SB 257 - For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, this act allows telephone companies to make a one-time election of whether to have their property assessed in the same manner as railroads, as in current law, or in the same manner as railroads for property consisting of land and buildings and under a depreciation schedule for all other forms of property, as described in the act. If a school district receives less tax revenue as a result of a telephone company selecting the alternate assessment method than it would have received in 2017 under the current assessment method, it shall increase its levy pursuant to current law if the current levy is below the tax rate ceiling. If the current levy is at the tax rate ceiling, the school district shall be entitled to a fee in an amount equal to the difference between the revenue it receives after the selection of the alternate assessment method and the revenue it would have received if the telephone company had not selected the alternate assessment method. The fee shall be remitted by the telephone company to the county collector, who shall distribute the fee to the school district. A school district's receipt of such fee shall not be used in determining the amount of state aid that a district receives under the school foundation formula. This act is identical to HB 142 (2017), is substantially similar to HCS/HB 1898 (2016), and is similar to SB 305 (2015) and HCS/HB 857 (2015), and to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 299 (2015) and SS/SB 339 (2015). JOSHUA NORBERG