HB 65 Alabama House · 2026 Regular Session

Franklin County; senior property tax exemption, authorized; constitutional amendment

HB 65 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow Franklin County residents aged 65 or older to claim a property tax exemption on their primary residence. To qualify, seniors must own the home as their principal residence for at least five years and meet income requirements (not detailed in the bill text). The exemption freezes the property’s assessed value from the year before claiming it, but does not affect homestead exemptions or millage rate changes. The amendment requires voter approval and would take effect for tax years beginning October 1, 2027, with claims due by December 31, 2027. This is a proposed change to the state constitution, not yet law.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Nov 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2026
House Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Jan 2026
Signed into Law
Feb 2026
Introduced Nov 13, 2025 Signed Feb 3, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 4 edits · Feb 3, 2026
MODERATE
The bill has progressed from its introduction stage to being enrolled for final passage, retaining the core proposal to create a senior property tax exemption in Franklin County for residents aged 65 and older. The substantive policy details, including eligibility requirements, the freeze on assessed value, and the effective date of October 1, 2027, remain unchanged. The primary differences are formatting updates, the removal of a synopsis section, and the addition of official certification signatures indicating the bill has passed both legislative chambers.
Scope change
The scope and applicability of the bill remain unchanged; it still applies exclusively to Franklin County, Alabama, for taxpayers aged 65 and older.
TECHNICAL

The document title was updated from 'HB65 INTRODUCED' to 'HB65 ENROLLED', reflecting the bill's final status before signing into law.

The 'SYNOPSIS' section, which provided a brief summary of the bill's intent, was removed from the enrolled version.

Official certification signatures from the Clerk of the House and Senate were added to confirm the bill passed both chambers on January 26, 2026.

Page headers and internal tracking codes were updated to reflect the enrolled status and new page numbering.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
21
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Jan 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Chambliss Local Certification Resolution - Adopted Roll Call 187
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 186
upper
Jan 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported Out of Committee Second House
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Pending Committee Action in Second House (Local Legislation )
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
LocalCertificationResolutionAdopted
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 80
lower
Jan 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Local Legislation)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jamie Kiel
Jamie Kiel
RRepublican
AL
18