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HB537 • 2026

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

Monroe 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
Jackson
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Effective

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date depends entirely on voter ratification; if rejected at the ballot box, none of these provisions will take effect.

Monroe County Senior Property Tax Exemption Amendment

This bill proposes a change to the Alabama Constitution that would let homeowners aged 65 and older in Monroe County freeze their property tax value starting October 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows residents of Monroe County who are 65 or older to claim an exemption on single-family homes they own and live in as their main home for at least five years before claiming the benefit.
  • Freezes the assessed value of a home at the level from the year immediately prior to when the owner claims the exemption.
  • Lets homeowners keep other tax breaks, like homestead exemptions, while using this new senior exemption.
  • States that any additions built on the house after getting the exemption will be taxed based on how much they increase the value.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Homeowners in Monroe County who are at least 65 years old and have lived in their home for five years.
  • The Monroe County Revenue Commissioner, who must receive written claims for this benefit between October 1 and December 31.

Terms To Know

Assessed value
The dollar amount assigned to a property by officials used here as the frozen base for calculating taxes under this exemption.
Ad valorem tax
A tax based on the worth or value of an item, such as real estate.
Principal place of residence
The main home where a person lives most of the time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This change only applies to Monroe County and does not affect other counties in Alabama.
  • The exemption cannot start until October 1, 2027, even if voters approve it sooner.
  • Homeowners must submit a written claim between October 1 and December 31 each year.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 Senate

    Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 949 (Yeas 31, Nays 0)

  2. 2026-03-19 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 948 (Yeas 31, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-03-19 Senate

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 31, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-03-19 House

    Enacted

  5. 2026-03-19 House

    Sent to Secretary of State

  6. 2026-03-19 House

    Delivered to Governor

  7. 2026-03-19 Senate

    Signature Requested

  8. 2026-03-19 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-19 House

    Ready to Enroll

  10. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  11. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  12. 2026-03-10 House

    LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted (Yeas 48, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-03-10 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 806 (Yeas 70, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-03-10 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 59, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  16. 2026-03-10 Senate

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

  17. 2026-03-05 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  18. 2026-03-05 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  19. 2026-03-03 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  20. 2026-03-03 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 Monroe 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
HB537 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB537
W1RBL95-2
By Representative Jackson (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 03-Mar-26
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HB537 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 03-Mar-26
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Monroe 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 Monroe 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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HB537 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
Monroe 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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HB537 Enrolled
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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 Monroe 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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HB537 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 10-Mar-26.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 19-Mar-26 Passed
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