Georgia House bill by author Rep. Stephens capping homestead exemption base value for Chatham County, Savannah schools passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Ron Stephens aims to cap the base year assessed value for Chatham County and Savannah school homestead exemptions, ending future annual increases, after winning approval in both chambers, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Tuesday, Feb. 24, clearing the House by a vote of 158-0 and the Senate by a vote of 53-0.

The bill, introduced as HB1200 on Thursday, Feb. 5 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Chatham County; City of Savannah; school district ad valorem tax; homestead exemption; provisions’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends an existing homestead exemption for Chatham County and City of Savannah school taxes by capping the adjusted base year assessed value of a qualifying home at its 2025 level for all later tax years. It ends the current practice of annually increasing that base value by the Consumer Price Index after 2025, effectively preventing future growth in the taxable base for those homesteads. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, only if approved by two-thirds of each legislative chamber and by district voters in a referendum held on the 2026 general primary date, with provisions for enforcing the required local election.

In the House, 70 Democrats and 88 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 23 Democrats and 30 Republicans voted in favor, also with no opposing votes.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Carl Gilliard (Democrat-162nd) and Rep. Bill Hitchens (Republican-161st), along with two other co-sponsors.

Stephens graduated from Armstrong State & Mercer University in 1978 with a BS.

Stephens, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 1997 to represent the state’s 164th House District, replacing previous state representative Sonny Dixon.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.