Louisiana Voters Approve Two Property Tax Changes That Affect Disabled Veterans and Their Surviving Spouses

Where it stands

1. ✓

   Nov 3, 2026

   Voters approve Amendments 1 and 9 in unofficial returns

2. NowNow

   Results are unofficial until the state certifies them

3. Jan 1, 2027

   Both amendments take effect

1. ◆

   What happened

   Louisiana voters approved two constitutional amendments on November 3, 2026 that affect property taxes for disabled veterans and their families. With all 3,722 precincts reporting, the Secretary of State's unofficial returns show Amendment 1 passing 1,071,202 to 371,217 (74.3%) and Amendment 9 passing 823,788 to 591,838 (58.2%). They are not official until the state certifies them.

2. ◷

   Amendment 1: surviving spouses can move the exemption once

   On top of the standard $7,500 homestead exemption, Louisiana exempts more of a home's assessed value when the owner is a veteran with a VA service-connected disability rating of 50% or more: the next $2,500 of assessed value at 50% to 69%, the next $4,500 at 70% to 99%, and the whole assessed value at a 100% unemployability or total disability rating. Under current law, a surviving spouse qualifies only while occupying and still owning the property. Starting in 2027, Act 39 removes that condition and adds a one-time transfer of the exemption to a new homestead. The transfer is capped at the amount of the exemption claimed on the old home in its last year.

3. ⌂

   Amendment 9: a higher income limit for the assessment freeze

   Louisiana's special assessment level keeps a homestead's assessment from rising above its level in the first year the owner qualifies. Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 50% or more are among the groups who can get it, along with homeowners 65 and older. The limit is on adjusted gross income for the year before you apply. Today it is $100,000, adjusted for inflation since 2026. Amendment 9 raises it to $150,000 starting with the 2027 tax year, adjusted for inflation starting in 2028.

4. ✓

   When it takes effect

   Both amendments take effect January 1, 2027.

5. ◇

   What it could mean for a home loan

   Property taxes are usually paid through your escrow account and count in your debt-to-income ratio. A new or larger exemption lowers the tax bill, and with it the escrow deposit, once it is on the tax roll and your servicer recalculates escrow. The assessment freeze does not lower today's bill; it keeps the assessed value from rising, though millage changes can still move the bill.

6. ◆

   What to do now

   Ask your parish assessor what you need to file and by when. Our guide to property tax exemptions for disabled veterans explains how these programs work in other states.