Subcommittee advances bill extending deadline for Hurricane Helene property-tax relief

At a city and county subcommittee meeting in April 2025, members voted to approve an amendment to House Bill 726 that extends the deadline for assessors to identify properties eligible for property-tax relief for taxpayers impacted by Hurricane Helene. The panel voted 6-0 to advance the bill as amended to the next available calendar in the State and Local Government committee.

The amendment, identified by drafting code 6337, was described by Chairman Hicks as a cleanup measure intended to ensure all taxpayers affected by Hurricane Helene receive the relief passed during a prior special session. "The amendment actually makes the bill," Chairman Hicks said, and he told the panel the change would preserve the bill's parameters while extending the assessor deadline.

Under the original special-session measure, relief was structured as an ad valorem formula setting eligible relief at 130% of a property's assessed value. The original deadline for assessors to identify affected properties was Jan. 28; the amendment extends that deadline until April (specific April date not specified in the meeting record). Chairman Hicks said the extension was needed because some affected properties were not initially identified after the special session.

After brief discussion and without recorded objections, the committee voted on the amendment and then on the bill as amended. The clerk reported six ayes on the final vote; the minutes state, "The ayes prevail. House Bill 726 as amended moves [to the] next available calendar, state and local government." The transcript does not record which members cast each individual vote.

Later in the meeting, Chairman Crawford moved to adjourn the committee "subject to call of the chair." That motion also passed on a 6-0 vote.

The bill will next appear on the State and Local Government calendar; no additional implementation details or effective dates were specified at the subcommittee meeting.