---
title: HR 400. Georgia Keys for Heroes Amendment; provide by law - CA
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr400
cite_as: HR 400, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr400
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr400.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr400/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70859
date: 2026-02-26
status: introduced
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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next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr401.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 185
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr400.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 400
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported
sponsors:
- Josh Bonner
- Lynn Heffner
- Demetrius Douglas
- Lydia Glaize
- Matthew Gambill
- Will Wade
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR400/2025
upstream_id: 1985832
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- property taxes
- disabled veterans
- homestead exemption
- constitutional amendment
- military benefits
---
# HR 400. Georgia Keys for Heroes Amendment; provide by law - CA
## Text
House Resolution 400
By: Representatives Heffner of the 130th, Douglas of the 78th, Glaize of the 67th, Gambill of
the 15th, and Wade of the 9th
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia so as to authorize the
General Assembly to provide by law for a homestead exemption for an additional 100
percent disabled veterans' homestead exemption for the full assessed value of a homestead
in certain circumstances; to authorize municipalities to seek supplementary funding to offset
lost revenue from the homestead exemption; to provide for a short title; to provide for
submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This resolution shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Keys for Heroes
Amendment."
SECTION 2.
Article VII, Section II of the Constitution is amended by adding a new Paragraph to read as
follows:
"Paragraph VI. Additional disabled veterans' homestead exemption. (a) The General
Assembly shall provide by general law for the creation of an additional 100 percent
disabled veterans' homestead exemption for the full assessed value of a homestead upon
a disabled veteran procuring a loan or otherwise financing the development of new
residential construction, obtaining or receiving a residential structure by inheritance, or
purchasing an existing residential structure, for the purpose of use as a primary residence.
(b) The general law provided for in subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall also include
authorization for municipalities to seek supplementary funding to offset lost revenue from
the homestead exemption provided for in subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph."
SECTION 3.
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 be amended so as to authorize the General
Assembly to provide by general law for the creation of an additional 100
( ) NO percent disabled veterans' homestead exemption for the full assessed value
of a homestead upon procuring a loan or otherwise financing the
development of new residential construction, obtaining or receiving a
residential structure by inheritance, or purchasing an existing residential
structure, for the purpose of use as a primary residence, and authorization
for municipalities to seek supplementary funding to offset lost revenue from
the homestead exemption?"
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.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Resolution 400 would ask Georgia voters to amend the state constitution so 100 percent disabled veterans could get a full property tax exemption on a primary home, whether newly built, inherited, or purchased.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's constitution currently limits how homestead exemptions (breaks on property taxes for a primary home) can be created. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment letting the General Assembly pass a law creating a new, additional homestead exemption for 100 percent disabled veterans that would cover the full assessed value of their home, not just a partial amount.
The exemption would apply when a disabled veteran finances new home construction, inherits a residential structure, or buys an existing home to use as their primary residence. The amendment also lets any resulting law allow municipalities to seek extra state funding to make up for the property tax revenue they would lose from granting this exemption. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it must be approved by Georgia voters in a statewide referendum before it takes effect, and the resolution sets out the exact ballot question voters would see.
### What it does
- Proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to pass a law creating a new homestead exemption specifically for 100 percent disabled veterans.
- Would let that future law cover the full assessed value of a veteran's home, not a partial exemption.
- Applies the exemption to homes obtained through new construction financing, inheritance, or purchase, as long as the home is the veteran's primary residence.
- Allows the future law to let municipalities apply for supplementary state funding to offset the property tax revenue they lose from the exemption.
- Sends the proposed amendment to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection via a statewide ballot question.
### Who it affects
100 percent disabled veterans in Georgia who own or plan to acquire a primary residence, municipalities that would lose property tax revenue from the exemption and could seek offsetting state funds, and Georgia voters who would decide the measure at the ballot box.
### Why it matters
If voters approve this amendment and the General Assembly later passes the enabling law, qualifying disabled veterans could owe no property tax on their primary home's full value, potentially saving them significant money each year, while municipalities could apply for state help to cover the resulting revenue loss.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the measure the 'Georgia Keys for Heroes Amendment.'
- Section 2 adds a new paragraph to Article VII, Section II of the Georgia Constitution directing the General Assembly to create the additional disabled veterans' homestead exemption by general law.
- Section 2 specifies the exemption applies to new construction financing, inherited homes, or purchased existing homes used as a primary residence.
- Section 2 requires any enabling law to also let municipalities seek supplementary funding to offset lost revenue from the exemption.
- Section 3 sets the exact ballot language voters will see and specifies that ratification adds the amendment to the state constitution.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported (2026-02-26)
- Sponsors: Josh Bonner, Lynn Heffner, Demetrius Douglas, Lydia Glaize, Matthew Gambill, Will Wade
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70859
> The history, votes, and amendments (185 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr400.md?full=1