Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 922
       
       
        
       By Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       22-00982B-14                                           2014922__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to renewable energy source devices;
    3         amending s. 193.624, F.S.; prohibiting consideration
    4         by a property appraiser of the increased value of real
    5         property due to the installation of a renewable energy
    6         source device by an end-use customer; revising the
    7         definition of the term “renewable energy source
    8         device”; providing for applicability; providing a
    9         contingent effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Section 193.624, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   14  read:
   15         193.624 Assessment of real residential property.—
   16         (1) As used in this section, the term “renewable energy
   17  source device” means any of the following equipment installed by
   18  an end-use customer that collects, transmits, stores, or uses
   19  solar energy, wind energy, or energy derived from geothermal
   20  deposits and that is primarily intended to offset part or all of
   21  that end-use customer’s electricity demands:
   22         (a) Solar energy collectors, photovoltaic modules, and
   23  inverters.
   24         (b) Storage tanks and other storage systems, excluding
   25  swimming pools used as storage tanks.
   26         (c) Rockbeds.
   27         (d) Thermostats and other control devices.
   28         (e) Heat exchange devices.
   29         (f) Pumps and fans.
   30         (g) Roof ponds.
   31         (h) Freestanding thermal containers.
   32         (i) Pipes, ducts, refrigerant handling systems, and other
   33  equipment used to interconnect such systems; however, such
   34  equipment does not include conventional backup systems of any
   35  type.
   36         (j) Windmills and wind turbines.
   37         (k) Wind-driven generators.
   38         (l) Power conditioning and storage devices that use wind
   39  energy to generate electricity or mechanical forms of energy.
   40         (m) Pipes and other equipment used to transmit hot
   41  geothermal water to a dwelling or structure from a geothermal
   42  deposit.
   43         (2) In determining the assessed value of real property used
   44  for residential purposes, an increase in the just value of the
   45  property attributable to the installation of a renewable energy
   46  source device may not be considered.
   47         (3) This section applies to new and existing residential
   48  real property upon which the installation of a renewable energy
   49  source device was installed on or after January 1, 2013, and to
   50  all other real property as set forth in this section upon which
   51  such a device is installed on or after January 1, 2015 to new
   52  and existing residential real property.
   53         Section 2. The amendments made by this act to s. 193.624,
   54  Florida Statutes, apply to assessments beginning January 1,
   55  2015.
   56         Section 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2015, if
   57  SJR ____, or a similar joint resolution having substantially the
   58  same specific intent and purpose, is approved by the electors at
   59  the general election to be held in November 2014 or at an
   60  earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that
   61  purpose.