OKLAHOMA CITY — A measure to increase Oklahoma’s homestead exemption and provide direct property tax relief to homeowners statewide has been filed by Rep. Robert Manger, R-Oklahoma City.

House Bill 4145 would increase the state’s homestead exemption from $1,000 to $7,000 of a home’s assessed value. If enacted, homeowners would subtract $7,000 from their home’s assessed value before property taxes are calculated. Lowering the taxable value would, in turn, reduce the overall tax bill. The change would apply statewide to qualifying primary residences.

"This is broad-based, straightforward relief that will reach working families, seniors on fixed incomes and longtime homeowners who have watched their property values steadily increase," Manger said. "It keeps the foundation of our local funding system intact while giving homeowners room to breathe."

Property taxes, or ad valorem taxes, are an integral source of local funding, supporting public schools, CareerTech, county law enforcement and courts, road and bridge work and other essential services such as police, fire, libraries and emergency medical care.

Amid recent calls to eliminate property taxes entirely, Manger said any reform effort must acknowledge both the essential services these dollars support and the growing strain on homeowners as property values and tax bills rise.

"The dollars collected through property taxes keep our schools open, our roads maintained and our communities safe," Manger said. "At the same time, families are opening their tax statements and seeing bills climb higher each year. We have a responsibility to address that pressure in a thoughtful way."

If approved by the Legislature and signed into law, the measure would represent one of the most significant increases to the homestead exemption in state law and would begin delivering relief in 2027.

Manger says HB4145 was designed to offer meaningful relief while preserving the framework that funds essential local services.

"We can support our schools and local governments while also recognizing the real impact rising property taxes have on families," he said. "House Bill 4145 is about striking that balance and doing right by the people we serve."

Under current law, qualifying homeowners receive an exemption on the first $1,000 of assessed value. If approved by the Legislature and signed into law, House Bill 4145 would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.