Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 4-F
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì714210^Î714210                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  06/01/2026           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       The Committee on Appropriations (Grall) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 65 - 722
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 200.065, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         200.065 Method of fixing millage.—
    8         (5) In each fiscal year:
    9         (a) The maximum millage rate that a county, municipality,
   10  special district dependent to a county or municipality,
   11  municipal service taxing unit, or independent special district
   12  may levy is the a rolled-back rate computed pursuant to
   13  subsection (1) based on the amount of taxes which would have
   14  been levied in the prior year if the maximum millage rate had
   15  been applied, adjusted for change in per capita Florida personal
   16  income, unless a higher rate was adopted, in which case the
   17  maximum is the adopted rate. The maximum millage rate applicable
   18  to a county authorized to levy a county public hospital surtax
   19  under s. 212.055 and which did so in fiscal year 2007 shall
   20  exclude the revenues required to be contributed to the county
   21  public general hospital in the current fiscal year for the
   22  purposes of making the maximum millage rate calculation, but
   23  shall be added back to the maximum millage rate allowed after
   24  the roll back has been applied, the total of which shall be
   25  considered the maximum millage rate for such a county for
   26  purposes of this subsection. The revenue required to be
   27  contributed to the county public general hospital for the
   28  upcoming fiscal year shall be calculated as 11.873 percent times
   29  the millage rate levied for countywide purposes in fiscal year
   30  2007 times 95 percent of the preliminary tax roll for the
   31  upcoming fiscal year. A higher rate may be adopted only under
   32  the following conditions:
   33         1. A rate of not more than 110 percent of the rolled-back
   34  rate based on the previous year’s maximum millage rate, adjusted
   35  for change in per capita Florida personal income, may be adopted
   36  if approved by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the
   37  governing body of the county, municipality, or independent
   38  district; or
   39         2. A rate in excess of 110 percent may be adopted if
   40  approved by a unanimous vote of the membership of the governing
   41  body of the county, municipality, or independent district or by
   42  a three-fourths vote of the membership of the governing body if
   43  the governing body has nine or more members, or if the rate is
   44  approved by a referendum.
   45         (b) The millage rate of a county or municipality, municipal
   46  service taxing unit of that county, and any special district
   47  dependent to that county or municipality may exceed the maximum
   48  millage rate authorized calculated pursuant to this subsection
   49  if the total county ad valorem taxes levied or total municipal
   50  ad valorem taxes levied do not exceed the maximum total county
   51  ad valorem taxes levied or maximum total municipal ad valorem
   52  taxes levied, respectively. Voted millage and taxes levied by a
   53  municipality or independent special district that has levied ad
   54  valorem taxes for less than 5 years are not subject to this
   55  limitation. The millage rate of a county authorized to levy a
   56  county public hospital surtax under s. 212.055 may exceed the
   57  maximum millage rate authorized calculated pursuant to this
   58  subsection to the extent necessary to account for the revenues
   59  required to be contributed to the county public hospital. Total
   60  taxes levied may exceed the maximum calculated pursuant to
   61  subsection (6) as a result of an increase in taxable value above
   62  that certified in subsection (1) if such increase is less than
   63  the percentage amounts contained in subsection (6) or if the
   64  administrative adjustment cannot be made because the value
   65  adjustment board is still in session at the time the tax roll is
   66  extended; otherwise, millage rates subject to this subsection
   67  may be reduced so that total taxes levied do not exceed the
   68  maximum.
   69  
   70  Any unit of government operating under a home rule charter
   71  adopted pursuant to ss. 10, 11, and 24, Art. VIII of the State
   72  Constitution of 1885, as preserved by s. 6(e), Art. VIII of the
   73  State Constitution, which is granted the authority in the State
   74  Constitution to exercise all the powers conferred now or
   75  hereafter by general law upon municipalities and which exercises
   76  such powers in the unincorporated area shall be recognized as a
   77  municipality under this subsection. For a downtown development
   78  authority established before the effective date of the State
   79  Constitution which has a millage that must be approved by a
   80  municipality, the governing body of that municipality shall be
   81  considered the governing body of the downtown development
   82  authority for purposes of this subsection.
   83         Section 3. Section 200.068, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   84  read:
   85         200.068 Certification of compliance with this chapter.—Not
   86  later than 30 days following adoption of an ordinance or
   87  resolution establishing a property tax levy, each taxing
   88  authority shall certify compliance with the provisions of this
   89  chapter to the Department of Revenue. In addition to a statement
   90  of compliance, such certification shall include a copy of the
   91  ordinance or resolution so adopted; a copy of the certification
   92  of value showing rolled-back millage and proposed millage rates,
   93  as provided to the property appraiser pursuant to s. 200.065(1)
   94  and (2)(b); maximum millage rates authorized calculated pursuant
   95  to s. 200.065(5), together with values and calculations upon
   96  which the maximum millage rates are based; and a certified copy
   97  of the advertisement, as published pursuant to s. 200.065(3). In
   98  certifying compliance, the governing body of the county shall
   99  also include a certified copy of the notice required under s.
  100  194.037. However, if the value adjustment board completes its
  101  hearings after the deadline for certification under this
  102  section, the county shall submit such copy to the department not
  103  later than 30 days following completion of such hearings.
  104         Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  105  made by this act to section 200.065, Florida Statutes, in a
  106  reference thereto, subsection (2) of section 218.12, Florida
  107  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  108         218.12 Appropriations to offset reductions in ad valorem
  109  tax revenue in fiscally constrained counties.—
  110         (2) On or before November 15 of each year, each fiscally
  111  constrained county shall apply to the Department of Revenue to
  112  participate in the distribution of the appropriation and provide
  113  documentation supporting the county’s estimated reduction in ad
  114  valorem tax revenue in the form and manner prescribed by the
  115  Department of Revenue. The documentation must include an
  116  estimate of the reduction in taxable value directly attributable
  117  to revisions of Art. VII of the State Constitution for all
  118  county taxing jurisdictions within the county and shall be
  119  prepared by the property appraiser in each fiscally constrained
  120  county. The documentation must also include the county millage
  121  rates applicable in all such jurisdictions for both the current
  122  year and the prior year; rolled-back rates, determined as
  123  provided in s. 200.065, for each county taxing jurisdiction; and
  124  maximum millage rates that could have been levied by majority
  125  vote pursuant to s. 200.065(5). For purposes of this section,
  126  each fiscally constrained county’s reduction in ad valorem tax
  127  revenue shall be calculated as 95 percent of the estimated
  128  reduction in taxable value times the lesser of the 2007
  129  applicable millage rate or the applicable millage rate for each
  130  county taxing jurisdiction in the current year. If a fiscally
  131  constrained county fails to apply for the distribution, its
  132  share shall revert to the fund from which the appropriation was
  133  made.
  134         Section 5. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  135  made by this act to section 200.065, Florida Statutes, in a
  136  reference thereto, subsection (2) of section 218.125, Florida
  137  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  138         218.125 Offset for tax loss associated with certain
  139  constitutional amendments affecting fiscally constrained
  140  counties.—
  141         (2) On or before November 15 of each year, each fiscally
  142  constrained county shall apply to the Department of Revenue to
  143  participate in the distribution of the appropriation and provide
  144  documentation supporting the county’s estimated reduction in ad
  145  valorem tax revenue in the form and manner prescribed by the
  146  Department of Revenue. The documentation must include an
  147  estimate of the reduction in taxable value directly attributable
  148  to revisions of Art. VII of the State Constitution for all
  149  county taxing jurisdictions within the county and shall be
  150  prepared by the property appraiser in each fiscally constrained
  151  county. The documentation must also include the county millage
  152  rates applicable in all such jurisdictions for the current year
  153  and the prior year, rolled-back rates determined as provided in
  154  s. 200.065 for each county taxing jurisdiction, and maximum
  155  millage rates that could have been levied by majority vote
  156  pursuant to s. 200.065(5). For purposes of this section, each
  157  fiscally constrained county’s reduction in ad valorem tax
  158  revenue shall be calculated as 95 percent of the estimated
  159  reduction in taxable value multiplied by the lesser of the 2010
  160  applicable millage rate or the applicable millage rate for each
  161  county taxing jurisdiction in the current year. If a fiscally
  162  constrained county fails to apply for the distribution, its
  163  share shall revert to the fund from which the appropriation was
  164  made.
  165         Section 6. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
  166  made by this act to section 200.065, Florida Statutes, in a
  167  reference thereto, subsection (2) of section 218.136, Florida
  168  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
  169         218.136 Offset for ad valorem revenue loss affecting
  170  fiscally constrained counties.—
  171         (2) On or before November 15 of each year, each fiscally
  172  constrained county shall apply to the Department of Revenue to
  173  participate in the distribution of the appropriation and provide
  174  documentation supporting the county’s estimated reduction in ad
  175  valorem tax revenue in the form and manner prescribed by the
  176  Department of Revenue. The documentation must include an
  177  estimate of the reduction in taxable value directly attributable
  178  to revisions of s. 6(a), Art. VII of the State Constitution
  179  approved in the November 2024 general election for all county
  180  taxing jurisdictions within the county and shall be prepared by
  181  the property appraiser in each fiscally constrained county. The
  182  documentation must also include the county millage rates
  183  applicable in all such jurisdictions for the current year and
  184  the prior year, rolled-back rates determined as provided in s.
  185  200.065 for each county taxing jurisdiction, and maximum millage
  186  rates that could have been levied by majority vote pursuant to
  187  s. 200.065(5). For purposes of this section, each fiscally
  188  constrained county’s reduction in ad valorem tax revenue shall
  189  be calculated as 95 percent of the estimated reduction in
  190  taxable value multiplied by the lesser of the 2024 applicable
  191  millage rate or the applicable millage rate for each county
  192  taxing jurisdiction in the current year. If a fiscally
  193  constrained county fails to apply for the distribution, its
  194  share shall revert to the fund from which the appropriation was
  195  made.
  196         Section 7. Notwithstanding s. 101.161(3)(a), Florida
  197  Statutes, a ballot summary may exceed 75 words for a joint
  198  resolution proposing an amendment or a revision to ss. 4, 6, and
  199  9, Article VII of the State Constitution which is to be
  200  submitted to the electors at the general election to be held on
  201  November 3, 2026.
  202         Section 8. If any law amended by this act was also amended
  203  by a law enacted during the 2026 Regular Session or 2026 Special
  204  Session E of the Legislature, such laws shall be construed as if
  205  they had been enacted during the same session of the Legislature
  206  and full effect shall be given to each if possible.
  207  
  208  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  209  And the title is amended as follows:
  210         Delete lines 7 - 46
  211  and insert:
  212         amending s. 200.065, F.S.; revising limitations on the
  213         maximum millage rate that may be levied by certain
  214         units of government; amending s. 200.068, F.S.;
  215         conforming a provision to changes made by the act;
  216         reenacting ss. 218.12(2), 218.125(2), and 218.136(2),
  217         F.S., relating to appropriations to offset reductions
  218         in ad valorem tax revenue in fiscally constrained
  219         counties, offsets for tax loss associated with certain
  220         constitutional amendments affecting fiscally
  221         constrained counties, and offsets for ad valorem
  222         revenue loss affecting fiscally constrained counties,
  223         respectively, to incorporate the amendments made to s.
  224         200.065, F.S., in references thereto; authorizing the
  225         ballot summary of a specified proposed amendment or
  226         revision of the State Constitution to exceed a
  227         specified word limit; providing for construction of
  228         the act in pari materia with laws enacted during the
  229         2026 Regular Session and 2026 Special Session E of the
  230         Legislature; providing an effective date.