The Georgia State Legislature ended its 2024 legislative session on March 29, having placed five measures on the ballot for the general election on Nov. 5, 2024. Three measures are constitutional amendments, and two are property tax exemptions.

The legislature referred two ballot measures to amend state law to increase property tax exemptions.

One measure would increase the personal property tax exemption from $7,500 to $20,000. The exemption would exclude from taxation property owned by a taxpayer within a county (except motor vehicles, trailers, and mobile homes) with a fair market value of $20,000 or below. Personal property includes furniture, fixtures, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other property used in a business, as well as aircraft and boats owned by an individual or corporation.

The other measure would increase the state homestead property tax exemption from $2,000 to $10,000.

Under the state constitution, property tax exemption bills require a two-thirds vote (rather than a simple majority vote) in the state legislature. Then they must be approved by a majority of statewide voters. From 2000 through 2022, 22 property tax exemption measures appeared on the statewide ballot, of which 19 were approved and three were defeated.

The changes to the constitution referred to the ballot would:

• create the Georgia Tax Court with judicial power and statewide jurisdiction;
• provide for a local option homestead property tax exemption and allow counties, municipalities, or local school districts to opt out of offering the exemption; and
• change appropriation processes and requirements for funds the state receives from legal judgments or settlements.

In Georgia, 132 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2022. Of that number, 109 were approved, and 27 were defeated.