(a) There shall be a division of the state board of tax appeals known as the small claims and expedited hearings division. Hearing officers appointed by the chief hearing officer shall have authority to hear and decide cases heard in the small claims and expedited hearings division.

(b) The small claims and expedited hearings division shall have jurisdiction over hearing and deciding applications for the refund of protested taxes under the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-2005, and amendments thereto, and hearing and deciding appeals from decisions rendered pursuant to the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-1448, and amendments thereto, and of article 16 of chapter 79 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, with regard to single-family residential property. The filing of an appeal with the small claims and expedited hearings division shall be a prerequisite for filing an appeal with the state board of tax appeals for appeals involving single-family residential property.

(c) At the election of the taxpayer, the small claims and expedited hearings division shall have jurisdiction over: (1) Any appeal of a decision, finding, order or ruling of the director of taxation, except an appeal, finding, order or ruling relating to an assessment issued pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-5201 et seq., and amendments thereto, in which the amount of tax in controversy does not exceed $15,000; (2) hearing and deciding applications for the refund of protested taxes under the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-2005, and amendments thereto, where the value of the property, other than property devoted to agricultural use, is less than $3,000,000 as reflected on the valuation notice; and (3) hearing and deciding appeals from decisions rendered pursuant to the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-1448, and amendments thereto, and of article 16 of chapter 79 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, other than those relating to land devoted to agricultural use, wherein the value of the property is less than $3,000,000 as reflected on the valuation notice.

(d) In accordance with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-2438, and amendments thereto, any party may elect to appeal any application or decision referenced in subsection (b) to the state board of tax appeals. Except as provided in subsection (b) regarding single-family residential property, the filing of an appeal with the small claims and expedited hearings division shall not be a prerequisite for filing an appeal with the state board of tax appeals under this section. Final decisions of the small claims and expedited hearings division may be appealed to the state board of tax appeals. An appeal of a decision of the small claims and expedited hearings division to the state board of tax appeals shall be de novo. The county bears the burden of proof in any appeal filed by the county pursuant to this section. With regard to any matter properly submitted to the board relating to the determination of valuation of property for taxation purposes pursuant to this subsection, the board shall not increase the appraised valuation of the property to an amount greater than the final determination of appraised value by the county appraiser from which the taxpayer appealed to the small claims and expedited hearings division.

(e) A taxpayer shall commence a proceeding in the small claims and expedited hearings division by filing a notice of appeal in the form prescribed by the rules of the state board of tax appeals which shall state the nature of the taxpayer’s claim. The notice of appeal may be signed by the taxpayer, any person with an executed declaration of representative form from the property valuation division of the department of revenue or any person authorized to represent the taxpayer in subsection (f). Notice of appeal shall be provided to the appropriate unit of government named in the notice of appeal by the taxpayer. In any valuation appeal or tax protest commenced pursuant to articles 14 and 20 ofchapter 79 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, the hearing shall be conducted in the county where the property is located or a county adjacent thereto. In any appeal from a final determination by the secretary of revenue, the hearing shall be conducted in the county in which the taxpayer resides or a county adjacent thereto.

(f) The hearing in the small claims and expedited hearings division shall be informal. The hearing officer may hear any testimony and receive any evidence the hearing officer deems necessary or desirable for a just determination of the case. A hearing officer shall have the authority to administer oaths in all matters before the hearing officer. All testimony shall be given under oath. A party may appear personally or may be represented by an attorney, a certified public accountant, a certified general appraiser, a tax representative or agent, a member of the taxpayer’s immediate family or an authorized employee of the taxpayer. A county or unified government may be represented by the county appraiser, designee of the county appraiser, county attorney or counselor or other representatives so designated. No transcript of the proceedings shall be kept.

(g) The hearing in the small claims and expedited hearings division shall be conducted within 60 days after the appeal is filed in the small claims and expedited hearings division unless such time period is waived by the taxpayer. A decision shall be rendered by the hearing officer within 30 days after the hearing is concluded and, in cases arising from appeals described by subsections (b) and (c)(2) and (3), shall be accompanied by a written explanation of the reasoning upon which such decision is based. Documents provided by a taxpayer or county or district appraiser shall be returned to the taxpayer or the county or district appraiser by the hearing officer and shall not become a part of the board’s permanent records. Documents provided to the hearing officer shall be confidential and may not be disclosed, except as otherwise specifically provided.

(h) With regard to any matter properly submitted to the division relating to the determination of valuation of property for taxation purposes, it shall be the duty of the county appraiser to initiate the production of evidence to demonstrate, by a preponderance of the evidence, the validity and correctness of such determination. No presumption shall exist in favor of the county appraiser with respect to the validity and correctness of such determination. With regard to leased commercial and industrial property, the burden of proof shall be on the taxpayer unless the taxpayer has furnished the county or district appraiser, within 30 calendar days following the informal meeting required by Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-1448, and amendments thereto, or within 30 calendar days following the informal meeting required by Kan. Stat. Ann. § 79-2005, and amendments thereto, a complete income and expense statement for the property for the three years next preceding the year of appeal. Such income and expense statement shall be in such format that is regularly maintained by the taxpayer in the ordinary course of the taxpayer’s business. If the taxpayer submits a single property appraisal with an effective date of January 1 of the year appealed, the burden of proof shall return to the county appraiser. With regard to any matter properly submitted to the division relating to the determination of valuation of property for taxation purposes, the hearing officer shall not increase the appraised valuation of the property to an amount greater than the final determination of appraised value by the county appraiser from which the taxpayer appealed.