On May 2, 2012, Governor Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 117, which increased the residential homestead exemption in the State of Georgia from $10,000 to $21,500 for an individual debtor, and from $20,000 to $43,000 for a married debtor. Our office would like to thank our local legislators, Jesse Stone and Hardie Davis, for their instrumental efforts in securing this additional protection for Georgia homeowners.