Georgia CommonsHouse · Failed · 2026 Special Session
HB 71: Blackshear, City of; ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption
Last action June 23, 2026 · House Lost Reconsidered Bill/Resolution
A House bill would give homeowners in the City of Blackshear a break on property taxes for their primary home, funded by a new 1 percent local sales tax in Pierce County, pending voter approval in a November 2026 referendum.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This bill applies only to the City of Blackshear in Pierce County. It would create a homestead exemption (a break on property taxes for a primary home) from the city's property taxes, covering the full assessed value of a homeowner's homestead property within a special tax district that matches Pierce County's boundaries. The money to offset the lost tax revenue would come from a new Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST), a 1 percent local sales tax authorized under a separate section of Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 48-8-109.50 and related sections). Homeowners would have to apply for the exemption once, and it would renew automatically each year as long as they remain eligible. The exemption would run from the year after voters approve it through the end of 2039. Because it involves a constitutional homestead exemption, the bill needs a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, and voters in the special district would decide its fate in a November 2026 referendum. If voters reject it or the election isn't held properly, the bill repeals itself automatically about a year after the election date.
What the bill does
- Creates a homestead exemption that eliminates city property taxes on the full assessed value of a homeowner's primary residence within the Pierce County special district.
- Ties the exemption's funding to a new 1 percent Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) collected within the same special district.
- Requires homeowners to apply once for the exemption, after which it renews automatically each year without a new application as long as they stay eligible.
- Sets the exemption to apply starting the year after voter approval and to run through December 31, 2039.
- Requires a two-thirds majority vote in both legislative chambers and a local voter referendum before the exemption can take effect.
- Automatically repeals the entire Act if voters reject it or if the required election is not properly conducted.
Who it affects
Homeowners in the City of Blackshear who claim their property as a homestead, the city's tax officials who process exemption applications, the city government which loses some property tax revenue, and shoppers in Pierce County who would pay a new 1 percent sales tax.
Why it matters
If approved by lawmakers and voters, qualifying Blackshear homeowners would see their city property tax bill on their primary home drop substantially, while everyone shopping in Pierce County would pay a slightly higher sales tax to make up the difference in city revenue.
Key provisions
- Section 1 defines key terms and grants an exemption equal to the assessed value of homestead property, funded by LHOST proceeds collected in the special district conterminous with Pierce County.
- Section 1(c) and (d) set application rules, allowing automatic renewal for people who already had a similar exemption and remain eligible.
- Section 1(e) clarifies the exemption applies only to city ad valorem taxes, only within the special district, is in addition to other homestead exemptions, and runs from the year after voter approval through December 31, 2039.
- Section 3 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the bill to become law, per the Georgia Constitution.
- Section 4 schedules a local referendum for the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026 and lays out the exact ballot language voters will see.
- Section 4(b) provides that if voters reject the measure or the election isn't properly held, the entire Act automatically repeals 365 days after the election date.
- Section 4(c) allows any local elector to seek a court order (writ of mandamus) forcing the election superintendent to hold the required election.
From the bill
“Each resident of the special district is granted an exemption from all ad valorem taxes imposed by the city for all purposes in the amount of the assessed value of such homestead property”
Discussed in meetings (3)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House floor session, June 22, 2026 (legislative day 4)
From 1:10:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, Special Session, p. 123
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk reported a favorable committee recommendation for HB 71 and later listed it as the Blackshear measure on a six-bill local calendar. The chair said the homestead-exemption bills required a two-thirds recorded vote. Without separate debate on the bill, the House voted on the group, 97-74, which was insufficient for passage. The majority leader gave notice of a motion to reconsider, and the chair said it would be taken up the next legislative day.
Status timeline
- House Lost Reconsidered Bill/Resolution (House)
- House Reconsidered (House)
- House Notice to Reconsider (House)
- House Third Reading Lost (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
Show full history (9 actions)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Steven Meeks (R, HD-178)
Votes
- House voteJune 22, 2026
97 yea, 74 nay (2 not voting, 6 excused)
- House voteJune 23, 2026
97 yea, 72 nay (6 not voting, 4 excused)
- House voteJune 23, 2026
97 yea, 72 nay (5 not voting, 5 excused)
Topics
- property taxes
- homestead exemption
- local sales tax
- Pierce County
- Blackshear