HB805: HB805 Dublin, City of; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

This bill creates a floating homestead exemption for homeowners in the City of Dublin independent school district. Instead of paying school taxes on the full current assessed value of their home each year, eligible homeowners would only be taxed on a 'base year' value that can rise by at most 20 percent per year, plus the value of any major improvements. The difference between the actual current value and this adjusted base value is exempted from City of Dublin school taxes. The exemption applies only to school district taxes for educational purposes, not to state, county, or bond-related taxes, and only for tax years 2026 through 2030, after which it is set to expire. It requires a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly and must be approved by voters in a November 2025 referendum. If voters reject it or no election is held, the whole Act is automatically repealed about a year later.

• Creates a homestead exemption for City of Dublin independent school district taxes that limits taxable value growth to 20 percent per year above a base year value.
• Limits the exemption to tax years 2026 through 2030, after which it expires automatically under the bill's terms.
• Requires homeowners to apply once with the City of Dublin's governing authority, after which the exemption renews automatically each year.
• Allows a surviving spouse to keep receiving the exemption as long as they continue living in the home as their homestead.
• Requires the exemption to go before Dublin school district voters in a November 2025 referendum before it can take effect.
• Excludes state, county, and bond-related taxes from the exemption, and replaces (rather than stacks with) any existing similar local exemption.

Homeowners who claim a homestead in the City of Dublin independent school district, their surviving spouses, the City of Dublin's governing authority and election superintendent who must administer the exemption and referendum, and the school district that collects the affected property taxes.

If approved by voters, eligible Dublin homeowners would see their school district property tax bills grow more slowly even as their home values rise, because taxable value increases would be capped at 20 percent a year through 2030, though the break does not apply to county, state, or bond taxes.

• Section 1 defines key terms like 'base year assessed value,' 'adjusted base year assessed value,' and 'substantial property change' that determine how the exemption is calculated each year.
• Section 1(b) grants the exemption equal to the difference between a home's current assessed value and its adjusted base year value, capped at 20 percent annual growth.
• Section 1(f) states the exemption applies only to City of Dublin school district educational taxes, not state, county, or bond taxes, and replaces any similar existing local exemption.
• Section 1(g) limits the exemption to tax years 2026 through 2030.
• Section 2 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the Act to become law, per the Georgia Constitution.
• Section 3 requires a November 2025 referendum in the Dublin school district; if voters reject it or no election occurs, the Act is automatically repealed about 365 days later.
• Section 4 sets the effective date as the Governor's approval or the law taking effect without signature, except for the referendum provisions.

1. 2025-05-09Effective Date 2025-05-09
2. 2025-05-09Act 106
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-31Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-28House Passed/Adopted (House)

• James Hatchett (R, HD-155)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 28, 2025

   160 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 12 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #332

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #381

• property taxes
• homestead exemption
• Dublin school district
• local referendum
• school funding