Section 36-17-23. Limits on granting of credits; claim and certification of credits by taxpayer; recovery of credits erroneously or illegally granted; payment of tax liability prerequisite to credit

   (a) No credit or combination of credits granted pursuant to this article shall exceed the lesser of (1) $1,000.00 or (2) the credit recipient's total tax liability for county ad valorem property taxes levied and expended by the county governing authority. No credit authorized by such Code sections shall be granted unless the taxpayer claims his entitlement to such credit and certifies that the sum of all such credits so claimed by him does not exceed $1,000.00. The state revenue commissioner shall provide by regulation for the forms and procedures by which taxpayers shall claim credits and certify the sum thereof. The governing authorities of the various counties shall make available to the taxing authorities of such counties funds sufficient to defray the administrative costs of this article. Any person who, with intent to receive credit not authorized by this article, claims a credit to which he is not lawfully entitled or falsely certifies the sum of credits claimed by him shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any credit erroneously or illegally granted, whether due to negligence or any other cause, shall be recoverable by the county granting such credit in the same fashion as any other delinquent property tax.

(b) No credit authorized under this article shall be granted to any taxpayer unless the taxpayer pays his then current tax liability for county ad valorem property taxes levied and expended by the county governing authority on or before the date such liability becomes due. However, in order to comply with this subsection, the governing authority of any county may, by appropriate resolution, extend the date that such tax liability becomes due.

Ga. L. 1975, p. 1079, § 4.