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HB65 • 2026

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

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

Elections Taxes
Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about what happens if someone moves out of their home after getting the exemption.

Senior Property Tax Exemption for Franklin County

This law proposes a constitutional amendment to allow people aged 65 or older in Franklin County to get a tax break on their single-family home if they meet certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to the Alabama Constitution to create a senior property tax exemption for Franklin County residents who are at least 65 years old and own a single-family home used as their main residence.
  • Freezes the assessed value of the property for tax purposes in the year before the exemption is claimed, but any additions to the property after that date will still be taxed based on their increased value.
  • Allows those who qualify to continue receiving other exemptions like homestead and keeps them subject to changes in millage rates.
  • Specifies that people must apply between October 1st and December 31st of the year before they want the exemption.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People aged 65 or older who own single-family homes in Franklin County and use them as their main residence for at least five years.
  • Franklin County Revenue Commissioner, who will handle applications for this tax exemption.

Terms To Know

Constitutional Amendment
A change to the state's highest law that needs voter approval.
Millage Rate
The rate used to calculate property taxes based on a property’s value.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This amendment will only take effect if voters approve it in an election.
  • It does not specify what happens if someone moves out of the home after getting the exemption.

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 187 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)

  8. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 186 (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 67, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-01-21 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 80 (Yeas 67, Nays 0)

  16. 2026-01-21 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 74, 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. 2026-01-13 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  22. 2026-01-13 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 Franklin 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
HB65 ENROLLED
Page 0
HB65
RBHE6NM-2
By Representative Kiel (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 13-Nov-25
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HB65 Enrolled
Page 1
PFD: 13-Nov-25
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Franklin 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 Franklin 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
claim a homestead exemption and any other exemption authorized
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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
Franklin 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
of this state. The appropriate election official shall assign
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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 Franklin 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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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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