HB1515: HB1515 Madison County; school district ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

This bill creates a new homestead exemption for senior citizens living in the Madison County school district. Residents who are 70 or older would be able to exclude $75,000 of their home's assessed value from the school district's property taxes used for education. It would not apply to state, county, municipal, or independent school district taxes, and it replaces rather than adds to any other homestead exemption for these school taxes. Because it changes local tax law, the bill requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers and must be approved by voters in the Madison County school district in a November 2026 referendum. If approved, and if Georgia voters do not separately adopt a broader constitutional homestead tax exemption at the same election, the exemption takes effect January 1, 2027. If either condition fails, the whole Act is automatically repealed about a year after the election.

• Creates a $75,000 homestead exemption from Madison County school district property taxes (ad valorem taxes for education) for residents 70 or older.
• Requires applicants to file with the Madison County tax commissioner and have the exemption automatically renew each year unless they become ineligible.
• Limits the exemption so it does not reduce state, county, municipal, or independent school district taxes, and makes it replace rather than stack with other similar exemptions.
• Requires a November 2026 referendum in the Madison County school district before the exemption can take effect.
• Automatically repeals the entire Act if voters reject it, if the election is not held as required, or if Georgia voters separately approve a statewide constitutional homestead tax exemption at the same election.

Homeowners age 70 or older who live in the Madison County school district, the Madison County tax commissioner's office, the county election superintendent, and Madison County taxpayers generally, since the exemption reduces the school district's taxable property base.

If voters approve it, eligible seniors in the Madison County school district would pay school property taxes on $75,000 less of their home's value starting in 2027, lowering their tax bills, while the school district would collect less revenue from those properties.

• Section 1 defines a senior citizen as someone 70 or older and grants a $75,000 homestead exemption from Madison County school district educational property taxes.
• Section 1(c) and (d) require an application to the Madison County tax commissioner, with automatic annual renewal as long as the person remains eligible.
• Section 1(e) clarifies the exemption applies only to school district taxes for education, not state, county, municipal, or independent school district taxes, and replaces any overlapping exemption.
• Section 1(f) sets the exemption to apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
• Section 2 requires a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate for the Act to become law, per the Georgia Constitution.
• Section 3 requires a November 2026 referendum in the Madison County school district, with automatic repeal if the vote fails, the election isn't held, or a statewide constitutional homestead exemption is approved at the same election.
• Section 4 sets the Act's general effective date as approval by the Governor or becoming law without signature, except as provided in Section 3.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 577
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• property taxes
• homestead exemption
• Madison County
• senior citizens
• school district funding