Georgia House bill by Rep. Hong raising bankruptcy exemption for homes and burial plots passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Soo Hong aims to provide greater protection for homeowners and families in bankruptcy by raising exemption caps for primary residences and burial plots, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Monday, March 23, clearing the House by a vote of 170-0 and the Senate by a vote of 51-0.

The bill, introduced as HB1024 on Tuesday, Jan. 27 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Property; debtor’s aggregate interest in real property or personal property used as a residence; revise exemption’.

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

In essence, this bill increases the bankruptcy exemption for a debtor’s home or burial plot by raising the cap on the debtor’s aggregate interest in qualifying real or personal property from $21,500 to $50,000. The bill also raises the exemption when the property title is held by one spouse but is the primary residence of both spouses, increasing that cap from $43,000 to $100,000. The measure appears intended to provide greater protection for homeowners and families in bankruptcy and insolvent estate proceedings by allowing them to shield more equity in their primary residence or burial plot from creditors.

In the House, 73 Democrats and 97 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 20 Democrats and 31 Republicans voted in favor, also with no opposing votes.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Rob Leverett (Republican-123rd), Rep. Matt Reeves (Republican-99th), and Sen. Marty Harbin (Republican-16th).

Hong graduated from Georgia Institute of Technolog in 2003 with a BS and again in 2008 from Mercer University with a JD.

Hong, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 103rd House District, replacing previous state representative Timothy Barr.

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.