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HB557 • 2026

Wilcox County; ad valorem taxes, additional tax established

Wilcox County; ad valorem taxes, additional tax established

Education Elections Taxes
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Lawrence
Last action
2026-03-31
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify exact details about how and when the voter approval process will take place.

Wilcox County Additional Ad Valorem Tax

This law allows Wilcox County to replace an expiring tax with a new ad valorem tax rate of up to 19 mills, subject to voter approval.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Wilcox County Commission to increase the ad valorem tax rate from 10 mills to 19 mills per dollar of assessed value starting in October 2027.
  • Requires that two mills go to the county general fund and seven mills to the Wilcox County Board of Education.
  • Replaces an expiring tax with this new higher tax rate without increasing the total ad valorem tax burden on property owners.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Residents and property owners in Wilcox County
  • Wilcox County Commission
  • Wilcox County Board of Education

Terms To Know

ad valorem tax
A type of tax based on the value of a piece of property.
mills
A unit used to measure ad valorem taxes, where one mill equals one-tenth of a cent per dollar of assessed value.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The tax increase must be approved by voters in the next election.
  • Details about how and when the vote will take place are not specified.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-31 House

    Enacted

  2. 2026-03-19 Senate

    Signature Requested

  3. 2026-03-17 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 895 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  4. 2026-03-17 Senate

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

  5. 2026-03-17 House

    Enrolled

  6. 2026-03-17 House

    Ready to Enroll

  7. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  8. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  9. 2026-03-10 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 804 (Yeas 19, Nays 0)

  10. 2026-03-10 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 50, Nays 0)

  11. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  12. 2026-03-10 Senate

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

  13. 2026-03-10 House

    Lawrence intended to vote "Yea"

  14. 2026-03-05 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  15. 2026-03-05 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  16. 2026-03-03 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  17. 2026-03-03 House

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

Official Summary Text

Wilcox County; ad valorem taxes, additional tax established

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB557 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB557
QNA8V54-2
By Representative Lawrence (N & P)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 03-Mar-26
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HB557 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 03-Mar-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to Wilcox County; to levy an ad valorem tax to
replace the additional ad valorem tax expiring in 2027.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. For the purposes of this act, the following
terms have the following meanings:
(1) BOARD AND COUNTY TAX. The ad valorem tax authorized
in Section 66-10.00 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022,
and levied and collected on all taxable property in the county
at the rate of 10 mills on each dollar of assessed value.
(2) EXPIRING TAX. The ad valorem tax authorized by Act
2002-428, 2002 Regular Session (Acts 2002, p. 1107), which is
authorized for final levy for the tax year commencing October
1, 2026, which will become due and payable, and have a final
collection, on October 1, 2027.
(3) RENEWAL PROCESS. The proposal made by the Wilcox
County Commission to renew and continue the present rate of
taxation in the county and the present distribution of ad
valorem tax proceeds to the county and the Wilcox County Board
of Education by means of increasing the rate at which the
board and county tax is authorized to be levied and collected.
Section 2. (a) Pursuant to Section 217(f) of the
Constitution of Alabama of 2022, and a resolution adopted by
the Wilcox County Commission after a public hearing, the
renewal process is approved and the county commission may
increase the rate at which the county levies and collects the
board and county tax to a maximum rate, for any tax year of
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HB557 Enrolled
Page 2
board and county tax to a maximum rate, for any tax year of
the county commencing with the tax year beginning October 1,
2027, equal to 19 mills on each dollar of assessed value, an
increase of nine mills on each dollar of assessed value.
(b) The increase, if approved, shall become effective
simultaneously with the expiration of the expiring tax,
leading to no net increase in the total rate of ad valorem tax
levied in the county.
(c) The proceeds of the increase shall be distributed
as follows: (i) two mills to the county general fund to be
used for general county purposes; and (ii) seven mills to the
Wilcox County Board of Education to be used for public school
purposes.
Section 3. The increase in the rate of the tax as
provided by this act is subject to the approval of a majority
of the qualified electors of the county who vote on the
proposed increase at the next general, primary,
constitutional, or special election held for that purpose.
Section 4. This act shall become effective on June 1,
2026.
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HB557 Enrolled
Page 3
2026.
________________________________________________
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 17-Mar-26 Passed
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