Florida Senate - 2026 SENATOR AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SJR 2-F
Ì102912xÎ102912
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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Senator Sharief moved the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the resolving clause
4 and insert:
5 That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VII of
6 the State Constitution and the creation of a new section in
7 Article XII are agreed to and shall be submitted to the electors
8 of this state for approval or rejection at the next general
9 election or at an earlier special election specifically
10 authorized by law for that purpose:
11 ARTICLE VII
12 FINANCE AND TAXATION
13 SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.—By general law
14 regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just
15 valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided:
16 (a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge
17 to Florida’s aquifers, or land used exclusively for
18 noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general
19 law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use.
20 (b) As provided by general law and subject to conditions,
21 limitations, and reasonable definitions specified therein, land
22 used for conservation purposes shall be classified by general
23 law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use.
24 (c) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property held
25 for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for
26 taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be
27 classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation.
28 (d) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under
29 Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at
30 just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective
31 date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as
32 provided in this subsection.
33 (1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed
34 annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in
35 assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following:
36 a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior year.
37 b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all
38 urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or
39 successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially
40 reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
41 Labor Statistics.
42 (2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
43 (3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general
44 law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of
45 January 1 of the following year, unless the provisions of
46 paragraph (8) apply. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed
47 as provided in this subsection.
48 (4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value
49 as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the
50 homestead, unless the provisions of paragraph (8) apply. That
51 assessment shall only change as provided in this subsection.
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 in this subsection.
57 (6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, the
58 property shall be assessed as provided by general law.
59 (7) The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any
60 of the provisions of this amendment shall be held
61 unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the
62 decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining
63 provisions of this amendment.
64 (8)a. A person who establishes a new homestead as of
65 January 1 and who has received a homestead exemption pursuant to
66 Section 6 of this Article as of January 1 of any of the three
67 years immediately preceding the establishment of the new
68 homestead is entitled to have the new homestead assessed at less
69 than just value. The assessed value of the newly established
70 homestead shall be determined as follows:
71 1. If the just value of the new homestead is greater than
72 or equal to the just value of the prior homestead as of January
73 1 of the year in which the prior homestead was abandoned, the
74 assessed value of the new homestead shall be the just value of
75 the new homestead minus an amount equal to the lesser of
76 $500,000 or the difference between the just value and the
77 assessed value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the
78 year in which the prior homestead was abandoned. Thereafter, the
79 homestead shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
80 2. If the just value of the new homestead is less than the
81 just value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the year in
82 which the prior homestead was abandoned, the assessed value of
83 the new homestead shall be equal to the just value of the new
84 homestead divided by the just value of the prior homestead and
85 multiplied by the assessed value of the prior homestead.
86 However, if the difference between the just value of the new
87 homestead and the assessed value of the new homestead calculated
88 pursuant to this sub-subparagraph is greater than $500,000, the
89 assessed value of the new homestead shall be increased so that
90 the difference between the just value and the assessed value
91 equals $500,000. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as
92 provided in this subsection.
93 b. By general law and subject to conditions specified
94 therein, the legislature shall provide for application of this
95 paragraph to property owned by more than one person.
96 (e) The legislature may, by general law, for assessment
97 purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow
98 counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that
99 historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of
100 character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply
101 only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The
102 requirements for eligible properties must be specified by
103 general law.
104 (f) A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law,
105 provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead
106 property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of
107 that property which results from the construction or
108 reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing
109 living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents
110 or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner’s spouse
111 if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the
112 living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a
113 reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following:
114 (1) The increase in assessed value resulting from
115 construction or reconstruction of the property.
116 (2) Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the
117 property as improved.
118 (g) For all levies other than school district levies,
119 assessments of residential real property, as defined by general
120 law, which contains nine units or fewer and which is not subject
121 to the assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a)
122 through (d) shall change only as provided in this subsection.
123 (1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed
124 annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but those
125 changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%)
126 assessment for the prior year.
127 (2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
128 (3) After a change of ownership or control, as defined by
129 general law, including any change of ownership of a legal entity
130 that owns the property, such property shall be assessed at just
131 value as of the next assessment date. Thereafter, such property
132 shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
133 (4) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to such
134 property shall be assessed as provided for by general law;
135 however, after the adjustment for any change, addition,
136 reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as
137 provided in this subsection.
138 (5) The legislature must provide for equitable relief from
139 assessments for property owners earning less than one hundred
140 and fifty thousand dollars, as follows:
141 a. If an owner of residential real property has a household
142 income of sixty thousand dollars or less, the assessment may not
143 exceed four percent (4%) of the owner’s household income.
144 b. If an owner of residential real property has a household
145 income between sixty thousand dollars and one hundred thousand
146 dollars, the assessment may not exceed five percent (5%) of the
147 owner’s household income.
148 c. If an owner of residential real property has a household
149 income between one hundred thousand dollars and one hundred and
150 fifty thousand dollars, the assessment may not exceed six
151 percent (6%) of the owner’s household income.
152 (h) For all levies other than school district levies,
153 assessments of real property that is not subject to the
154 assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a) through (d)
155 and (g) shall change only as provided in this subsection.
156 (1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed
157 annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but those
158 changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the
159 assessment for the prior year.
160 (2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
161 (3) The legislature must provide that such property shall
162 be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a
163 qualifying improvement, as defined by general law, is made to
164 such property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as
165 provided in this subsection.
166 (4) The legislature may provide that such property shall be
167 assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a
168 change of ownership or control, as defined by general law,
169 including any change of ownership of the legal entity that owns
170 the property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as
171 provided in this subsection.
172 (5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to such
173 property shall be assessed as provided for by general law;
174 however, after the adjustment for any change, addition,
175 reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as
176 provided in this subsection.
177 (i) The legislature, by general law and subject to
178 conditions specified therein, may prohibit the consideration of
179 the following in the determination of the assessed value of real
180 property:
181 (1) Any change or improvement to real property used for
182 residential purposes made to improve the property’s resistance
183 to wind damage.
184 (2) The installation of a solar or renewable energy source
185 device.
186 (j)
187 (1) The assessment of the following working waterfront
188 properties shall be based upon the current use of the property:
189 a. Land used predominantly for commercial fishing purposes.
190 b. Land that is accessible to the public and used for
191 vessel launches into waters that are navigable.
192 c. Marinas and drystacks that are open to the public.
193 d. Water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities,
194 commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction
195 and repair facilities and their support activities.
196 (2) The assessment benefit provided by this subsection is
197 subject to conditions and limitations and reasonable definitions
198 as specified by the legislature by general law.
199 ARTICLE XII
200 SCHEDULE
201 Limitation on the assessment of residential real property.
202 This section and the amendment to Section 4 of Article VII,
203 relating to a prohibition on tax assessments on residential real
204 property, shall take effect January 1, 2027.
205 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
206 placed on the ballot:
207 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
208 ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4
209 ARTICLE XII
210 SAVE OUR HOMES FROM EXCESSIVE PROPERTY TAXES.-Proposing an
211 amendment to the State Constitution which prohibits tax
212 assessments on residential real properties from exceeding a
213 certain percentage of a property owner’s household income. If
214 approved, the amendment takes effect on January 1, 2027.
215
216 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
217 And the title is amended as follows:
218 Delete everything before the resolving clause
219 and insert:
220 A bill to be entitled
221 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4
222 of Article VII and the creation of a new section in
223 Article XII of the State Constitution to direct the
224 Legislature to provide for equitable relief from
225 assessments for specified owners of real property and
226 to provide an effective date.