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HB 64

Bleckley County; ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

2026 Special Session Introduced by Danny Mathis

Bleckley County would provide a homestead tax exemption on primary residences, lowering the taxable value and reducing local property tax bills for eligible homeowners.

House Lost Reconsidered Bill/Resolution
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Bill Summary · HB 64

Summary of HB 64 (2026 Session, Georgia) — Bleckley County; ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

Note: The bill text provided appears to be a corrupted or partial file, but accompanying action history and basic bill identifiers allow for a high-level summary of likely intent and procedural status. This summary focuses on the stated title and the typical content of such measures, along with the bill’s legislative progress as indicated.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to authorize or modify an ad valorem real property tax provision for Bleckley County by providing a homestead exemption.
  • In practical terms, this would reduce the taxable value of qualifying primary residences within Bleckley County for property tax purposes, thereby lowering property tax bills for affected homeowners.

Key provisions and changes (subject to final bill language)

  • Establishment or expansion of a Bleckley County homestead exemption from ad valorem property taxes on the primary residence of eligible homeowners.
  • Definitions likely to be addressed (consistent with typical homestead exemption statutes):
    • Eligibility: owner-occupied single-family residence; natural persons as homeowners; residency requirements.
    • Exemption amount or percentage: may specify a fixed dollar exemption (e.g., $X) or a percentage of assessed value.
    • Recapture or sunset provisions: whether exemption persists indefinitely, requires annual qualification, or has caps/phase-outs.
    • Application process: requirements for homeowners to apply or re-qualify, and the county tax assessor’s office role.
  • Interaction with existing exemptions: the bill may specify how Bleckley County’s exemption interacts with state-wide homestead provisions and any other local tax relief programs.

Who/what would be affected

  • Primary residence owners in Bleckley County who qualify for the homestead exemption.
  • Bleckley County tax assessors and tax collection processes, as implementation requires identifying eligible parcels and applying the exemption to the county’s property tax rolls.
  • Potentially, other taxpayers if the exemption shifts tax burden (for example, by reducing tax revenue while keeping budgetary requirements in balance).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Legislative history indicates activity in the Georgia House:
    • Hopper introduced: June 17 (first reading).
    • Committee stage: House committees considered and favorably reported the bill (June 20).
    • House actions: third readers and multiple reconsideration steps occurred (June 20–22).
    • Reconsiderations occurred, with a noted “House Reconsidered” and “Lost Reconsidered” status entries on June 22, suggesting the bill faced procedural votes that could alter its fate.
  • Sponsor: Co-sponsor Danny Mathis (indicating bipartisan or locally focused advocacy).
  • If enacted, counties would typically be given a specific deadline to implement rules and communicate eligibility to residents, with adjustments to the annual property tax levy calculations accordingly.
  • Enactment timing would depend on passage by both chambers and any gubernatorial approval, followed by effective date provisions (often a fiscal year or calendar year commencement).

Potential fiscal and policy impact (general considerations)

  • Tax relief for Bleckley County homeowners with qualifying homesteads, resulting in lower property tax bills.
  • Local government impact would depend on the exemption’s value and take effect in the levy cap or budget planning for Bleckley County.
  • Possible effects on property values and homeowner affordability, particularly for long-term residents.
  • Administrative workload for the county assessor’s office to process applications and maintain eligible lists.

If you can provide the clean, final bill text, I can deliver a more precise, line-by-line summary of all provisions, thresholds, eligibility criteria, and fiscal impact estimates.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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