HB1440: HB1440 Petrea-Stephens-Franklin-Watson Tax Relief Act; enact

Currently, homeowners in the Bryan County school district can see their school property taxes rise each year as their home's assessed value increases. This bill would freeze the taxable value used for school taxes at a 'base year' level, so homeowners only pay school taxes on that base value even if their home's assessed value later goes up. The difference between the current year value and the base year value would be exempt from Bryan County school district taxes for educational purposes. The base year is generally the year before someone first qualifies for the exemption, though people already receiving a similar exemption under a related 2025 law or under a state law (O.C.G.A. 48-5-44.2) would automatically qualify without reapplying. The exemption would not cover new improvements or added land, and it does not apply to state, county, municipal, or independent school district taxes. Because it's a local homestead exemption, Bryan County voters must approve it in a November 2026 referendum before it can take effect on January 1, 2027; otherwise the law repeals itself automatically about a year later.

• Creates a homestead exemption from Bryan County school district taxes equal to the increase in a home's assessed value above its base year value.
• Sets the base year as the year before a person first qualifies, with special rules for people already receiving a similar 2025 exemption or a related state exemption.
• Excludes new home improvements or newly added land from the exemption and requires recalculating the base value if property is removed from the homestead.
• Requires homeowners to apply once with the Bryan County tax commissioner, after which the exemption renews automatically each year.
• Requires a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly and a countywide referendum in November 2026 before the exemption can take effect.
• Automatically repeals the entire Act if voters reject it or the referendum is not properly held.

Homeowners with a homestead in the Bryan County school district, the Bryan County tax commissioner's office, the county election superintendent, and residents who previously qualified for a related 2025 tax relief law or a similar state homestead exemption.

If approved by voters, Bryan County school district homeowners would see their school property tax bills based on a frozen 'base year' value rather than rising with each year's reassessment, potentially lowering future school tax bills as home values increase, while new construction or added land would still be taxed at current value.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Petrea-Stephens-Franklin-Watson Tax Relief Act.'
• Section 2 defines terms including 'base year' and 'homestead' and creates the exemption equal to the assessed value increase over the base year.
• Section 2(c) lets people already receiving a similar 2025 exemption or the state exemption under O.C.G.A. 48-5-44.2 automatically qualify without a new application.
• Section 2(f) states the exemption applies to all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
• Section 3 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the General Assembly for the Act to become law.
• Section 4 requires a Bryan County referendum in November 2026, with automatic repeal 365 days after the election if voters reject it or the election is not properly conducted.
• Section 5 sets the general effective date as upon the Governor's approval, except for the referendum-dependent provisions in Section 4.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 564
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-18Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-12Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-10House Passed/Adopted (House)

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

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 10, 2026

   159 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 12 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #693

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 18, 2026

   50 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #728

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