BILL SUMMARY DETAILS

HB 101 (Woodson) and SB 184 (Polsky) expand the current homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a first responder who dies in the line of duty to include first responders who die in the line of duty while employed by the United States Government. (Cruz)

SB 288 (DiCeglie) and HB 499 (Stark) create the Main Street Historic Tourism and Revitalization Act, which provides a tax credit against corporate income taxes and insurance premium taxes for qualified expenses incurred in the rehabilitation of a certified historic structure. The tax credit may not exceed 20 percent of qualified expenses incurred in the rehabilitation of a certified historic structure that has been approved by the National Park Service to receive the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit or 30 percent of the total qualified expenses incurred in the rehabilitation of a certified historic structure that has been approved by the National Park Service to receive the federal historic rehabilitation tax credit that is located within a local program area of an Accredited Main Street Program. (Chapman)

CS/SB 120 (Avila) and CS/HB 471 (Fernandez-Barquin) would reduce the limitation on annual increases of homestead property tax assessments from 3% to 2% if SJR 122 or a similar constitutional amendment is approved by the voters at the next general election. (Chapman)

SJR 122 (Avila) and HJR 469 (Fernandez-Barquin) would reduce the limitation on annual increases of homestead property tax assessments from 3% to 2%. In 1994, the State of Florida established a 3% Save Our Homes (SOH) Cap assessment limit on all residential properties that receive a homestead exemption. The 3% SOH Cap limits any increase to the assessed value of a homestead exempt property for tax purposes to a maximum of 3% each year. SB 120 would reduce the assessment limit to a maximum of 2% each year. SJR 122 and HJR 469 are constitutional amendments and would require the approval of the Florida Legislature and the voters of Florida. (Chapman)

CS/SB 124 (Avila) and CS/HB 161 (Borrero) increase the just value limit of real estate eligible for the homestead tax exemption that may be adopted by counties or municipalities for certain persons age 65 and older if SJR 126, HJR 159 or a similar constitutional amendment is approved by the voters at the next general election. (Cruz)

SJR 126 (Avila) and HJR 159 (Borrero) propose an amendment to the Florida Constitution to increase the just value of a home that may be eligible to receive an additional homestead exemption for homes owned by seniors 65 years or older from $250,000 to $300,000. Under current law, a county or city may authorize an additional homestead exemption for seniors over the age of 65 if the value of the home is $250,000 or less, has been a permanent residence for at least 25 years, and certain income limitations are met. The legislation would simply increase the just value limit of real estate eligible for the homestead tax exemption from $250,000 to $300,000. (Cruz)

HB 127 (Smith) and SB 566 (Wright) expand the current ad valorem tax exemption for not-for-profit homes for the aged to also allow a home for the aged owned by a separate entity that is owned by a not-for-profit corporation to also receive the exemption. (Cruz)

HB 405 (Tramont) proposes an amendment to the Florida Constitution that would prohibit nonpartisan municipal elections. The proposal also provides that only qualified electors in a municipal election with the same party affiliation as a candidate for office may vote in the primary election for such office (even if a candidate has no opponent with a different party affiliation). The same prohibitions and limitations are imposed on all other state, county and local primary elections, including school boards. In addition, the proposal specifies that a candidate for office may not be prohibited from disclosing his or her party affiliation to the electors and may not be prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for office based on party affiliation. (O'Hara)

HB 37 (Roach) and SB 774 (Brodeur) require all municipal mayors, city commissioners, elected members of a municipal governing body, and all municipal and county managers to file an annual Full Disclosure of Financial Interests (Form 6) with the Florida Commission on Ethics. These individuals are currently required to file only a Limited Disclosure of Financial Interests (Form 1). (O'Hara)

HB 199 (Hunschofsky), SB 620 (DiCeglie) and HB 241 (Daley) would remove a current law exemption in the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees for officers of certain special taxing districts created by general or special law relating to conflicting employment and contractual relationships. The effect of the revision would make such officers subject to the prohibition against holding conflicting employment or contractual relationships. In addition, HB 241 would require ethics training for elected local officers of independent special districts. (O'Hara)

HB 473 (Eskamani) – Agreement for Best Practices in Economic Development

HB 413 (Abbott) prohibits agency agreements from requiring local governments within a rural area of opportunity to expend funds in order to be reimbursed. Agency funding may be advanced to cities and counties based on an analysis of estimated costs, pay service providers or vendors directly or undertake other options to meet the requirements of the agreement. (Taggart)

HB 251 (Trabulsy) and SB 476 (Gruters) create the Florida First Production Partnership Program within the Department of Economic Opportunity. The purpose of the program is to boost Florida's economic prosperity by providing a tax credit award to certified film projects that provide the greatest return on investment and economic benefit to the State. (Taggart)

SB 682 (DiCeglie) and HB 671 (Esposito) are comprehensive building permit bills. Of concern to cities, the bills do the following:

•Require the local jurisdiction to reduce the permit fee by 75% if an owner retains a private provider.

•Reduce the time frame of when municipalities must provide written notice of receipt and any other additional information that is required for a properly completed application to an applicant.

•Reduce the amount of times a municipality can ask an applicant for additional information.

•Allow an application to be “deemed” approved if municipalities fail to meet any of the timeframes. (Branch)

CS/HB 383 (Griffitts) and SB 346 (DiCeglie) require a contract for construction services between a local government entity and a contractor to include the estimated cost of each item necessary to complete the work. The bills restrict the ability of local governments to withhold certain amounts under the contract only to those subject to good faith disputes or claims against public surety bonds. The bills also preempt the ability of a municipality to enact a local preference ordinance when awarding a public works project. (Branch)

HB 327 (Bell) and SB 408 (Perry) define a fire sprinkler system project as an alteration of a total of 20 or fewer fire sprinklers or the installation or replacement of an equivalent fire sprinkler system component in an existing building. A local government may require a contractor as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire sprinkler system project, but may not require a contractor to submit plans or specifications as a condition of obtaining the permit. All documents for a fire sprinkler system project must be available to the inspector at each inspection. (Branch)

HB 765 (Roth) is a bill dealing with building permit applications. The bill would require municipalities to notify the owner of a property and the contractor listed on the permit within 60 days before the permit is set to expire. The bill increases the permit reduction fee by 25% for each business day the local government fails to meet the established timeframes. HB 765 also requires a municipality to accept applications electronically and post the status update of each building permit application on their website. The bill prohibits a municipality from using a permit application unless it includes an attachment with a specified “notice” statement that is referenced in the bill. (Branch)

HB 89 (Maggard) and SB 512 (Hooper) would prohibit a local government from making substantive changes to building plans after a permit has been issued. If substantive changes are made after a permit is issued, the local government must identify the specific plan features that do not comply with the Florida Fire Prevention Code or Life Safety or local amendments, identify the specific code chapters and sections upon which the finding is based and provide this information to the permitholder. A local fire inspector who fails to comply is subject to disciplinary action. (Branch)

SB 100 (Garcia) and HB 561 (Mooney, Jr.) – Mangrove Replanting & Restoration

HB 55 (Garcia) and SB 108 (Rodriguez) – Trees and Other Vegetation within Rights-of-Way

SB 54 (Rodriguez) and HB 135 (Mooney) – Land Acquisition Trust Fund (Keys)

HB 125 (McClain) and SB 194 (Hooper) – Utility System Rate Base Values

HB 207 (Edmonds) – Notice of Contaminated Water Systems

HB 325 (Valdes) – Flood Disclosures for Residential and Commercial Property Sales

HB 527 (Skidmore) – Office of the Blue Economy

HB 407 (Shoaf) – Apalachicola Bay Area of Critical State Concern

SB 320 (Harrell) and HB 547 (Sirois) – Land Acquisition Trust Fund (Indian River Lagoon)

HB 325 (Valdes) – Flood Disclosures for Residential and Commercial Property Sales

HB 207 (Edmonds) – Notice of Contaminated Water Systems

HB 557 (Bell) – Land Acquisition Trust Fund (Heartland Headwaters)

SB 322 (Gruters) and HB 529 (Mooney) – Natural Gas Fuel Tax

HB 23 (Bell) and SB 162 (Collins) state that water and wastewater facility operators are essential first responders. The bills require the Department of Environmental Protection to issue a license by reciprocity to any applicant who: (1) is a water treatment plant operator, water distribution system operator or domestic wastewater treatment plant operator and who holds an active and valid license from another state, the federal government or tribal government, for which the licensure requirements are comparable to or exceed Florida’s licensure requirements; (2) has passed a licensure examination comparable to the Department’s licensure examination, subject to approval of the Department; (3) is not the subject of a disciplinary or enforcement action outside of Florida at the time of application; (4) submits a completed application for reciprocal licensure; and (5) remits the application fee. The bills further direct the Department to issue a license by reciprocity to any applicant who: (1) has performed comparable duties while serving in the U.S. armed forces, for which the requirements for performing the duties are comparable to or exceed the Department’s licensure requirements; (2) has passed a skills assessment or competency examination comparable to the Department’s licensure exam, subject to approval by the Department; (3) is not the subject of any disciplinary or enforcement action at the time of application; (4) submits a completed application to the Department; and (5) remits the application fee. Lastly, the bills authorize the Department, during a declared state of emergency, to issue a temporary operator license by reciprocity under specified conditions and to waive the application fee for such temporary operator license. (O’Hara)