House Bill 557 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Kelvin LawrenceRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Wilcox County; ad valorem taxes, additional tax established

Summary

Wilcox County would renew its existing ad valorem tax and, if voters approve, raise the rate from 10 to 19 mills starting in 2027 to fund county operations and public schools.

What This Bill Does

The bill allows Wilcox County to renew the current ad valorem tax and, with voter approval, increase the tax rate to a maximum of 19 mills for the tax year beginning October 1, 2027. The extra money would be split so that 2 mills go to the county general fund and 7 mills go to the Wilcox County Board of Education. The existing expiring tax ends after the 2026-2027 period, and the act becomes effective June 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Property taxpayers in Wilcox County would face a higher ad valorem tax rate (up to 19 mills) if the renewal is approved.
• County government (general fund) and the Wilcox County Board of Education would receive the additional revenue—2 mills to the county fund and 7 mills to the school board—starting with the 2027 tax year.

Key Provisions

• Renewal of the board and county ad valorem tax at up to 19 mills for the tax year beginning October 1, 2027, contingent on a majority vote by qualified electors.
• Revenue distribution from the increased tax: 2 mills to the county general fund and 7 mills to the Wilcox County Board of Education.
• Requires voter approval at the next general, primary, constitutional, or special election held for that purpose.
• Act becomes effective June 1, 2026; replaces the expiring tax whose final levy and collection occur in 2027.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 19, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Wilcox County