HB 711

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the tax on sales, use, and other
3	transactions; providing a short title; amending s. 212.05,
4	F.S.; imposing a maximum limitation on the amount of tax
5	collected on sales of boats in this state; providing an
6	effective date.
7
8	WHEREAS, Florida's maritime and boating industry, including
9	the sale and servicing of large boats, has historically been a
10	significant component of Florida's economy, with over 220,000
11	people employed in this and related industries, and
12	WHEREAS, the boating industry not only creates significant
13	numbers of jobs in Florida, but also attracts large amounts of
14	capital, causes significant tax revenue to be collected, and
15	creates extensive indirect jobs and other benefits, and
16	WHEREAS, the voters in Florida made clear in the most
17	recent election that, by amending Florida's constitution, they
18	value highly Florida's working waterfronts and want to see those
19	waterfronts taking advantage of Florida's natural amenities and
20	adding further to employment and capital investment in Florida,
21	and
22	WHEREAS, current tax policy discourages the purchase, use,
23	and maintenance of boats in Florida and actually requires
24	certain purchasers to leave the state to avoid unnecessary
25	taxation, with a resulting loss of jobs, capital investment, and
26	sales and use tax revenue, and
27	WHEREAS, current law and policy results in little or no
28	sales tax revenue collection on the purchase and sale of large
29	boats because of far more advantageous law and policy in other
30	jurisdictions, including offshore, and
31	WHEREAS, changing tax policy to encourage the sale, use,
32	maintenance, repair, and overhaul of boats in Florida would
33	energize Florida's economy, create jobs, attract capital, and
34	generate additional sales and use tax revenue, and, indirectly,
35	assist law enforcement and the United States Department of
36	Homeland Security by decreasing the number of offshore
37	registered boats in Florida's and America's waters, NOW,
38	THEREFORE,
39
40	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
41
42	Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Florida Maritime
43	Full Employment Act."
44	Section 2.  Subsection (5) is added to section 212.05,
45	Florida Statutes, to read:
46	212.05  Sales, storage, use tax.-It is hereby declared to
47	be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a
48	taxable privilege who engages in the business of selling
49	tangible personal property at retail in this state, including
50	the business of making mail order sales, or who rents or
51	furnishes any of the things or services taxable under this
52	chapter, or who stores for use or consumption in this state any
53	item or article of tangible personal property as defined herein
54	and who leases or rents such property within the state.
55	(5)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
56	the maximum amount of tax imposed under this chapter and
57	collected on each sale or use of a boat in this state may not
58	exceed $18,000.
59	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

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