Bill > SB45

This bill amends Georgia's tax code to increase the maximum acreage for bona fide conservation use property from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres per single owner. The term "bona fide conservation use property" refers to land primarily used for agricultural production, timber farming, or maintaining environmentally sensitive areas while meeting specific qualifications. The bill allows property owners more flexibility in how they allocate and assess their conservation land, including provisions for family-owned farm entities to share and distribute their acreage limitations. Specifically, the changes impact how conservation property is classified, assessed, and registered on tax digests, ensuring that no person can receive current use tax assessment benefits for more than 4,000 acres in a tax year. The bill is contingent on a constitutional amendment being ratified by voters in the November 2026 state-wide general election, and if not approved, the bill will be automatically repealed on January 1, 2027. The primary goal appears to be providing larger landowners with more opportunities to receive preferential tax assessment for conservation and agricultural uses.

Budget and Finance

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69580