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SB213 • 2026

Lamar County; senior property tax exemption authorized; constitutional amendment

Lamar 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
Woods
Last action
2026-02-24
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Effective

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of the law is October 1, 2027, after voter approval.

Senior Property Tax Exemption for Lamar County

This law allows people aged 65 or older who live in Lamar County to get a tax break on their home if they meet certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a senior property tax exemption for residents of Lamar County who are at least 65 years old.
  • Requires the homeowner to have lived in the house as their main home for five years before applying for the exemption.
  • Freezes the assessed value of the property for tax purposes when the exemption is first claimed.
  • Allows homeowners to continue getting other tax breaks like homestead exemptions while using this new senior exemption.
  • Requires applicants to submit a written request to the Lamar County Revenue Commissioner between October 1 and December 31.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Senior citizens aged 65 or older who own single-family homes in Lamar County and use them as their main residence.

Terms To Know

senior property tax exemption
A reduction in the amount of property taxes that senior citizens have to pay on their home.
homestead exemption
A type of tax break that reduces the value of a person's primary residence for property tax purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to single-family owner-occupied residential properties.
  • Taxpayers must continue using their home as their main residence to keep getting this exemption.
  • This amendment needs approval from voters in Lamar County before it can take effect.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Enacted

  2. 2026-02-24 House

    Signature Requested

  3. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Sent to Secretary of State

  4. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Delivered to Governor

  5. 2026-02-19 House

    LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted (Yeas 50, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-02-19 House

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 474 (Yeas 66, Nays 0)

  7. 2026-02-19 House

    Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 68, Nays 0)

  8. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Ready to Enroll

  10. 2026-02-17 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  11. 2026-02-17 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  12. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 370 (Yeas 29, Nays 0)

  13. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 369 (Yeas 29, Nays 0)

  14. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 29, Nays 0)

  15. 2026-02-12 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  16. 2026-02-12 House

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

  17. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  18. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  19. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  20. 2026-01-27 Senate

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

Official Summary Text

This act proposes an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, relating to Lamar 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
SB213 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB213
84IM4H2-2
By Senator Woods (Constitutional Amendment)
RFD: Local Legislation
First Read: 27-Jan-26
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SB213 Enrolled
Page 1
First Read: 27-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
To propose an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama
of 2022, relating to Lamar 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 Lamar 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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SB213 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
Lamar 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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SB213 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 Lamar 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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SB213 Enrolled
Page 4
a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB213
Senate 12-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Passed: 19-Feb-26
By: Senator Woods
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