HJR 353

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 of
3	Article VII of the State Constitution to increase the
4	homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 for all
5	levies.
6
7	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9	That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII of
10	the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
11	the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
12	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
13	authorized by law for that purpose:
14	ARTICLE VII
15	FINANCE AND TAXATION
16	SECTION 6.  Homestead exemptions.--
17	(a)  Every person who has the legal or equitable title to
18	real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the
19	owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner,
20	shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for
21	special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of five thousand
22	dollars, upon establishment of right thereto in the manner
23	prescribed by law. The real estate may be held by legal or
24	equitable title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a
25	condominium, or indirectly by stock ownership or membership
26	representing the owner's or member's proprietary interest in a
27	corporation owning a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of
28	ninety-eight years.
29	(b)  Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any
30	individual or family unit or with respect to any residential
31	unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate
32	assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock
33	or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion
34	which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed
35	value of the property.
36	(c)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
37	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of fifty
38	twenty-five thousand dollars of the assessed value of the real
39	estate for each school district levy. By general law and subject
40	to conditions specified therein, the exemption for all other
41	levies may be increased up to an amount not exceeding ten
42	thousand dollars of the assessed value of the real estate if the
43	owner has attained age sixty-five or is totally and permanently
44	disabled and if the owner is not entitled to the exemption
45	provided in subsection (d).
46	(d)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
47	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of fifty
48	thousand dollars the following amounts of the assessed value of
49	the real estate for each levy other than those of school
50	districts: fifteen thousand dollars with respect to 1980
51	assessments; twenty thousand dollars with respect to 1981
52	assessments; twenty-five thousand dollars with respect to
53	assessments for 1982 and each year thereafter. However, such
54	increase shall not apply with respect to any assessment roll
55	until such roll is first determined to be in compliance with the
56	provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by general
57	law. This subsection shall stand repealed on the effective date
58	of any amendment to section 4 which provides for the assessment
59	of homestead property at a specified percentage of its just
60	value.
61	(e)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
62	therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are
63	permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax
64	levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and
65	amount established by general law.
66	(f)  The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or
67	municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies
68	and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an
69	additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding twenty-five
70	thousand dollars to any person who has the legal or equitable
71	title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent
72	residence of the owner and who has attained age sixty-five and
73	whose household income, as defined by general law, does not
74	exceed twenty thousand dollars. The general law must allow
75	counties and municipalities to grant this additional exemption,
76	within the limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance
77	adopted in the manner prescribed by general law, and must
78	provide for the periodic adjustment of the income limitation
79	prescribed in this subsection for changes in the cost of living.
80	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
81	placed on the ballot:
82	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
83	ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6
84	INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.--Proposing an amendment to
85	the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption from
86	$25,000 to $50,000 for all levies, school districts or
87	otherwise.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.