HB 0353

CS

CHAMBER ACTION

1	The Local Government Council recommends the following:
2
3	Council/Committee Substitute
4	Remove the entire bill and insert:
5	House Joint Resolution
6	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 of
7	Article VII and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII
8	of the State Constitution to provide for a phased increase
9	in the homestead exemption over 5 years from $25,000 to
10	$50,000 for all levies, increase the maximum additional
11	homestead exemption for low-income seniors from $25,000 to
12	$50,000, and schedule the amendment to take effect January
13	1, 2007, if adopted.
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15	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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17	That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII
18	and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII of the State
19	Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
20	electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
21	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
22	authorized by law for that purpose:
23	ARTICLE VII
24	FINANCE AND TAXATION
25	SECTION 6.  Homestead exemptions.--
26	(a)  Every person who has the legal or equitable title to
27	real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the
28	owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner,
29	shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for
30	special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of five thousand
31	dollars, upon establishment of right thereto in the manner
32	prescribed by law. The real estate may be held by legal or
33	equitable title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a
34	condominium, or indirectly by stock ownership or membership
35	representing the owner's or member's proprietary interest in a
36	corporation owning a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of
37	ninety-eight years.
38	(b)  Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any
39	individual or family unit or with respect to any residential
40	unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate
41	assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock
42	or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion
43	which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed
44	value of the property.
45	(c)(1)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
46	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of the
47	following amounts twenty-five thousand dollars of the assessed
48	value of the real estate for each school district levy: thirty
49	thousand dollars with respect to 2007 assessments; thirty-five
50	thousand dollars with respect to 2008 assessments; forty
51	thousand dollars with respect to 2009 assessments; forty-five
52	thousand dollars with respect to 2010 assessments; and fifty
53	thousand dollars with respect to 2011 assessments. In 2012 and
54	each year thereafter, the exemption shall increase annually by
55	the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban
56	consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor
57	reports for the preceding calendar year as initially reported by
58	the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
59	Statistics.
60	(2)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
61	therein, the exemption for all other levies may be increased up
62	to an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars of the assessed
63	value of the real estate if the owner has attained age sixty-
64	five or is totally and permanently disabled and if the owner is
65	not entitled to the exemption provided in subsection (d).
66	(d)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
67	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of the
68	following amounts of assessed value of real estate for each levy
69	other than those of school districts: thirty fifteen thousand
70	dollars with respect to 2007 1980 assessments; thirty-five
71	twenty thousand dollars with respect to 2008 1981 assessments;
72	forty twenty-five thousand dollars with respect to 2009
73	assessments; forty-five thousand dollars with respect to 2010
74	assessments; and fifty thousand dollars with respect to 2011
75	assessments. In 2012 for 1982 and each year thereafter, the
76	exemption shall increase annually by the percentage change in
77	the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, U.S. City
78	Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the
79	preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United
80	States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. However,
81	such increase shall not apply with respect to any assessment
82	roll until such roll is first determined to be in compliance
83	with the provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by
84	general law. This subsection shall stand repealed on the
85	effective date of any amendment to section 4 which provides for
86	the assessment of homestead property at a specified percentage
87	of its just value.
88	(e)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
89	therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are
90	permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax
91	levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and
92	amount established by general law.
93	(f)  The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or
94	municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies
95	and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an
96	additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding fifty twenty-
97	five thousand dollars to any person who has the legal or
98	equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the
99	permanent residence of the owner and who has attained age sixty-
100	five and whose household income, as defined by general law, does
101	not exceed twenty thousand dollars. The general law must allow
102	counties and municipalities to grant this additional exemption,
103	within the limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance
104	adopted in the manner prescribed by general law, and must
105	provide for the periodic adjustment of the income limitation
106	prescribed in this subsection for changes in the cost of living.
107	ARTICLE XII
108	SCHEDULE
109	SECTION 26.  Increased homestead exemption.--The amendment
110	to Section 6 of Article VII, increasing the amount of the
111	homestead exemption, shall take effect January 1, 2007.
112	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
113	placed on the ballot:
114	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
115	ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6
116	ARTICLE XII, SECTION 26
117	INCREASE IN HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.--Proposing amendment of
118	the State Constitution to provide for a phased increase in the
119	homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 over 5 years for all
120	levies, school districts or otherwise; increase the maximum
121	additional homestead exemption for low-income seniors from
122	$25,000 to $50,000; and schedule the amendment to take effect
123	January 1, 2007, if adopted.

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