Georgia lawmakers will consider adding homestead tax referendums on November ballot during special session

Taxes

June 3rd, 2026

Kemp walks through a crowd of lawmakers in the Senate chamber — Gov. Brian Kemp greets lawmakers in the Senate chamber on Sine Die on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
Matthew Pearson / WABE

Georgia state lawmakers will consider adding local referendums on the November ballot to create homestead tax exemptions when they reconvene for a special session later this month.

Gov. Brian Kemp amended the agenda for the June 17 special session on Wednesday.

Kemp signed SB 33 in May, which allows local governments to levy a Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) for the purpose of reducing property taxes via a homestead tax exemption.

Local residents would need a majority to pass an exemption. This exemption would be in addition to other homestead tax exemptions.

Kemp’s changes to the June 17 special session also include ratifying the extension of the state gas tax suspension from May 20 to June 2.

The governor originally called the June 17 special session for congressional and state legislative redistricting for the 2028 elections and resolving an election issue caused by a state law that bans the use of QR codes to count votes after July 1.