Section 354. Certification of assessors

1. Any person appointed to the
  office of chief or inferior assessor or city assessor shall be certified
  by the state board 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  state  board  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 state board. The basic course of training shall be prescribed by the
  state board based upon  one  or  more  general  characteristics  of  the
  assessing units as the state board shall determine.
    3.  (a) An assessor may be certified by the state board if such person
  satisfies the minimum qualification standards established by  the  state
  board  for assessors and passes a comprehensive examination conducted by
  the state board. The state board 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  state board 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 state  board,  including  continuing
  education courses prescribed by the state board 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.