Bill Text: FL S0842 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Ad Valorem Taxation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Community Affairs [S0842 Detail]
Download: Florida-2014-S0842-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2014 SB 842 By Senator Latvala 20-00470A-14 2014842__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to ad valorem taxation; creating s. 3 196.203, F.S.; creating an ad valorem tax exemption 4 for certain mobile home lots; providing requirements 5 and procedures for obtaining the exemption; requiring 6 the Department of Revenue to provide exemption forms; 7 providing duties of the county property appraiser for 8 determining the amount of the exemption and providing 9 an annual notice; providing legislative intent; 10 providing applicability; providing an effective date. 11 12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 Section 1. Section 196.203, Florida Statutes, is created to 15 read: 16 196.203 Exemption for mobile home lots.—A mobile home owner 17 who is eligible under subsection (1) and filed an exemption form 18 under subsection (2) is entitled to an exemption from ad valorem 19 taxation of 25 percent of the assessed valuation of the property 20 that he or she occupies on January 1 of the year in which the 21 exemption from ad valorem property taxation is requested. 22 (1) A mobile home lot is eligible for the ad valorem tax 23 exemption provided under this section if: 24 (a) The mobile home lot is in a mobile home park as defined 25 in s. 723.003 and the lot is rented or leased pursuant to s. 26 723.011; and 27 (b) The mobile home lot rental agreement contains a 28 provision authorizing the mobile home park owner to pass on ad 29 valorem taxes for the lot to the mobile home owner renting or 30 leasing the lot as authorized under s. 723.031(5). 31 (2) To obtain the exemption, the mobile home owner must, on 32 or before March 1 of each year, file an exemption form stating 33 that he or she resides thereon and in good faith is making that 34 property his or her permanent residence. 35 (a) The Department of Revenue shall, by electronic means or 36 other methods designated by the department, provide an exemption 37 form, prescribed by the department by rule, to the mobile home 38 owner. 39 (b) The exemption form must require the mobile home owner 40 to annually furnish information to the property appraiser for 41 the purpose of determining that he or she is a permanent 42 resident. Such information may include, but need not be limited 43 to, the factors listed in s. 196.015. 44 (c) The mobile home owner shall provide to the mobile home 45 park owner a copy of the annual exemption form submitted and 46 approved by the property appraiser which demonstrates that the 47 mobile home owner is complying with the permanent residency 48 requirement under this section. 49 (3) The property appraiser shall determine the amount of 50 exemption for each mobile home lot in a mobile home park and 51 annually reduce the taxable value of the mobile home park by an 52 amount equal to the total of the qualified exemptions received 53 pursuant to this section. 54 (a) If the property appraiser needs to determine the value 55 of a mobile home lot, he or she shall include in such valuation 56 the proportionate share of the common areas, including the land, 57 fairly attributable to such lot, based on the value of such lot 58 in relation to all other lots in the mobile home park. 59 (b) A mobile home owner who rents or leases a mobile home 60 lot that qualifies for an exemption under subsection (1) and who 61 requests the exemption as described under subsection (2) shall 62 receive a reduction of the ad valorem taxes being passed on by 63 the mobile home park owner pursuant to s. 723.031(5). Such 64 reduction shall be calculated by the mobile home park owner as a 65 proportionate share of the aggregate reduction in taxable value 66 of the mobile home park determined pursuant to this paragraph. 67 (4) As soon as practicable after February 5 of each year, 68 the property appraiser of each county may mail to each mobile 69 home owner to whom the mobile home ad valorem tax exemption was 70 granted for the preceding year and whose exemption form for the 71 current year has not been filed as of February 1, an exemption 72 form together with a notice reading substantially as follows: 73 74 NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS ENTITLED TO 75 MOBILE HOME LOT AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION 76 Records in this office indicate that you have not 77 filed an application for ad valorem exemption for the 78 current year. 79 80 If you wish to claim such exemption, please fill out 81 the enclosed form and file it with your property 82 appraiser on or before March 1, (...year...). 83 Failure to do so may constitute a waiver of the 84 exemption for (...year...). 85 Signature (...property appraiser...) 86 (...county...), Florida 87 88 The expenditure of funds for the requirements of this subsection 89 is declared to be for a county purpose, and the board of county 90 commissioners of each county shall, if the exemption form and 91 notice are mailed pursuant to this subsection, appropriate and 92 provide the necessary funds for such purpose. 93 (5) It is declared to be the intent of the Legislature that 94 this section implements s. 6(c), Art. VII of the State 95 Constitution for purposes of granting such exemption to mobile 96 home owners who rent or lease mobile home lots. 97 Section 2. This act applies to tax years beginning on or 98 after January 1, 2015. 99 Section 3. This act shall take effect January 1, 2015.