Bill making property tax increase cap mandatory passes Georgia Senate

Behind a glass, two state senators sit in the Senate chamber.
Georgia state Sen. Churck Hufstetler, R-Rome, listens to state Sen. Sam Watson on the Senate floor on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

The Georgia state Senate passed a bill Tuesday to prevent local governments and school districts from opting out of a statewide homestead tax exemption, which caps annual property tax increases.

After a lengthy debate, state senators voted 31 to 19 to pass Senate Bill 382, sending it to the House for review.

This comes as state Republicans seek to pass a flurry of measures this year to lower taxes in an effort to address rising costs. House Speaker Jon Burns and state House Republicans last week proposed a plan to eliminate local homestead property taxes by 2032. A special Senate committee also called for the elimination of state personal income taxes by 2032, an initiative led by Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor, and Republican state Sen. Blake Tillery, who is running for lieutenant governor.