Madison, City of; ad valorem tax; provide homestead exemption

2026 Special Session Introduced by Tim Fleming

The bill creates a Madison-specific homestead exemption reducing city property taxes for qualifying homeowners.

House Lost Reconsidered Bill/Resolution

Summary of HB 20 (Georgia, 2026 Session)

Purpose and intent

The bill proposes to provide a homestead exemption in the City of Madison related to ad valorem (property) taxation.

The overall aim is to reduce the property tax burden on homeowners who qualify for the homestead exemption within Madison.

Key provisions and changes

Establishment of a city-level homestead exemption for qualifying homeowners. While the exact dollar amounts are not specified in the provided text, the bill would create a formal mechanism to exempt a portion of a homeowner’s property value from city property taxes.

Administrative framework: The bill would authorize or require local government processes to administer and enforce the homestead exemption, including qualification criteria, application procedures, and duration.

Interaction with existing exemptions: The proposal would operate within Georgia’s framework for homestead exemptions, likely aligning with state statutes while specifying Madison-specific implementation details (e.g., eligibility verification, renewal, and notification requirements).

Who would be affected

Homeowners in the City of Madison who qualify for the homestead exemption (typically owner-occupied primary residences) would receive the tax relief.

Madison city government and its tax assessor/collector office would be responsible for administering the exemption, determining eligibility, applying the exemption to tax rolls, and handling any related appeals or clarifications.

Potential indirect effects on city revenue: Exemption reductions may affect the city’s property tax collections unless offset by other revenue adjustments or state-levied distributions.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: The bill underwent several procedural steps in 2026, including committee consideration, readings, and motions related to reconsideration.

Session actions indicate it passed through House committee favorably (as of June 20, 2026) and experienced subsequent House readings and reconsideration actions. The “Hod” action history shows a noteworthy sequence of readings and a reconsideration decision on June 22, 2026.

Sponsorship: The bill lists Tim Fleming as a co-sponsor, indicating legislative support and a point of contact for related inquiries.

Additional notes

Specific numerical details (e.g., the exact dollar amount of the exemption, percentage of value exempted, or the base qualification criteria) are not provided in the available text. The bill would define these details in the enacted language.

As a city-specific exemption, the bill would tailor the exemption to Madison, potentially differing from exemptions in other Georgia municipalities.

If you’d like, I can refine this summary with precise fiscal impact estimates, anticipated revenue changes for Madison, or a side-by-side comparison with existing state or nearby-city exemptions once the bill’s full text and fiscal notes are available.