SLS 16RS-94 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 39
BY SENATOR GATTI
TAX EXEMPTIONS. Constitutional amendment increasing level of assessed valuation at
which homestead exemption applies. (2/3 - CA13s1(A))
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article VII, Section 20(A)(1) of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative
3 to the amount of assessed valuation at which the homestead exemption applies; to
4 increase the level of assessed valuation of property at which the homestead
5 exemption applies; to provide for implementation; to provide for an effective date;
6 and to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors and provide
7 a ballot proposition.
8 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
9 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state, for
10 their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to amend Article VII,
11 Section 20(A)(1) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
12 ยง20. Homestead Exemption
13 Section 20.(A) Homeowners.
14 (1) The bona fide homestead, consisting of a tract of land or two or more
15 tracts of land even if the land is classified and assessed at use value pursuant to
16 Article VII, Section 18(C) of this constitution, with a residence on one tract and a
17 field with or without timber on it, pasture, or garden on the other tract or tracts, not
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 39
SLS 16RS-94 ORIGINAL
1 exceeding one hundred sixty acres, buildings and appurtenances, whether rural or
2 urban, owned and occupied by any person or persons owning the property in
3 indivision, shall be exempt from state, parish, and special ad valorem taxes to the
4 extent of the first thousand dollars of the assessed valuation, and seven six
5 thousand five hundred dollars of the assessed valuation which is in excess of the
6 first thirty five hundred dollars of the assessed valuation. The same homestead
7 exemption shall also fully apply to the primary residence, including a mobile home,
8 which serves as a bona fide home and which is owned and occupied by any person
9 or persons owning the property in indivision, regardless of whether the homeowner
10 owns the land upon which the home or mobile home is sited; however, this
11 homestead exemption shall not apply to the land upon which such primary residence
12 is sited if the homeowner does not own the land.
13 * * *
14 Section 2. Be it further resolved that, if approved by the voters, this proposed
15 amendment shall be effective beginning January 1, 2018.
16 Section 3. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
17 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 8,
18 2016.
19 Section 4. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election
20 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
21 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
22 follows:
23 Do you support an amendment to change the levels of assessed value at
24 which the $75,000 homestead exemption applies by retaining the homestead
25 exemption for the first $10,000 of a homestead's value, subjecting the
26 homestead value between $10,001 and $35,000 to property tax, and
27 exempting the homestead value between $35,001 and $100,000?
28 (Amends Article VII, Section 20(A)(1))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 39
SLS 16RS-94 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Leonore Heavey.
DIGEST
SB 39 Original 2016 Regular Session Gatti
Present constitution exempts from certain property taxes the first $7,500 of assessed
valuation ($75,000 of fair market value) of a homestead.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains provisions of present constitution with respect
to the $7,500 homestead exemption but changes the level of assessed value at which the
homestead exemption applies.
Proposed constitutional amendment beginning January 1, 2018, maintains an overall
exemption of $7,500 of assessed value but makes the assessed value between $1,000 and
$3,500 taxable. The first $10,000 of fair market value would be exempt, the fair market
value between $10,001 and $35,000 would be taxable, and the fair market value between
$35,001 and $100,000 would be exempt.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held on
November 8, 2016.
(Amends Const. Art. VII, Sec. 20(A)(1))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.