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HB167 • 2026

Relating to Property Tax; amending the cap on the assessed value of real property

Relating to Property Tax; amending the cap on the assessed value of real property

Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Kiel
Last action
2026-01-13
Official status
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the change will be implemented for previously assessed properties and what happens in cases of no inflation or deflation.

Changing Property Tax Limits

This bill changes the limit on yearly increases in property tax assessments from seven percent to the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for urban areas.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the cap on yearly increases in property tax assessments from seven percent to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban consumers published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for the immediately preceding year.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Property owners in Alabama whose property taxes are reassessed each year.

Terms To Know

Consumer Price Index (CPI)
A measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the change will be implemented for properties already assessed before October 1, 2024.
  • It is unclear what happens if there is no inflation or negative inflation (deflation) according to the CPI.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  2. 2026-01-13 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means General Fund

Official Summary Text

Relating to Property Tax; amending the cap on the assessed value of real property

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB167 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB167
AR88R7Q-1
By Representative Kiel
RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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AR88R7Q-1 01/01/2026 RA (F)RA 2025-3765
Page 1
First Read: 13-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law there is a seven percent cap
on increases in the assessed value of real property.
This bill would change the cap on increases in
the assessed value of real property.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to property taxes; to amend Act 2023-344, 2024
Regular Session, now appearing as Section 40-7-2.2, Code of
Alabama 1975, to change the cap on real property tax
assessments; and to provide for retroactive effect.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Act 2024-344, Regular Session 2024, now
appearing as Section 40-7-2.2, Code of Alabama 1975 is amended
to read as follows:
"§40-7-2.2
(a) After each county-wide reappraisal, as provided by
Article 2, and the resulting assessed value of property for ad
valorem tax purposes, the tax assessor shall annually compare
the assessed value of each real property reappraised or
reassessed to the prior year's assessed value. If the assessed
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HB167 INTRODUCED
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reassessed to the prior year's assessed value. If the assessed
value of the property increased, the tax assessor shall adjust
the assessed value of the property pursuant to this section.
(b)(1) The percentage increase in the assessed value of
Class III properties, as defined in Section 40-8-1, from the
previous year's assessed value, shall be limited to not more
than a seven percent the percentage increase in the Consumer
Price Index for all urban consumers as published by the U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for the
immediately preceding year. increase in the assessed value of
the property from the previous year's assessed value.
(2) The percentage increase in the assessed value of
Class II properties, as defined in Section 40-8-1, from the
previous year's assessed value, shall be limited to not more
than a seven percent increase the percentage increase in the
Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers as published by
the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics for
the immediately preceding year. in the assessed value of the
property from the previous year's assessed value.
(c) The limitations provided for in subsection (b)
shall not apply to the following :
(1) Real property that has never been assessed.
(2) Additions or improvements to real property,
including new construction. This subdivision shall not include
repairs to or ordinary maintenance of an existing structure or
the grounds of the property.
(3) Change to the classification of the property.
(4) Change in ownership of the property, except for any
of the following:
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HB167 INTRODUCED
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of the following:
a. Transfers between spouse or family members for no or
nominal consideration, including upon death of owner.
b. Transfers due to redemption after foreclosure of a
mortgage, tax sale, or tax lien.
(5) Property located in a tax increment district
created pursuant to Chapter 99 of Title 11.
(d) The limitations provided for in subsection (b)
shall be effective October 1, 2024, and shall continue through
the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2027.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026, and shall apply retroactively to October 1, 2024.
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