HB 1148: Income tax; donation of real property for conservation purposes; revise tax credits

Georgia currently lets landowners claim an income tax credit for donating real property or conservation easements for conservation purposes, but the program's yearly cap dropped to $4 million after 2021 and is set to stop taking new applications after 2026. This bill raises the per-donation credit cap from $500,000 to $1 million and from 25 percent to 50 percent of the property's fair market value, and raises the yearly per-taxpayer caps from $250,000 to $500,000 (for individual filers) and $500,000 to $1 million (for corporate filers). The bill also restores the statewide cap on total credits to $30 million per year for 2026 through 2031, and pushes the deadline for new applications from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2031. It eliminates the State Properties Commission's role in reviewing donation appraisals, giving that job to the Department of Natural Resources, and repeals the specific monetary penalty for appraisers who submit inflated valuations, instead directing the Department of Natural Resources to refer such appraisers to the Georgia Real Estate Commission for possible discipline. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Raises the maximum tax credit per conservation donation from $500,000 to $1 million and from 25 percent to 50 percent of the property's fair market value.
• Raises the annual per-taxpayer credit caps from $250,000 to $500,000 for individual income tax filers and from $500,000 to $1 million for corporate filers.
• Restores the total statewide cap on these tax credits to $30 million per year for 2026 through 2031, up from the $4 million yearly cap that applied through 2026.
• Extends the deadline for new applications for this tax credit from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2031.
• Removes the State Properties Commission from the appraisal review process and gives the Department of Natural Resources authority to review appraisals for inflated valuations.
• Repeals the specific dollar penalty for appraisers who submit inflated valuations and instead has the Department of Natural Resources refer them to the Georgia Real Estate Commission for possible discipline.

Landowners who donate real property or conservation easements to the state, local governments, the federal government, or accredited land trusts for conservation purposes; appraisers who value donated conservation land; the Department of Natural Resources, which takes over appraisal review; and the State Properties Commission, whose role in this program is eliminated.

Landowners considering a conservation donation could receive a substantially larger tax credit and more years to apply, while the state's total yearly cost for these credits could rise back to $30 million. Appraisers who overvalue donated land would now face professional licensing referral rather than a specific financial penalty.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-7-29.12 to raise the per-donation credit limit from the lesser of $500,000 or 25 percent of fair market value to the lesser of $1 million or 50 percent of fair market value.
• Raises the annual per-taxpayer caps under subsection (f) from $250,000 to $500,000 (individual tax liability) and from $500,000 to $1 million (corporate tax liability), with unused credit still carrying forward up to five years.
• Extends the aggregate statewide credit cap of $30 million per year to the period June 1, 2026 through December 31, 2031, and moves the application cutoff date from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2031.
• Removes references to the State Properties Commission throughout the code section, shifting appraisal review and rulemaking authority to the Department of Natural Resources and the Board of Natural Resources.
• Repeals the detailed penalty formula for appraisers who submit substantially misstated valuations, replacing it with a requirement that the Department of Natural Resources report such appraisers to the Georgia Real Estate Commission for investigation and possible discipline.
• Section 2 makes the Act effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without the Governor's signature.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-02-04House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-03House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-02House Hopper (House)

• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)Primary sponsor
• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
• Steven Meeks (R, HD-178)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   163 yea, 3 nay (5 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #622

• conservation tax credits
• land donations
• property conservation
• income tax law
• Department of Natural Resources