---
title: HB 1562. Pike County; ad valorem tax; increase amount of homestead exemption for residents who are totally disabled
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1562
cite_as: HB 1562, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1562
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1562.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1562/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74117
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 926
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1562.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1562
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-05-11
sponsors:
  - Beth Camp
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1562/2025
upstream_id: 2134579
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - property taxes
  - homestead exemption
  - Pike County
  - disability benefits
  - local referendum
---

# HB 1562. Pike County; ad valorem tax; increase amount of homestead exemption for residents who are totally disabled

## Text

House Bill 1562 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representative Camp of the 135th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend an Act providing a homestead exemption from all Pike County ad valorem taxes
for county purposes for certain residents of that county who are totally disabled, approved
May 13, 2002 (Ga. L. 2002, p. 5732), so as to increase the amount of the homestead
exemption for residents of Pike County who are totally disabled; to provide for increased
amounts of homestead exemptions for certain residents who have resided in the county for
a certain amount of time; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to
provide for a referendum, effective dates, automatic repeal, mandatory execution of election,
and judicial remedies regarding failure to comply; to provide for applicability; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
An Act providing a homestead exemption from all Pike County ad valorem taxes for county
purposes for certain residents of that county who are totally disabled, approved May 13, 2002
(Ga. L. 2002, p. 5732), is amended by revising subsection (b) of Section 1 as follows:
"(b)(1) Each resident of Pike County who is totally disabled is granted an exemption on
that person's homestead from all Pike County ad valorem taxes for county purposes as
follows:
(A) For all residents of Pike County who are totally disabled, in the amount of
$15,000.00 of the assessed value of that homestead;
(B) Beginning with the 2028 taxable year, for residents of Pike County who are totally
disabled and age 70 or older who have resided in the county for five to nine years,
$17,500.00 of the assessed value of that homestead;
(C) Beginning with the 2031 taxable year, for residents of Pike County who are totally
disabled and age 75 or older who have resided in the county for ten to 19 years,
$22,500.00 of the assessed value of that homestead; and
(D) Beginning with the 2035 taxable year, for residents of Pike County who are totally
disabled and age 80 or older who have resided in the county for 20 years or more,
$30,000.00 of the assessed value of that homestead.
(2) For the purpose of this section, the amount of time residing in the county is the total
amount of time a totally disabled person has lived in the county and need not be
consecutive."
SECTION 2.
In accordance with the requirements of Article VII, Section II of the Constitution of the State
of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the requisite two-thirds' majority
vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
SECTION 3.
The election superintendent of Pike County shall call and conduct an election as provided in
this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of Pike County for approval
or rejection. The election superintendent shall conduct the election on the Tuesday following
the first Monday in November, 2026, and shall issue the call and conduct that election as
provided by general law. The election superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the
election to be published once a week for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof
in the official organ of Pike County. The ballot shall have written or printed thereon the
words:
"( ) YES Shall the Act be approved which increases the homestead exemption for
totally disabled residents of Pike County to $15,000.00 for all totally
( ) NO disabled residents, $17,500.00 for all totally disabled residents age 70 or
older who have resided in the county for five to nine years, $22,500.00 for
all totally disabled residents age 75 or older who have resided in the county
for ten to 19 years, and $30,000.00 for all totally disabled residents age 80
or older who have resided in the county for 20 or more years?"
All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and all persons desiring
to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on
such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 of this Act shall become of full force and
effect on January 1, 2027. If the Act is not so approved or if the election is not conducted
as provided in this section, Section 1 of this Act shall not become effective, and this Act shall
be automatically repealed on the 365th calendar day following the election date provided for
in this section. The expense of such election shall be borne by Pike County. It shall be the
election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of State. The
provisions of this section shall be mandatory upon the election superintendent and are not
intended as directory. If the election superintendent fails or refuses to comply with this
section, any elector of Pike County may apply for a writ of mandamus to compel the election
superintendent to perform his or her duties under this section. If the court finds that the
election superintendent has not complied with this section, the court shall fashion appropriate
relief requiring the election superintendent to call and conduct such election on the date
required by this section or on the next date authorized for special elections provided for in
Code Section 21-2-540 of the O.C.G.A.
SECTION 4.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon
its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

House Bill 1562 would raise the property tax exemption for totally disabled homeowners in Pike County, with larger exemptions phased in for older residents who have lived in the county longer, pending voter approval in a November 2026 referendum.

### Plain-language summary

Pike County currently offers a homestead exemption from county property taxes for residents who are totally disabled. This bill would increase that exemption and add new tiers based on age and length of residency. All totally disabled residents would get a $15,000 exemption. Starting in 2028, disabled residents age 70 or older who have lived in the county 5 to 9 years would get $17,500. Starting in 2031, those 75 or older with 10 to 19 years of residency would get $22,500. Starting in 2035, those 80 or older with 20 or more years of residency would get $30,000.
Because this changes a local tax exemption, the Georgia Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers and approval by Pike County voters in a referendum set for November 2026. If voters approve, the change takes effect January 1, 2027. If voters reject it or no election is held, the entire Act is automatically repealed a year after the election date.

### What it does

- Raises the base homestead property tax exemption for all totally disabled Pike County residents to $15,000 of assessed home value.
- Creates a $17,500 exemption tier starting in 2028 for disabled residents age 70 or older who have lived in the county 5 to 9 years.
- Creates a $22,500 exemption tier starting in 2031 for disabled residents age 75 or older who have lived in the county 10 to 19 years.
- Creates a $30,000 exemption tier starting in 2035 for disabled residents age 80 or older who have lived in the county 20 or more years.
- Requires a countywide referendum in November 2026 before the new exemption amounts can take effect, with automatic repeal if voters reject it.
- Clarifies that residency time counted toward the higher tiers does not need to be consecutive years.

### Who it affects

Totally disabled homeowners in Pike County who qualify for the homestead exemption, especially older long-term residents who would become eligible for larger exemptions over time. Pike County's tax digest and the county election superintendent, who must run the referendum, are also directly affected.

### Why it matters

If approved by voters, disabled homeowners in Pike County would owe less in county property taxes, with the biggest savings going to older residents who have lived there the longest. The increases phase in gradually through 2035, and the whole plan depends on a successful 2026 referendum.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 rewrites subsection (b) of the 2002 Pike County homestead exemption law to set the $15,000 base exemption and the three new age/residency tiers.
- Section 2 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the Act to become law, as required by the Georgia Constitution for local tax changes.
- Section 3 requires Pike County's election superintendent to hold a referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, with ballot language quoted in the bill.
- Section 3 sets the effective date of January 1, 2027 if voters approve, and provides for automatic repeal 365 days after the election if they do not.
- Section 3 allows any Pike County voter to seek a court order (writ of mandamus) forcing the election superintendent to hold the vote if they fail to do so.
- Section 4 sets the general effective date as upon the Governor's approval or becoming law without signature, except for the referendum timing in Section 3.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-05-11 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Beth Camp
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74117

> The history, votes, and amendments (926 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1562.md?full=1