25 LC 44 3167 House Bill 870 By: Representatives Neal of the 79 th , Bell of the 75 th , Scott of the 76 th , Douglas of the 78 th , Flournoy of the 74 th , and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To provide a homestead exemption from Clayton County ad valorem taxes for county 1 purposes in an amount equal to the amount by which the current year assessed value of a2 homestead exceeds the base year assessed value of such homestead for residents of that3 county who are disabled veterans, senior citizens, unremarried surviving spouses of a peace4 officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty, or 100 percent disabled; to provide for5 definitions; to specify the terms and conditions of the exemption and the procedures relating6 thereto; to provide for applicability and a sunset; to provide for compliance with7 constitutional requirements; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, automatic repeal,8 mandatory execution of election, and judicial remedies regarding failure to comply; to9 provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11 SECTION 1.12 (a) As used in this Act, the term:13 (1) "Ad valorem taxes for county purposes" means all ad valorem taxes for county14 purposes levied by, for, or on behalf of Clayton County, except for any ad valorem taxes15 to pay interest on and to retire county bonded indebtedness.16 H. B. 870 - 1 - 25 LC 44 3167 (2) "Adjusted base year assessed value" means the sum of: 17 (A) The previous adjusted base year assessed value;18 (B) An amount equal to the difference between the current year assessed value of the19 homestead and the base year assessed value of the homestead, provided that such20 amount shall not exceed the total of the previous adjusted base year assessed value of21 the homestead multiplied by the inflation rate for the prior year; and22 (C) The value of any substantial property change, provided that no such value added23 improvements to the homestead shall be duplicated as to the same addition or24 improvement.25 (3) "Base year assessed value" means:26 (A) With respect to an exemption under this Act which is first granted to a person on27 such person's homestead for the 2026 taxable year, the assessed value for taxable year28 2025, including any final determination of value on appeal pursuant to Code Section29 48-5-311 of the O.C.G.A., as amended, of the homestead; or30 (B) In all other cases, the assessed value, including any final determination of value on31 appeal pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311 of the O.C.G.A., as amended, of the32 homestead from the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which the33 exemption under this Act is first granted to the applicant.34 (4) "Homestead" means homestead as defined and qualified in Code Section 48-5-40 of35 the O.C.G.A., as amended, with the additional qualification that it shall include not more36 than five contiguous acres of homestead property.37 (5) "Inflation rate" means the annual inflationary index rate as determined for a given38 year by the commissioner of revenue in accordance with subsection (f) of this section.39 (6) "Previous adjusted base year assessed value" means:40 (A) With respect to the year for which the exemption under this Act is first granted to41 a person on such person's homestead, the base year assessed value; or42 H. B. 870 - 2 - 25 LC 44 3167 (B) In all other cases, the adjusted base year assessed value of the homestead as 43 calculated in the taxable year immediately preceding the current year, including any44 final determination of value on appeal pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311 of the45 O.C.G.A., as amended.46 (7) "Substantial property change" means any increase or decrease in the assessed value47 of a homestead derived from additions or improvements to, or the removal of real48 property from, the homestead which occurred after the year in which the base year49 assessed value is determined for the homestead. The assessed value of the substantial50 property changes shall be established following any final determination of value on51 appeal pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311 of the O.C.G.A., as amended.52 (b)(1) Subject to the limitations provided in this Act, each resident of Clayton County53 who meets the terms for an exemption pursuant to Code Section 48-5-48, 48-5-48.3, or54 48-5-48.4 of the O.C.G.A., as amended, or who is 100 percent disabled is granted an55 exemption on that person's homestead from ad valorem taxes in an amount equal to the56 amount by which the current year assessed value of that homestead, including any final57 determination of value on appeal pursuant to Code Section 48-5-311 of the O.C.G.A., as58 amended, exceeds its previous adjusted base year assessed value.59 (2) Except as provided for in subsection (b.1) of this section, no exemption provided for60 in this subsection shall transfer to any subsequent owner of the property, and the assessed61 value of the property shall be as provided by law.62 (b.1) The surviving spouse of the person who has been granted the exemption provided for63 in subsection (b) of this section shall continue to receive the exemption provided under64 subsection (b) of this section, so long as such surviving spouse continues to occupy the65 residence as a homestead.66 (c)(1) In order to qualify for the exemption provided for in subsection (b) of this section67 as being 100 percent disabled, the person claiming such exemption shall be required to68 obtain a certificate from not more than three physicians licensed to practice medicine69 H. B. 870 - 3 - 25 LC 44 3167 under Chapter 34 of Title 43 of the O.C.G.A., as amended, certifying that in the opinion 70 of such physician or physicians, such person is mentally or physically incapacitated to the71 extent that such person is unable to be gainfully employed and that such incapacity is72 likely to be permanent. Such certificate or certificates shall constitute part of and be73 submitted with the application provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection.74 (2) A person shall not receive the homestead exemption granted by subsection (b) of this75 section unless such person or person's agent files an application with the tax76 commissioner of Clayton County, giving such person's age and such additional77 information relative to receiving such exemption as will enable the tax commissioner of78 Clayton County to make a determination regarding the initial and continuing eligibility79 of such person for such exemption. The tax commissioner of Clayton County shall80 provide application forms for this purpose.81 (d) The exemption shall be claimed and returned as provided in Code Section 48-5-50.1 of82 the O.C.G.A., as amended. The exemption shall be automatically renewed from year to year83 so long as the person granted the homestead exemption under subsection (b) of this section84 occupies the residence as a homestead. After such person has filed the proper application as85 provided in subsection (c) of this section, it shall not be necessary to make application86 thereafter for any year, and such exemption shall continue to be allowed to such person. It87 shall be the duty of any such person granted the homestead exemption under subsection (b)88 of this section to notify the tax commissioner of Clayton County in the event that such person89 for any reason becomes ineligible for such exemption.90 (e) The exemption granted by subsection (b) of this section shall not apply to or affect any91 state ad valorem taxes, county or independent school district ad valorem taxes for educational92 purposes, or municipal ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes.93 (e.1)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the homestead94 exemption granted by subsection (b) of this section shall be in addition to and not in lieu95 of any other homestead exemption applicable to ad valorem taxes.96 H. B. 870 - 4 - 25 LC 44 3167 (2) The homestead exemption granted by subsection (b) of this section shall not be 97 applied in addition to any other base year value homestead exemption provided by law98 with respect to Clayton County. In any such event, the tax commissioner of Clayton99 County shall apply only the base year value homestead exemption that is larger or more100 beneficial for the taxpayer to which more than one base year value homestead exemption101 applies.102 (f) For the purposes of this section, the commissioner of revenue shall promulgate a103 standardized method for determining annual inflationary index rates which reflect the effects104 of inflation and deflation on the cost of living for residents of this state for a given calendar105 year. Such method may utilize the Consumer Price Index as reported by the Bureau of Labor106 Statistics of the United States Department of Labor or any other similar index established by107 the federal government if the commissioner of revenue determines that such federal index108 fairly reflects the effects of inflation and deflation on residents of this state.109 (g) The exemption granted by subsection (b) of this section shall apply to all taxable years110 beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and shall end on December 31, 2030.111 SECTION 2.112 In accordance with the requirements of Article VII, Section II of the Constitution of the State113 of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the requisite two-thirds' majority114 vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.115 SECTION 3.116 The election superintendent of Clayton County shall call and conduct an election as provided117 in this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of Clayton County for118 approval or rejection. The election superintendent shall conduct that election on the Tuesday119 following the first Monday in November of 2025 and shall issue the call and conduct that120 election as provided by general law. The election superintendent shall cause the date and121 H. B. 870 - 5 - 25 LC 44 3167 purpose of the election to be published once a week for two weeks immediately preceding 122 the date thereof in the official organ of Clayton County. The ballot shall have written or123 printed thereon the words:124 "( ) YES125 126 ( ) NO127 128 129 Shall the Act be approved which provides a homestead exemption from Clayton County ad valorem taxes for disabled veterans, senior citizens, unremarried surviving spouses of a peace officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty, and 100 percent disabled residents, to begin on January 1, 2026, and end on December 31, 2030?" All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and all persons desiring 130 to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on131 such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 of this Act shall become of full force and132 effect on January 1, 2026. If the Act is not so approved or if the election is not conducted133 as provided in this section, Section 1 of this Act shall not become effective, and this Act shall134 be automatically repealed on the 365th calendar day following the election date provided for135 in this section. The expense of such election shall be borne by Clayton County. It shall be136 the election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of State. The137 provisions of this section shall be mandatory upon the election superintendent and are not138 intended as directory. If the election superintendent fails or refuses to comply with this139 section, any elector of Clayton County may apply for a writ of mandamus to compel the140 election superintendent to perform his or her duties under this section. If the court finds that141 the election superintendent has not complied with this section, the court shall fashion142 appropriate relief requiring the election superintendent to call and conduct such election on143 the date required by this section or on the next date authorized for special elections provided144 for in Code Section 21-2-540 of the O.C.G.A.145 H. B. 870 - 6 - 25 LC 44 3167 SECTION 4. 146 Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon147 its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.148 SECTION 5.149 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.150 H. B. 870 - 7 -