State Rep. Robert Flournoy has put forward a new bill in the Georgia House designed to fully exempt qualifying homeowners in Hampton from certain city property taxes, per the Georgia State House.
Filed as HB1492 on Tuesday, March 3, during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the measure is officially titled: ‘Hampton City of; ad valorem tax for municipal purposes; provide homestead exemption.’
Our summary below is based on the official bill language and aims to clarify its terms and requirements.
Specifically, HB1492 would grant a full exemption from City of Hampton ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes to residents who have maintained a primary home within the city for at least five years. This covers the assessed value of up to five adjoining acres. The provision replaces any prior city homestead exemptions but does not alter state, county, or school tax obligations. Applicants must file once, except those who have held a different city homestead exemption for five years, who would receive the exemption automatically, which would then renew each year while they remain eligible. The exemption takes effect for tax years starting Jan. 1, 2027, subject to approval by local voters in a November 2026 referendum.
Rep. Demetrius Douglas (Democrat-78th) has also signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill.
Flournoy has sponsored six additional bills during this session.
Flournoy earned his degree from Georgia State University.
A member of the Democratic Party, Flournoy was elected to the Georgia State House in 2025 to serve District 74, succeeding former representative Karen Mathiak.
In Georgia, the lawmaking process begins with a legislator, sometimes responding to a constituent’s request, working with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a proposal. The measure is then filed with either the House Clerk or the Senate Secretary, read for the first time, and assigned to committee for review and deliberation. Upon committee approval, it returns to the floor for debate, a third reading, and a vote. Passage by both chambers is required, with reconciliation by committee if needed, before the bill is sent to the governor. During session, the governor has six days to act—or up to 40 days following adjournment—to sign, veto, or allow the measure to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly convenes for 40 days annually, beginning the second Monday in January.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB1426 | 02/24/2026 | Peace officers; training in evacuation of persons with disabilities during an emergency; provide |
| HB1376 | 02/18/2026 | Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired Act; enact |
| HB1218 | 02/05/2026 | Georgia Virtual Public School Student Athletic Participation Act; enact |
| HB1099 | 01/29/2026 | Blind Persons’ Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact |
| HB876 | 03/28/2025 | Property; provide residential tenants with the right to complete repairs required by landlord and offset rental installments by the reasonable cost of such repairs under certain circumstances |
| HB875 | 03/28/2025 | Property; tenant seeking to limit public access to records of the court relating to dispossessory actions to be sealed under certain circumstances; provide |
Information in this article comes from the Georgia State House. The source data is available here.
