| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 44 3075 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Bill 547 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Cannon of the 172 |
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| 4 | 4 | | nd |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Dickey of the 134 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Corbett of the 174 |
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| 8 | 8 | | th |
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| 9 | 9 | | , Meeks |
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| 10 | 10 | | of the 178 |
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| 11 | 11 | | th |
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| 12 | 12 | | , Huddleston of the 72 |
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| 13 | 13 | | nd |
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| 14 | 14 | | , and others |
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| 15 | 15 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT |
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| 17 | 17 | | To amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1 |
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| 19 | 19 | | preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential2 |
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| 20 | 20 | | transitional property, so as to permit the combination of multiple covenants of a single owner3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | into a single, new, ten-year covenant; to provide for exceptions; to provide for related4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1.7 |
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| 25 | 25 | | Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to preferential8 |
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| 26 | 26 | | assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional9 |
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| 27 | 27 | | property, is amended by adding a new subsection to read as follows:10 |
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| 28 | 28 | | "(e.1)(1) A single owner, as described in subparagraph (a)(1)(C) of this Code section, |
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| 29 | 29 | | 11 |
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| 30 | 30 | | who has multiple parcels of bona fide conservation use property that are collectively12 |
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| 31 | 31 | | subject to more than one valid covenant under this Code section may combine such13 |
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| 32 | 32 | | parcels and covenants in whole under a single, new, ten-year covenant for bona fide14 |
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| 33 | 33 | | conservation use without constituting a breach of any of the covenants, provided that all15 |
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| 34 | 34 | | H. B. 547 |
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| 35 | 35 | | - 1 - 25 LC 44 3075 |
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| 36 | 36 | | such property would be otherwise eligible to be placed under a renewal covenant under16 |
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| 37 | 37 | | this Code section by the owner upon the natural expiration of the original covenant.17 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) The provisions of this subsection shall not permit or be construed to:18 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (A) Allow any portion of property held under a covenant to be removed from the19 |
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| 40 | 40 | | covenant without being combined into the new covenant;20 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (B) Change any requirements for what constitutes qualified property; or21 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (C) Change any requirements for what constitutes qualifying use for purposes of this22 |
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| 43 | 43 | | Code section.23 |
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| 44 | 44 | | (3) A single owner, as described in subparagraph (a)(1)(C) of this Code section, desiring24 |
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| 45 | 45 | | to proceed with combining parcels pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall first25 |
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| 46 | 46 | | file a real property tax return with the appropriate board of tax assessors on or before the26 |
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| 47 | 47 | | deadline to file a real property tax return.27 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (4) Parcels on which delinquent taxes are owed shall not be eligible to be combined28 |
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| 49 | 49 | | pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection."29 |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2.30 |
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| 51 | 51 | | This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.31 |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3.32 |
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| 53 | 53 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.33 |
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| 54 | 54 | | H. B. 547 |
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| 55 | 55 | | - 2 - |
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