Bill Text: FL S1490 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: First Responder Property Tax Exemption
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Finance and Tax [S1490 Detail]
Download: Florida-2019-S1490-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2019 SB 1490 By Senator Simmons 9-00612A-19 20191490__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to a first responder property tax 3 exemption; amending s. 196.102, F.S.; revising the 4 definition of the term “first responder,” for purposes 5 of the tax exemption, to include law enforcement 6 officers and firefighters who sustained a total and 7 permanent disability in the line of duty while serving 8 as full-time paid employees in another state; defining 9 the term “law enforcement officer”; providing 10 applicability; providing an effective date. 11 12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsection 15 (2) of section 196.102, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 16 196.102 Exemption for certain totally and permanently 17 disabled first responders; surviving spouse carryover.— 18 (1) As used in this section, the term: 19 (b) “First responder” means either of the following: 20 1. A law enforcement officer or correctional officer as 21 defined in s. 943.10, a firefighter as defined in s. 633.102, or 22 an emergency medical technician or paramedic as defined in s. 23 401.23 who is a full-time paid employee, part-time paid 24 employee, or unpaid volunteer. 25 2. A law enforcement officer or firefighter who, before 26 becoming a resident of this state, sustained a total and 27 permanent disability in the line of duty while serving as a 28 full-time paid law enforcement officer or firefighter in another 29 state. As used in this subparagraph, the term “law enforcement 30 officer” means a person who was employed full time by a 31 municipality of another state, by another state, or by any 32 political subdivision thereof; who was vested with authority to 33 bear arms and make arrests; and whose primary responsibility was 34 the prevention and detection of crime or the enforcement of the 35 penal, criminal, traffic, or highway laws of that statehas the36same meaning as in s. 196.081. 37 (2) Any real estate that is owned and used as a homestead 38 by a person who has a total and permanent disability as a result 39 of an injury or injuries sustained in the line of duty while 40 serving as a first responder in this state, in another state as 41 provided under subparagraph (1)(b)2., or during an operation in 42 another state or country authorized by this state or a political 43 subdivision of this state is exempt from taxation if the first 44 responder is a permanent resident of this state on January 1 of 45 the year for which the exemption is being claimed. 46 Section 2. The amendment to s. 196.102, Florida Statutes, 47 made by this act applies beginning with the 2020 tax roll. 48 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.