HB 1515: Madison County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

This bill creates a new property tax break specifically for older homeowners in the Madison County school district. Residents who are 70 or older and who own and occupy their home as a primary residence (a homestead) would have $75,000 of their home's assessed value exempted from school district property taxes used for education. The rest of the home's value above that amount would still be taxed as usual. The exemption would not apply to state, county, or municipal property taxes, or to taxes used to pay off school bond debt. Homeowners must apply once with the Madison County tax commissioner, and the exemption renews automatically each year after that. Because this changes local tax law, Georgia's Constitution requires the change to go before Madison County school district voters in a November 2026 referendum. If approved, and if no separate statewide constitutional property tax exemption passes at the same election, the exemption starts January 1, 2027. Otherwise the bill is automatically repealed.

• Creates a $75,000 homestead exemption from Madison County school district property taxes (ad valorem taxes for education) for homeowners age 70 or older.
• Requires homeowners to apply once with the Madison County tax commissioner, after which the exemption renews automatically each year without a new application.
• Excludes the exemption from applying to state, county, municipal, or independent school district taxes, and from school bond debt taxes.
• Makes the exemption apply in place of, not in addition to, any other homestead exemption for Madison County school district taxes.
• Requires a countywide referendum in November 2026 before the exemption can take effect, with automatic repeal if voters reject it or if a competing statewide constitutional exemption passes instead.
• Sets the exemption to begin for tax years starting January 1, 2027, if approved by voters.

Homeowners age 70 or older who live in the Madison County school district, the Madison County tax commissioner's office, which processes applications, and the Madison County election superintendent, who must organize the November 2026 referendum on the exemption.

For eligible senior homeowners in Madison County, this would lower the portion of their property tax bill that funds local schools, potentially saving them money each year. The change depends entirely on voter approval in a 2026 referendum and would not affect younger homeowners, other counties, or non-school property taxes.

• Section 1 defines key terms, sets the exemption at $75,000 of assessed home value for residents 70 or older, and describes the application and renewal process through the Madison County tax commissioner.
• Section 1(e) clarifies the exemption applies only to Madison County school district education taxes and replaces rather than stacks with other homestead exemptions.
• Section 1(f) sets the exemption's start date as tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
• Section 2 requires the Act to pass by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate under Georgia's constitutional rules for local tax changes.
• Section 3 requires a November 2026 referendum in the Madison County school district, specifies the ballot language, and provides that the Act is automatically repealed 365 days after the election if voters reject it, the election is not held, or a statewide constitutional property tax exemption passes instead.
• Section 4 sets the effective date as approval by the Governor, except for the referendum-related provisions in Section 3.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 577
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• property taxes
• homestead exemption
• Madison County
• school funding
• senior citizens