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HB210 • 2026

Fayette County; senior property tax exemption authorized, constitutional amendment

Fayette County; senior property tax exemption authorized, constitutional amendment

Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Brinyark
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Contingent

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is contingent upon ratification by voters, meaning it may never take effect if rejected at the ballot.

Fayette County Senior Property Tax Exemption Amendment

This bill proposes a change to the Alabama Constitution that would allow seniors aged 65 and older in Fayette County who have lived in their home for at least five years to freeze their property tax value starting October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to the Alabama Constitution specifically for Fayette County.
  • Allows residents age 65 or older to claim a senior property tax exemption on single-family homes they own and live in as their main residence.
  • Requires homeowners to have lived in the house as their main home for at least five years immediately before claiming the benefit.
  • Freezes the assessed value of the home at the level from the year before the taxpayer claims the exemption.
  • Sets a start date of October 1, 2027, and requires written applications to be filed between October 1 and December 31.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Residents of Fayette County who are at least 65 years old.
  • Homeowners in Fayette County with single-family owner-occupied residential property used as their main home for five consecutive years.
  • The Fayette County Revenue Commissioner, who will receive written exemption claims.

Terms To Know

Senior Property Tax Exemption
A rule that stops the assessed value of a home from rising for tax purposes after it is claimed by an eligible senior.
Assessed Value
The dollar amount assigned to a property, which determines how much property tax the owner must pay before any exemptions are applied.
Principal Place of Residence
The main home where an individual lives most of the time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law does not take effect until voters approve it in a future election.
  • New additions built on the property after claiming the exemption will still be taxed based on their increased value.
  • The bill states that properties remain subject to any changes in millage rates.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-03 House

    Delivered to Governor

  3. 2026-02-03 House

    Sent to Secretary of State

  4. 2026-02-03 House

    Delivered to Governor

  5. 2026-02-03 House

    Delivered to Governor

  6. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Signature Requested

  7. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 184 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  8. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 183 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  9. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  10. 2026-01-29 House

    Enrolled

  11. 2026-01-29 House

    Ready to Enroll

  12. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  13. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  14. 2026-01-21 House

    LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted (Yeas 47, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-01-21 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 101 (Yeas 63, Nays 0)

  16. 2026-01-21 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 70, Nays 0)

  17. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  18. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Legislation

  19. 2026-01-20 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  20. 2026-01-20 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  21. 2026-01-14 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  22. 2026-01-14 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Local Legislation

Official Summary Text

This act proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Fayette County, to authorize qualified taxpayers 65 years of age or older to claim a senior property tax exemption for single-family owner-occupied residential property beginning October 1, 2027, subject to certain conditions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB210 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB210
7BYF4EE-2
By Representative Brinyark (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 14-Jan-26
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HB210 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 14-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Fayette County, to authorize a qualified
taxpayer 65 years of age or older to claim a senior property
tax exemption for real property owned in the county under
certain conditions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution
of Alabama of 2022, is proposed:
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
(a) In Fayette County, an individual 65 years of age or
older may claim a senior property tax exemption for ad valorem
tax purposes on real property located in the county which is
owned by the individual, classified as single-family
owner-occupied residential property, and used as the principal
place of residence of the individual for not less than five
years immediately prior to the tax year for which the
individual first claims the senior property tax exemption. The
senior property tax exemption shall freeze the assessed value
of the property for the year immediately prior to claiming the
exemption.
(b) The following provisions shall apply to the
individual claiming the senior property tax exemption:
(1) The taxpayer shall continue to receive the senior
property tax exemption as long as the taxpayer continues to
use the property as his or her principal place of residence.
(2) The individual shall continue to be eligible to
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HB210 Enrolled
Page 2
(2) The individual shall continue to be eligible to
claim a homestead exemption and any other exemption authorized
by law on the property.
(3) The property shall continue to be subject to any
millage rate changes on the property.
(4) The assessed value of any additions to the property
after claiming the senior property tax exemption shall be
added to the assessed value of the property and subject to ad
valorem tax based on the increase in the assessed value of the
addition after the taxpayer claims the senior property tax
exemption.
(5) This exemption may be claimed beginning October 1,
2027.
(6) This exemption must be claimed in writing with the
Fayette County Revenue Commissioner between October 1 and
December 31.
Upon ratification of this constitutional amendment, the
Code Commissioner shall number and place this amendment as
appropriate in the constitution omitting this instructional
paragraph and may make the following nonsubstantive revisions:
change capitalization, hierarchy, spelling, and punctuation
for purposes of style and uniformity; correct manifest
grammatical, clerical, and typographical errors; revise
internal or external citations and cross-references; harmonize
language; and translate effective dates.
END PROPOSED AMENDMENT
Section 2. An election upon the proposed amendment
shall be held in accordance with Sections 284, 284.01, and 285
of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and the election laws
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HB210 Enrolled
Page 3
of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and the election laws
of this state. The appropriate election official shall assign
a ballot number for the proposed constitutional amendment on
the election ballot and shall set forth the following
description of the substance or subject matter of the proposed
constitutional amendment:
"Relating to Fayette County, proposing an amendment to
the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, to authorize a qualified
taxpayer 65 years of age or older to claim a senior property
tax exemption for real property under certain conditions.
Proposed by Act ____."
This description shall be followed by the following
language:
"Yes( ) No( )."
Section 3. The proposed amendment shall become valid as
part of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, when approved by
a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
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HB210 Enrolled
Page 4
a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 21-Jan-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 29-Jan-26 Passed
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