House Resolution 32 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Efstration of the 104th, Dickey of the 134th, Hagan of the 156th, and
Buckner of the 137th
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to increase the maximum acreage to
qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property; to provide for
related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection;
and for other purposes.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article VII, Section I, Paragraph III of the Constitution is amended by revising
subparagraph (e)(1) as follows:
"(e) The General Assembly shall provide by general law:
(1) For the definition and methods of assessment and taxation, such methods to include
a formula based on current use, annual productivity, and real property sales data, of: 'bona
fide conservation use property' to include bona fide agricultural and timber land not to
exceed <del>2,000</del> <ins>4,000</ins> acres of a single owner; and 'bona fide residential transitional
property,' to include private single-family residential owner occupied property located in
transitional developing areas not to exceed five acres of any single owner. Such methods
of assessment and taxation shall be subject to the following conditions:
(A) A property owner desiring the benefit of such methods of assessment and
taxation shall be required to enter into a covenant to continue the property in bona fide
conservation use or bona fide residential transitional use; and
(B) A breach of such covenant within ten years shall result in a recapture of the tax
savings resulting from such methods of assessment and taxation and may result in other
appropriate penalties;"
SECTION 2.
The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the
above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:
"( ) YES Shall the Constitution of Georgia, for the purpose of protecting family
( ) NO farmland, be amended so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for
assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property from 2,000
acres to 4,000 acres?"
All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If
such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
become a part of the Constitution of this state.