HB1200: HB1200 Chatham County; City of Savannah; school district ad valorem tax; homestead exemption; provisions

26 LC 47 3781/AP House Bill 1200 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Petrea of the 166th, Hitchens of the 161st, Gilliard of the 162nd, and Westbrook of the 163rd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend an Act providing for a base year assessed value homest ead exemption from1 Chatham County and City of Savannah School District ad valorem taxes for educational2 purposes, approved April 12, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4215), as amended, so as to prevent any3 increases in the adjusted base year assessed value of propertie s above the value set in tax4 year 2025; to provide for compliance with constitutional requir ements; to provide for a5 referendum, effective dates, automatic repeal, mandatory execution of election, and judicial6 remedies regarding failure to comply; to provide for related ma tters; to repeal conflicting7 laws; and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 An Act providing for a base year assessed value homestead exemption from Chatham County11 and City of Savannah School District ad valorem taxes for educational purposes, approved12 April 12, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 4215) , as amended, is amended i n Section 1 by revising13 paragraph (2) of subsection (a) as follows:14 "(2) 'Adjusted base year assessed value' means an amount equal to the assessed value of15 such homestead for the base year, increased annually by the percentage of any increase16 H. B. 1200 - 1 - 26 LC 47 3781/AP in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor17 Statistics of the United States Department of Labor from the base year to tax year 2025.18 However, in the event that the assessed value for the current year is less than or equal to19 the assessed value for the base year, then the adjusted base year assessed value shall equal20 the current year assessed value. In no event shall the adjusted base year assessed value21 for a tax year after tax year 2026 exceed the adjusted base year assessed value for such22 homestead for tax year 2025."23 SECTION 2.24 In accordance with the requirements of Article VII, Section II of the Constitution of the State25 of Georgia, this Act shall not become law unless it receives the requisite two-thirds' majority26 vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.27 SECTION 3.28 The election superintendent of Chatham County shall call and co nduct an election as29 provided in this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of the Chatham30 County and City of Savannah School District for approval or rej ection. The election31 superintendent shall conduct that election on the date of the 2026 general primary and shall32 issue the call and conduct that election as provided by general l a w . T h e e l e c t i o n33 superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the election to be published once a week34 for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof in the off icial organ of Chatham35 County. The ballot shall have written or printed thereon the words:36 "( ) YES37 38 ( ) NO39 40 41 Shall the Act amending the adjusted base year assessed value ho mestead exemption from Chatham County and City of Savannah School District ad valorem taxes for educational purposes be approved so as to pre vent any future increases in the adjusted base year assessed value of a homestead above the assessed value of such homestead in tax year 2025?" H. B. 1200 - 2 - 26 LC 47 3781/AP All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and all persons desiring42 to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on43 such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 of this Act shall become of full force and44 effect on July 1, 2026. If the Act is not so approved or if th e election is not conducted as45 provided in this section, Section 1 of this Act shall not become effective, and this Act shall46 be automatically repealed on the 365th calendar day following the election date provided for47 in this section. The expense of such election shall be borne by Chatham County. It shall be48 the election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of State. The49 provisions of this section shall be mandatory upon the election superintendent and are not50 intended as directory. If the election superintendent fails or refuses to comply with this51 section, any elector of the Chatham County and City of Savannah School District may apply52 for a writ of mandamus to compel the election superintendent to perform his or her duties53 under this section. If the court finds that the election superintendent has not complied with54 this section, the court shall fashion appropriate relief requiring the election superintendent55 to call and conduct such election on the date required by this section or on the next date56 authorized for special elections provided for in Code Section 21-2-540 of the O.C.G.A.57 SECTION 4.58 Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon59 its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.60 SECTION 5.61 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.62 H. B. 1200 - 3 -