| 1 | House Joint Resolution |
| 2 | A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4 of |
| 3 | Article VII of the State Constitution, relating to the |
| 4 | valuation of property for ad valorem taxation, to prohibit |
| 5 | increasing the assessed value of homestead property for an |
| 6 | owner who has legally claimed homestead status on that |
| 7 | property for 10 consecutive years. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VII of |
| 12 | the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to |
| 13 | the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next |
| 14 | general election or at an earlier special election specifically |
| 15 | authorized by law for that purpose: |
| 16 | ARTICLE VII |
| 17 | FINANCE AND TAXATION |
| 18 | SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.--By general law |
| 19 | regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just |
| 20 | valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided: |
| 21 | (a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge |
| 22 | to Florida's aquifers, or land used exclusively for |
| 23 | noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general |
| 24 | law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. |
| 25 | (b) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property |
| 26 | held for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for |
| 27 | taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be |
| 28 | classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation. |
| 29 | (c) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under |
| 30 | Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at |
| 31 | just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective |
| 32 | date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as |
| 33 | provided herein. |
| 34 | (1) Assessments subject to this provision shall be changed |
| 35 | annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in |
| 36 | assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following: |
| 37 | a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior |
| 38 | year. |
| 39 | b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all |
| 40 | urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or |
| 41 | successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially |
| 42 | reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of |
| 43 | Labor Statistics. |
| 44 | (2) No assessment shall exceed just value. |
| 45 | (3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general |
| 46 | law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of |
| 47 | January 1 of the following year. Thereafter, the homestead |
| 48 | shall be assessed as provided herein. |
| 49 | (4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value |
| 50 | as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the |
| 51 | homestead. That assessment shall only change as provided herein. |
| 52 | (5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to |
| 53 | homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general |
| 54 | law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change, |
| 55 | addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be |
| 56 | assessed as provided herein. |
| 57 | (6) If a person has been entitled to a homestead exemption |
| 58 | on specified property for ten consecutive years, thereafter, the |
| 59 | assessed value of that property shall not increase until the |
| 60 | homestead status of the property terminates. |
| 61 | (7)(6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, |
| 62 | the property shall be assessed as provided by general law. |
| 63 | (8)(7) The provisions of this subsection amendment are |
| 64 | severable. If any of the provisions of this subsection amendment |
| 65 | shall be held unconstitutional by any court of competent |
| 66 | jurisdiction, the decision of such court shall not affect or |
| 67 | impair any remaining provisions of this subsection amendment. |
| 68 | (d) The legislature may, by general law, for assessment |
| 69 | purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow |
| 70 | counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that |
| 71 | historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of |
| 72 | character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply |
| 73 | only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The |
| 74 | requirements for eligible properties must be specified by |
| 75 | general law. |
| 76 | (e) A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law, |
| 77 | provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead |
| 78 | property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of |
| 79 | that property which results from the construction or |
| 80 | reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing |
| 81 | living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents |
| 82 | or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner's spouse |
| 83 | if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the |
| 84 | living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a |
| 85 | reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following: |
| 86 | (1) The increase in assessed value resulting from |
| 87 | construction or reconstruction of the property. |
| 88 | (2) Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the |
| 89 | property as improved. |
| 90 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be |
| 91 | placed on the ballot: |
| 92 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
| 93 | ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4 |
| 94 | FREEZE ON ASSESSED VALUE OF HOMESTEAD PROPERTY.--Proposing |
| 95 | an amendment to the State Constitution to provide that the |
| 96 | assessed value of property on which the same person has legally |
| 97 | claimed the homestead exemption for 10 consecutive years shall |
| 98 | not increase until the homestead status of the property |
| 99 | terminates. |