissioner based upon one or more general characteristics of the
assessing units as the commissioner shall determine.

3. (a) An assessor may be certified by the commissioner if such person
satisfies the minimum qualification standards established by the
commissioner for assessors and passes a comprehensive examination
conducted by the commissioner. The commissioner shall annually conduct
examinations for such purpose. Examinations shall be of such character
as to fairly test and determine knowledge, skills, and abilities
necessary to perform the duties of assessor with respect to appraisal
and assessment procedures, applicable laws, rules, and regulations and
the size and complexity of assessing units. The number of courses,
course credit hours and their complexity shall be no greater than the
requirements established for other jurisdictions under section three
hundred eighteen of this article. When applicable the basic course of
training and examinations shall be consistently similar to other
jurisdictions throughout the state.

(b) The commissioner may, in its discretion, waive any of the courses
of training or may certify without examination any assessor, provided
that such person is:

(i) an active member of the institute of assessing officers of the New
York state assessor's association or is a member of the American
institute of real estate appraisers; or

(ii) designated as a senior real property appraiser by the society of
real estate appraisers; or

(iii) designated a certified assessment evaluator or an accredited
assessment evaluator by the international association of assessing
officers.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision or any other
law, the travel and other actual and necessary expenses incurred by an
assessor, in satisfactorily completing courses of training as required
by this title or as approved by the commissioner, including continuing
education courses prescribed by the commissioner which are
satisfactorily completed by any assessor, shall be a state charge upon
audit by the comptroller. Candidates for certification as eligible for
the position of assessor, other than assessors, shall be charged for the
cost of training materials and shall be responsible for all other costs
incurred by them in connection with such training.

5. In a city subject to this title, the travel and other actual and
necessary expenses incurred by appraisal personnel employed in the
office of such assessor in attending courses of training as required by
this subdivision shall be a state charge upon audit by the comptroller.

6. To the extent funds are appropriated, all payments pursuant to this
section shall be made from the local assistance account.