hb703.html
05 LC 19 6451/AP
House Bill 703 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Mitchell of the 88th, Henson of the 87th, Millar of the 79th, Mangham of the 94th, Chambers of the 81st, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend an Act to provide a $14,000.00 homestead exemption from certain ad valorem taxes levied by, for, or on behalf of the City of Stone Mountain for residents who are 62 years of age or older and whose net income together with the net income of the spouse who resides at the homestead of such resident does not exceed $10,000.00, approved April 9, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 3702), so as to increase the amount of such exemption to $20,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
An Act to provide a $14,000.00 homestead exemption from certain ad valorem taxes levied by, for, or on behalf of the City of Stone Mountain for residents who are 62 years of age or older and whose net income together with the net income of the spouse who resides at the homestead of such resident does not exceed $10,000.00, approved April 9, 1999 (Ga. L. 1999, p. 3702), is amended by striking in its entirety subsection (b) of Section 1 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(b) Each resident of the City of Stone Mountain who is a senior citizen is granted an exemption on that persońs homestead from all City of Stone Mountain ad valorem taxes for city purposes in the amount of $20,000.00 of the assessed value of that homestead owned and occupied by such resident as a residence if the resident́s net income, as defined by Georgia law, as now or hereafter amended, together with the net income of the resident́s spouse who also resides at and occupies such homestead does not exceed $10,000.00 for the immediately preceding taxable year. The value of that property in excess of such exempted amount shall remain subject to taxation."

SECTION 2.
Unless prohibited by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, the municipal election superintendent of the City of Stone Mountain shall call and conduct an election as provided in this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of the City of Stone Mountain for approval or rejection. The municipal election superintendent shall conduct that election on the date of the 2005 city-wide general election, and shall issue the call and conduct that election as provided by general law. The superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the election to be published once a week for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof in the official organ of the City of Stone Mountain. The ballot shall have written or printed thereon the words:
"(  )  YES

(  )  NO

Shall the Act be approved which increases the homestead exemption from certain ad valorem taxes levied for the City of Stone Mountain for city purposes from $14,000.00 to $20,000.00 for residents of that district who are 62 years of age or older and whose net income does not exceed $10,000.00?"
All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and those persons desiring to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 shall become of full force and effect on January 1, 2006. If the Act is not so approved or if the election is not conducted as provided in this section, the remaining sections of this Act shall not become effective and this Act shall be automatically repealed on the first day of January immediately following that election date. The expense of such election shall be borne by the City of Stone Mountain. It shall be the election superintendent́s duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of State.

SECTION 3.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.