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HB488 • 2026

Chilton County; senior property tax exemption, authorized; constitutional amendment

Chilton 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
Smith (I)
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Effective

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify what will happen if a senior moves out of Chilton County after claiming the exemption.

Senior Property Tax Exemption for Chilton County

This act proposes a constitutional amendment to allow senior citizens in Chilton County who are at least 65 years old and meet certain conditions to receive a property tax exemption.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama to authorize senior property tax exemptions for residents of Chilton County aged 65 or older.
  • Requires that the property must be single-family, owner-occupied residential property used as the principal place of residence for at least five years before claiming the exemption.
  • Freezes the assessed value of the property for ad valorem tax purposes in the year immediately prior to claiming the exemption.
  • Allows seniors to continue receiving other exemptions and homestead benefits on their property while maintaining eligibility for the senior property tax exemption.
  • Specifies that new additions to the property after claiming the exemption will be taxed based on the increased assessed value.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Seniors aged 65 or older who own single-family homes in Chilton County and meet residency requirements.

Terms To Know

Ad valorem
A type of tax based on the value of a property or item.
Homestead Exemption
An exemption from property taxes for a primary residence, reducing the amount of tax owed.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The amendment must be ratified by a majority vote in an election.
  • It is unclear how many seniors will qualify and apply for this exemption.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-12 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-03-12 House

    Sent to Secretary of State

  3. 2026-03-12 House

    Delivered to Governor

  4. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Signature Requested

  5. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 807 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 806 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  7. 2026-03-11 Senate

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

  8. 2026-03-11 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-11 House

    Ready to Enroll

  10. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  11. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  12. 2026-02-25 House

    LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted (Yeas 55, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-02-25 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 592 (Yeas 71, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-02-25 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 71, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  16. 2026-02-25 Senate

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

  17. 2026-02-24 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  18. 2026-02-24 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  19. 2026-02-19 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  20. 2026-02-19 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 Chilton 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
HB488 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB488
9JFL9MB-2
By Representative Smith (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 19-Feb-26
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HB488 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 19-Feb-26
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Chilton 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 Chilton 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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HB488 Enrolled
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(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, for the value of the property on October 1, 2026.
(6) This exemption must be claimed in writing with the
Chilton 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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HB488 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 Chilton 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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HB488 Enrolled
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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 25-Feb-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 11-Mar-26 Passed
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