Budget & Taxes (Tax Incentives · Agriculture)

HB 4043 would add a $20,000 property tax exemption for West Virginia farmers who earn more than half their income from farming. This new exemption applies in addition to the existing $20,000 homestead exemption for qualifying residents (like seniors or disabled individuals). It directly affects West Virginia resident farmers whose primary income source is agriculture, reducing their property tax burden on their primary residence. The bill creates a specific tax break for farming households by expanding the current homestead exemption program to include this additional benefit for qualifying farm-dependent families.

HB 4913 exempts the first 100 acres of qualifying working farms from all state, county, and municipal property taxes. A "working farm" is defined as land primarily used for agricultural production (crops, livestock, etc.), actively managed, and producing goods for sale. The exemption applies per parcel - not per owner - to prevent landowners from splitting parcels to gain more tax breaks, and a clawback provision reinstates taxes if the land stops farming or is subdivided. The bill also prohibits reassessments based on nearby development or "highest and best use" theories unrelated to agriculture.

HB 4042 would exempt farm real property (including land and structures) used for agricultural purposes from property taxes in West Virginia, provided the owner-farmer resides on the property and earns at least 40% of their income from farming. The bill amends West Virginia Code §11-3-9 to add this specific tax exemption to the state's existing list of property tax exemptions. This policy change directly affects qualifying farmers who meet both the income threshold (40% from farming) and residency requirement (living on the farm property). The exemption applies only to property actively used for farming operations, not to other personal or investment properties.