BILL SUMMARY DETAILS

CS/HB 7073 (McClain) is the House comprehensive tax package and addresses several different areas of taxation. CS/HB 7073 does the following:

•Residential Homestead Property Insurance Premium Deduction: The bill requires an insurer to deduct an amount equal to 1.75% of the premium for a policy covering a residential property with a homestead exemption.

•Tourism Development Tax: The bill calls for the expiration of the tax six years after the date the ordinance is approved in a referendum but may be renewed for subsequent six-year periods if each six-year period is approved in a referendum. Provides exceptions for Tourism Development Taxes utilized to secure debt and adjusts time frames for renewal by referendum. 

•Tangible Personal Property: The bill clarifies tangible personal property taxes are not assessed for infrastructure constructed or installed by an electric utility until the infrastructure is deemed substantially complete. Substantially complete mean all permits, or approval required for commercial operation have been received or approved. Applies retroactively to January 1, 2024, and first applies to the 2024 property tax roll.

•Renewable Energy Source Device Assessments: The bill adds biogas to the list of renewable energy sources. Included in the description is the infrastructure associated with biogas energy operations. The bill excludes the infrastructure distribution grid or transmission lines for a natural gas pipeline or distribution system. The amendment first applies to the 2025 property tax roll.

•Home Equity Conversions Mortgage Tax: The bill clarifies only the amount of the principal limit available to the borrower is subject to the taxes. The amendment is intended to be retroactive but does not create a right to a refund.

•Municipal Resort Tax: Requires cities who presently levy the tax to renew the tax by referendum.

•Tax on Rental or License Fee for Use of Real Property (Business Rent Tax): The bill reduces the rate of the Business Rent Tax to 1.25% from its current rate of 4.5%. Note, prior legislation in 2021 called for a reduction of the Business Rent Tax to 2% by 2026, once the tax revenues had recovered to pre-Covid levels. This schedule was advanced to reduce to 2% as of June 2024. The bill excludes the leasing or renting of a motor vehicle as defined Section 316.003, which is used primarily in the trade or established business of the lessee or rentee for a certain time frame.

•Charter County and Regional Transportation System Surtax: The bill reduces the amount of time the tax may be levied from 30 years to 10 years. The levy of the tax by ordinance must be enacted by an extraordinary vote of the county governing authority and approved by a majority of voters in a referendum.

•Indigent Care and Trauma Center Surtax: The tax is levied by counties. The bill removes the ability to approve the tax by an extraordinary vote of the county governing body. The tax may only be levied by the approval of the majority vote in a referendum.

•County Public Hospital Surtax: The tax is levied by counties. The bill removes the ability to approve the tax by an extraordinary vote of the county governing body. The tax may only be levied by the approval of the majority vote in a referendum.

•Pension Liability Surtax: The bill adds language to sunset the surtax for either the actuarial funding level has reached or exceeded 100% of the defined benefit retirement plan or by December 31st of the tenth year after the surtax was approved by referendum.

•Discretionary Sales Surtax: The bill calls for any new or reenacted surtax held on or after July 1, 2024, may not be levied for more than 10 years, unless reenacted by ordinance subject to approval of the majority of the voters in a subsequent referendum.

•Tax Returns: The bill provides for an automatic ten-day extension for the filing tax returns following a Governor declared state of emergency under certain circumstances.

•Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund: The bill extends the distribution of funds to June 30, 2027. The amount of the trust fund is $27.5 million.

•Individual with Unique Abilities Tax Credit Program: The bill increases the amount of tax credits for business who employ persons with disabilities. The combined total of tax credits which may granted under this section is $5 million in each of the state fiscal years 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27. 

•Federal Income Tax Filing Extensions: The bill grants an automatic extension of 15 calendar days for filing federal income tax returns if there is a federally declared disaster.

•Strong Families Tax Credits: The bill extends the program for 2024-25, increases the tax credit cap to $40 million (increased for $20 million), adjusts the application period to January 1 at 9 a.m. of each year, except of the additional $20 million in additional credit which will be available on July 1 at 9 a.m. 

•James Patrick Memorial Incentive Personal Attendant Services and Employment Assistance Program: The bill also authorized 100% of the revenues collected from the tax collection enforcement diversion program to be used by the Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living to administer the program. 

•Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday: The bill authorizes the holiday this year from June 1 to June 14 and August 24 to September 6.

•Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday: The bill authorizes the holiday this year from July 1 to July 31 on certain types of events and equipment.

•School Supplies Sales Tax Holiday: The bill authorizes the holiday this year from July 29 to August 11 on the retail sale of certain items.

•Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday: The bill authorizes the holiday this year from September 1 to September 7 for the retail sale of certain tools and construction-related items.

•Affordable Housing in Areas of Critical State Concern: The bill authorizes the use of tourism impact tax funds to be utilized for the expansion of affordable housing under certain conditions. (Chapman)

HB 7077 (Alvarez) is the implementing bill for HJR 7075 if it is voter-approved and would increase the tangible personal property exemption from $25,000 to $50,000. The bill would require that the Legislature appropriate funds to offset reductions in ad valorem tax revenue experienced by fiscally constrained counties. (Chapman)

HJR 7075 (Alvarez) proposes an amendment to the Florida constitution to authorize the Legislature to increase the tangible personal property exemption from $25,000 to $50,000, subject to local ad valorem taxes levied by cities and counties. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. (Chapman)

CS/HB 1371 (Chamberlin) is the implementing bill for HJR 1369 if it is voter-approved and would create two new property tax exemptions. The bill was amended to include a study by the Office of Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) for the potential impact of eliminating all property tax and replacing the lost revenue through the establishment of a consumption tax. The report is to be submitted to the Speaker of the House and the Senate President by July 1, 2025. (Chapman)

HJR 1369 (Chamberlin) proposes an amendment to the constitution to authorize the Legislature to create two new property tax exemptions. The first would create a $100,000 exemption from assessed value of real property for all levies, the second would create a $250,000 homestead exemption for residential property owned by someone 65 or older. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. (Chapman)

CS/CS/HB 1195 (Garrison) and CS/SB 1322 (Ingoglia) would require local government to have two-thirds vote of the membership of the governing body to increase the millage rate. CS/HB 1195 was amended to clarify that the two-thirds vote does not apply to existing millage rate increases that require a three-fourths or unanimous vote of the governing body or voter approval in a referendum under current law. (Chapman)

CS/CS/HB 609 (Botana) and SB 1144 (DiCeglie) would repeal local governments' ability to levy a local business tax (LBT). CS/HB 609 was amended to no longer repeal the LBT. However, the amount of revenue generated from the collection of the LBT is being capped using fiscal year 23/24 as the base year. Local governments may not generate more revenue in any year moving forward above the base year of 23/24. Rates for the fees may be lowered, but not increased. CS/CS/HB 609 was amended to not apply to fiscally constrained counties or a municipality located in a fiscally constrained county. (Chapman)

HB 503 (Fabricio) and SB 578 (Ingoglia) would prohibit a local government from imposing, levying or collecting certain fees relating to the utilization of a virtual office. (Chapman)

HJR 7015 (Buchanan) proposes an amendment to the constitution to authorize the Legislature to increase the maximum amount of the exemption on homestead property from a maximum amount of $25,000 to a maximum amount of $50,000, for homestead property with an assessed value greater than $50,000. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. (Chapman)

CS/HB 1105 (Caruso) and SB 1376 (Wright) are the implementing bills for HJR 1103 (Caruso) and SJR 1374 (Wright) if it is voter-approved and would allow newly established homestead property to be assessed at less than just value if the property was previously assessed as non-homestead property and has not changed ownership and authorizing residency requirements for homestead exemptions. CS/HB 1105 was amended to afford property owners to rescind an application to seek homestead exemption on their property within a specified time frame. (Chapman)

HJR 1103 (Caruso) and SJR 1374 (Wright) propose an amendment to the constitution to authorize the Legislature to allow newly established homestead property to be assessed at less than just value if the property was previously assessed as non-homestead property and has not changed ownership and authorizing residency requirements for homestead exemptions. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. (Chapman)

CS/CS/HB 635 (McFarland) and CS/CS/SB 820 (Grall) amend Section 170.201, Florida Statutes, and provide an exemption for public and private preschools from specified special assessments levied by a municipality. CS/CS/SB 820 was amended to clarify the language relevant to the calculation for the amount owed after tax credits were applied. (Chapman)

CS/HB 7019 (Buchanan) is the implementing bill for HJR 7017 if it is voter-approved and would require an annual adjustment to the value of certain homestead exemptions. The bill would require that the Legislature appropriate funds to offset reductions in ad valorem tax revenue experienced by fiscally constrained counties due to the annual positive inflation adjustment. (Chapman)

CS/HJR 7017 (Buchanan) proposes an amendment to the constitution to authorize the Legislature to require an annual adjustment to the value of certain homestead exemptions. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. CS/HB HJR 7017 was amended to clarify that the annual inflation adjustment to the $25,000 exemption on assessed value for all levies, other than school district levies, and any future similar exemptions added to the constitution must be adjusted only when the inflation growth is positive. (Chapman)

SB 220 (Wright) and HB 689 (Smith) expand the current ad valorem tax exemption for not-for-profit homes for the aged. The bills will 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. (Chapman)

HB 55 (Tant) and CS/CS/SB 616 (Simon) are the implementing bills for HJR 53/SJR 618 if it is voter-approved and would provide for a property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a quadriplegic who was receiving a property tax exemption on real estate used and owned as a homestead at the time of their death. (Chapman)

CS/CS/HB 311 (Barnaby) and CS/SB 532 (Brodeur) are comprehensive bills that extensively revise Florida’s securities and transactions regulations. The bills redefine the term “investment adviser” to exclude political subdivisions from the listed entities required to register with the State. (Cruz)

HJR 53 (Tant) and SJR 618 (Simon) propose an amendment to the constitution to authorize the Legislature to provide for a property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a quadriplegic who was receiving a property tax exemption on real estate used and owned as a homestead at the time of their death. The constitutional amendment must be approved by at least 60% of electors at the November 2024 general election and will take effect on January 1, 2025. (Chapman)

HB 57 (Salzman) and SB 438 (Ingoglia) – Term Limits for County Commissioners

SB 780 (Yarborough) and HB 963 (Daniels) – Early Voting Sites

HB 281 (Arrington) and SB 724 (Davis) – Candidate Qualifying

HB 1035 (Bracy Davis) and SB 1522 (Thompson) – Elections

SB 326 (Ingoglia) – Term Limits

SB 1752 (Ingoglia) and HB 1669 (Roth) – Elections

SB 1602 (Gruters) – Elections

CS/CS/SB 734 (Ingoglia) and CS/CS/HB 735 (Andrade) impose restrictions on the renewal or extension of contracts for the chief executive officer of a municipality and the municipal general counsel; lobbyist registration requirements for lobbying counties, municipalities or special districts; and revise physical quorum requirements for public meetings. The bills prohibit a person from lobbying a county, municipality or special district unless he or she is registered with the Florida Commission on Ethics for lobbying the county, municipality or special district.  The Commission is required to maintain a public database of persons registered to lobby a municipality, county or special district. The bills require a county, municipality or special district from knowingly authorizing a person who is not registered as a lobbyist with the Commission to lobby the county, municipality or special district. “Lobby” is defined as seeking, on behalf of another person or group, to influence a decision of the governing entity in an area of policy or procurement or in an attempt to obtain the goodwill of an official or employee of such entity. “Lobbyist” has the same meaning as in Section 112.3215(1). The bills authorize the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate violations of the registration requirements upon receipt of a sworn complaint alleging a violation of the lobbyist registration requirements. It directs the Commission to provide the county, municipality or special district with a report of its findings and recommendations and authorizes the chief executive officer of the county, municipality or special district to enforce the Commission’s findings and recommendations. CS/CS/SB 734 preempts and supersedes any ordinance or charter provision establishing a lobbyist registration program adopted before July 1, 2024. CS/CS/HB 735 does not preempt or supersede any local government lobbyist registration program adopted before January 1, 2025. The bills prohibit public officers, public employees, a local government attorney or candidate for nomination or election from soliciting or accepting anything of value from a foreign country of concern. The bills prohibit the governing body of a municipality from renewing or extending the employment contract of a chief executive officer of the municipality during the eight months immediately preceding a general election for the mayor or for members of the governing body unless the renewal or extension is approved by a unanimous vote. In addition, the bills prohibit the governing body of a municipality from renewing or extending the employment contract of a municipal general counsel during the eight months immediately preceding a general election for mayor or for members of the governing body unless the renewal or extension is approved by a unanimous vote. CS/CS/HB 735 was amended to address financial disclosure requirements for elected members of a municipal governing body. It provides that a mayor and members of a governing body with a municipal population of 500 or fewer are required to file Form 1 instead of Form 6 financial disclosure. CS/CS/HB 735 is effective January 2025, and CS/CS/SB 734 is effective July 2024. (O’Hara)