Lilburn, City of; ad valorem tax; provide additional homestead exemption
HB 761 is a local bill affecting the City of Lilburn’s homestead tax exemption. It expands the existing city ad valorem tax exemption by adding a new benefit for all qualifying homeowners: an exemption equal to the amount by which the current year assessed value exceeds the prior year assessed value by more than 8 percent, in addition to the existing $5,000 exemption. The bill also revises the exemption for residents age 65 or older, increasing it from $10,000 to $50,000 of assessed value, while retaining the separate $10,000 exemption for disabled residents. In both cases, the bill limits the exemption to one acre of property for the relevant homestead portion.
The measure also clarifies that the exemption for the general homestead category does not apply to taxes used to retire bonded indebtedness once a resident qualifies for the age-65 exemption, and it updates the local act to conform with constitutional requirements. Because this is a local tax measure, it must be approved by a two-thirds vote in both chambers and then submitted to Lilburn voters in a referendum. If approved by voters, the changes would take effect January 1, 2026; if not approved, the act is automatically repealed.
The bill’s impact is limited to city tax law in Lilburn and does not change statewide property tax rules generally. It would reduce taxable assessed value for eligible homeowners in the city, likely lowering city property tax bills for many residents, especially seniors. It also creates a new inflation-style protection for homesteads by shielding part of year-to-year assessment growth above 8 percent, which could moderate future tax increases for owner-occupied homes.
The sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable. It passed the House 170-0 and the Senate 53-0, indicating unanimous support in both chambers. No committee transcript or recorded floor debate was provided, but the voting history suggests broad bipartisan agreement and little visible opposition.
There is little apparent contention in the available record. The main policy choices are the size of the new exemption, the substantial increase for residents 65 and older, and the limitation to one acre, along with the requirement that voters in Lilburn approve the change. Any disagreement would likely center on local revenue effects, the preferential treatment of seniors, or the exclusion of bond-debt taxes from some exemptions, but no explicit opposition is shown in the materials provided.
HB 761 amends a 1990 local act governing City of Lilburn homestead exemptions by adding an exemption for assessment growth above 8 percent, increasing the senior homestead exemption to $50,000, and preserving the disability exemption at $10,000. It applies only to Lilburn city ad valorem taxes and requires a local referendum before taking effect, with implementation contingent on voter approval and a January 1, 2026 effective date if approved.
The bill appears to have received unanimous, noncontroversial support in both chambers, passing the House 170-0 and the Senate 53-0. The vote totals suggest broad agreement with the local tax relief measures and no recorded legislative opposition in the available materials.
No direct contention is reflected in the provided transcripts or votes. The likely points of policy interest are the fiscal impact on Lilburn’s tax base, the expanded preference for homeowners age 65 and older, the one-acre limitation, and the treatment of taxes used to retire bonded indebtedness. However, none of these issues generated recorded opposition in the available legislative history.