Read the full stored bill text
HLS 26RS-1064 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 440
BY REPRESENTATIVE NEWELL
TAX EXEMPTIONS/HOMESTEAD: (Constitutional Amendment) Authorizes a parish
governing authority to increase the amount of the homestead exemption
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article VII, Sections 20(A)(1) and 21(K)(1) and (O)(1) of the
3 Constitution of Louisiana, relative to ad valorem tax; to provide for the amount of
4 the homestead exemption; to authorize limited increases in the amount of the
5 homestead exemption; to provide for implementation; to provide for an effective
6 date; to provide for submission of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to
7 provide for related matters.
8 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
9 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
10 Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
11 amend Article VII, Sections 20(A)(1) and 21(K)(1) and (O)(1) of the Constitution of
12 Louisiana, to read as follows:
13 §20. Homestead Exemption
14 Section 20.(A) Homeowners.
15 (1)(a) The bona fide homestead, consisting of a tract of land or two or more
16 tracts of land even if the land is classified and assessed at use value pursuant to
17 Article VII, Section 18(C) of this constitution, with a residence on one tract and a
18 field with or without timber on it, pasture, or garden on the other tract or tracts, not
19 exceeding one hundred sixty acres, buildings and appurtenances, whether rural or
20 urban, owned and occupied by any person or persons owning the property in
Page 1 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1064 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 440
1 indivision, shall be exempt from state, parish, and special ad valorem taxes to the
2 extent of seven thousand five hundred dollars of the assessed valuation. The same
3 homestead exemption shall also fully apply to the primary residence, including a
4 mobile home, which serves as a bona fide home and which is owned and occupied
5 by any person or persons owning the property in indivision, regardless of whether
6 the homeowner owns the land upon which the home or mobile home is sited;
7 however, this homestead exemption shall not apply to the land upon which such
8 primary residence is sited if the homeowner does not own the land.
9 (b) The amount of the homestead exemption in a parish may be increased by
10 up to an additional five thousand dollars of the assessed valuation of property;
11 however, an increase in the amount of the homestead exemption shall only apply in
12 a parish if the additional homestead exemption amount is approved by the parish
13 governing authority.
14 * * *
15 §21. Other Property Exemptions
16 Section 21. In addition to the homestead exemption provided for in Section
17 20 of this Article, the following property and no other shall be exempt from ad
18 valorem taxation:
19 * * *
20 (K)(1)(a) In addition to the homestead exemption authorized pursuant to the
21 provisions of Section 20 of this Article, which applies to the first seven thousand five
22 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property, the next two thousand five
23 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property receiving the homestead
24 exemption that is owned and occupied by a veteran with a service-connected
25 disability rating of fifty percent or more but less than seventy percent by the United
26 States Department of Veterans Affairs shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation.
27 The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran with a service-connected disability rating
28 of fifty percent or more but less than seventy percent by the United States
29 Department of Veterans Affairs shall be eligible for this exemption if the surviving
Page 2 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1064 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 440
1 spouse occupies and remains the owner of the property, whether or not the
2 exemption was in effect on the property prior to the death of the veteran. If property
3 eligible for the exemption provided for in this Subsubparagraph has an assessed
4 value in excess of ten thousand dollars, ad valorem property taxes shall apply to the
5 assessment in excess of ten thousand dollars. Ad valorem property taxes shall only
6 apply to the assessed value of property in excess of the amount of the homestead
7 exemption and the additional exemption provided for in this Subsubparagraph.
8 (b) In addition to the homestead exemption authorized pursuant to the
9 provisions of Section 20 of this Article, which applies to the first seven thousand five
10 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property, the next four thousand five
11 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property owned and occupied by a
12 veteran with a service-connected disability rating of seventy percent or more but less
13 than one hundred percent by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall
14 be exempt from ad valorem taxation. The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran
15 with a service-connected disability rating of seventy percent or more but less than
16 one hundred percent by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall be
17 eligible for this exemption if the surviving spouse occupies and remains the owner
18 of the property, whether or not the exemption was in effect on the property prior to
19 the death of the veteran. If property eligible for the exemption provided for in this
20 Subsubparagraph has an assessed value in excess of twelve thousand dollars, ad
21 valorem property taxes shall apply to the assessment in excess of twelve thousand
22 dollars. Ad valorem property taxes shall only apply to the assessed value of property
23 in excess of the amount of the homestead exemption and the additional exemption
24 provided for in this Subsubparagraph.
25 (c) In addition to the homestead exemption authorized pursuant to the
26 provisions of Section 20 of this Article, which applies to the first seven thousand five
27 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property, the remaining assessed
28 valuation of property receiving the homestead exemption that is owned and occupied
29 by a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of one hundred percent
Page 3 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1064 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 440
1 unemployability or totally disabled by the United States Department of Veterans
2 Affairs shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation. The surviving spouse of a
3 deceased veteran with a service-connected disability rating of one hundred percent
4 unemployability or totally disabled by the United States Department of Veterans
5 Affairs shall be eligible for this exemption if the surviving spouse occupies and
6 remains the owner of the property, whether or not the exemption was in effect on the
7 property prior to the death of the veteran.
8 * * *
9 (O)(1) In addition to the homestead exemption authorized pursuant to the
10 provisions of Section 20 of this Article, which applies to the first seven thousand five
11 hundred dollars of the assessed valuation of property, a parish governing authority
12 may approve an ad valorem tax exemption of up to two thousand five hundred
13 dollars of the assessed valuation of property receiving the homestead exemption that
14 is owned and occupied by a qualified first responder.
15 * * *
16 Section 2. Be it further resolved that, if approved by the voters, this proposed
17 amendment shall become effective on January 1, 2027, and shall be applicable to property
18 taxes beginning in tax year 2027.
19 Section 3. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
20 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 3,
21 2026.
22 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
23 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
24 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
25 follows:
26 Do you support an amendment to authorize a parish governing authority to
27 increase the maximum amount of the homestead exemption up to twelve
28 thousand five hundred dollars from the existing seven thousand five hundred
Page 4 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1064 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 440
1 dollars of the assessed value of the property? (Effective January 1, 2027)
2 (Amends Article VII, Sections 20(A)(1) and 21(K)(1) and (O)(1))
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 440 Original 2026 Regular Session Newell
Abstract: Authorizes each parish governing authority to increase the amount of the
homestead exemption by up to an additional $5,000 of the assessed value of a bona
fide homestead.
Present constitution exempts from property taxes the first $7,500 of assessed value ($75,000
of fair market value) of a homestead.
Proposed constitutional amendment changes provisions of present constitution with respect
to the amount of the homestead exemption by authorizing a parish governing authority to
increase the amount of the exemption by up to an additional $5,000 of the assessed value of
the property.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held Nov. 3, 2026.
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, and applicable to property taxes beginning in tax year 2027.
(Amends Const. Art. VII, §20(A)(1) and 21(K)(1) and (O)(1))
Page 5 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.