HB 476: Watson-Stephens-Petrea-Franklin Tax Relief Act; enact

Currently, Bryan County homeowners' school property taxes rise as their home's assessed value goes up each year. This bill would create a homestead exemption that limits how much of that increase is taxable. It sets a 'base year' assessed value (generally the value from the year before the exemption starts) and allows the taxable value to grow each year only by an inflation-adjusted amount, plus the value of any major additions or improvements to the property. The exemption applies only to Bryan County school district taxes for education, not to state, county, municipal, or bond-related taxes. Homeowners already getting the exemption in 2025 would be enrolled automatically in 2026; others must apply through the Bryan County tax commissioner. Because it changes school taxation, the Georgia Constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers and local voter approval. If approved in a November 2025 referendum, the exemption starts January 1, 2026; if rejected, the whole Act is automatically repealed a year later.

• Creates a homestead exemption that limits annual increases in the taxable (assessed) value of a home for Bryan County school district tax purposes.
• Ties the allowed yearly increase in taxable value to an inflation rate the Bryan County tax commissioner calculates, plus the value of any substantial home improvements.
• Automatically re-enrolls homeowners who already had a similar exemption in 2025, without requiring a new application, if they remain eligible in 2026.
• Excludes state, county, municipal, and independent school district taxes, and bond repayment taxes, from the exemption.
• Requires Bryan County to hold a November 2025 referendum; the exemption only takes effect if voters approve it, and the whole Act repeals automatically if they don't.
• Prevents homeowners from stacking this exemption with another base-year value homestead exemption for the same school taxes, applying whichever is more favorable.

Homeowners in the Bryan County school district who claim a homestead exemption, the Bryan County tax commissioner's office, which must calculate inflation rates and process applications, and Bryan County election officials, who must run the November 2025 referendum.

If approved by voters, Bryan County homeowners could see their school tax bills grow more slowly during years of rising property values, since only inflation-adjusted increases (plus the value of major improvements) would count toward taxable value, rather than the full market increase.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Watson-Stephens-Petrea-Franklin Tax Relief Act.'
• Section 2 defines key terms like 'base year assessed value' and 'adjusted base year assessed value' and creates the exemption, capping annual taxable value increases for Bryan County school taxes.
• Section 2(c) automatically re-enrolls people who held the exemption in 2025 into the 2026 version without a new application.
• Section 2(e) clarifies the exemption applies only to Bryan County school taxes, not state, county, municipal, or bond taxes, and cannot be combined with another base-year exemption for the same taxes.
• Section 2(f) directs the Bryan County tax commissioner to set an annual inflation index, which may use the federal Consumer Price Index.
• Section 3 requires a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate for the Act to become law, as mandated by the Georgia Constitution for local tax changes.
• Section 4 schedules a Bryan County referendum for November 2025; if voters reject it or the election isn't held properly, the Act repeals automatically 365 days after the election date.
• Section 5 sets the effective date as the Governor's approval, except for the exemption itself, which depends on the referendum outcome.

1. 2025-05-09Effective Date
2. 2025-05-09Act 102
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-28Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-21House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)Primary sponsor
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 21, 2025

   170 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 3 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #58

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 28, 2025

   51 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 2 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #106

• property taxes
• homestead exemption
• Bryan County
• school taxes
• local referendum