The Florida Senate

¹218.12  Appropriations to offset reductions in ad valorem tax revenue in fiscally constrained counties.--

(1)  Beginning in fiscal year 2008-2009, the Legislature shall appropriate moneys to offset the reductions in ad valorem tax revenue experienced by fiscally constrained counties, as defined in s. 218.67(1), which occur as a direct result of the implementation of revisions of Art. VII of the State Constitution approved in the special election held on January 29, 2008. The moneys appropriated for this purpose shall be distributed in January of each fiscal year among the fiscally constrained counties based on each county's proportion of the total reduction in ad valorem tax revenue resulting from the implementation of the revision.

(2)  On or before November 15 of each year, beginning in 2008, each fiscally constrained county shall apply to the Department of Revenue to participate in the distribution of the appropriation and provide documentation supporting the county's estimated reduction in ad valorem tax revenue in the form and manner prescribed by the Department of Revenue. The documentation must include an estimate of the reduction in taxable value directly attributable to revisions of Art. VII of the State Constitution for all county taxing jurisdictions within the county and shall be prepared by the property appraiser in each fiscally constrained county. The documentation must also include the county millage rates applicable in all such jurisdictions for both the current year and the prior year; rolled-back rates, determined as provided in s. 200.065, for each county taxing jurisdiction; and maximum millage rates that could have been levied by majority vote pursuant to s. 200.185 For purposes of this section, each fiscally constrained county's reduction in ad valorem tax revenue shall be calculated as 95 percent of the estimated reduction in taxable value times the lesser of the 2007 applicable millage rate or the applicable millage rate for each county taxing jurisdiction in the prior year.

History.--s. 16, ch. 2008-173.

¹Note.--

A.  Section 18, ch. 2008-173, provides that "[e]xcept as otherwise expressly provided in this act, this act shall take effect upon becoming a law and applies to the 2008 and subsequent tax rolls."

B.  Section 13, ch. 2008-173, provides:

"(1)  The executive director of the Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed met, to adopt emergency rules under ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing this act.

"(2)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such emergency rules shall remain in effect for 18 months after the date of adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules."