Bill Text: FL S1570 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-03-08 - Died in Commerce and Tourism [S1570 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S1570-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1570
       
       
        
       By Senator Torres
       
       
       
       
       
       25-00112A-24                                          20241570__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to Working Floridians Tax Rebate
    3         Program; creating s. 220.925, F.S.; specifying that
    4         the annual taxes generated from a certain tax shall be
    5         allocated to the Working Floridians Tax Rebate
    6         Program; creating the Working Floridians Tax Rebate
    7         Program; specifying the purpose of the rebate program;
    8         specifying the qualifications for a person or
    9         household to receive the rebate; requiring the
   10         Department of Revenue to issue rebate payments not
   11         exceeding a certain amount by a specified time;
   12         requiring the department to allocate the rebates in a
   13         specified manner; requiring the department to prepare
   14         and submit a specified report; prohibiting that a
   15         person’s receipt of a rebate be used in determining
   16         eligibility for specified programs; requiring the
   17         department to adopt rules; providing applicability;
   18         providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Section 220.925, Florida Statutes, is created to
   23  read:
   24         220.925 Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program.—
   25         (1) Beginning the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and for each
   26  subsequent fiscal year, the annual taxes generated from the
   27  nonresident entertainer and professional athlete tax imposed
   28  under s. 220.923 shall be allocated to the Working Floridians
   29  Tax Rebate Program as described in subsection (2).
   30         (2) The Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program is created
   31  within the department to provide low-income and moderate-income
   32  residents relief on the sales taxes, fuel taxes, property taxes,
   33  or other taxes and fees that they pay in this state during the
   34  year, consistent with the goals of the federal Earned Income Tax
   35  Credit.
   36         (a) Each person or household that qualified for and
   37  received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit in a specific tax
   38  year may receive a rebate from the state if the person or
   39  household:
   40         1. Maintains a Florida residence on the person’s or
   41  household’s federal income tax return during the tax year in
   42  which the person or household is applying for the Working
   43  Floridians Tax Rebate Program;
   44         2. Applies to the department, using a form developed by the
   45  department, no later than June 30 of the year in which the
   46  federal Earned Income Tax Credit was received; and
   47         3. Provides the department with documentation verifying the
   48  receipt and specific amount of the federal Earned Income Tax
   49  Credit.
   50         (b) Within 30 days after receiving a completed application
   51  and verifying the information required under paragraph (a), the
   52  department shall issue a check or remit funds using direct
   53  deposit to the person or household in an amount not to exceed 20
   54  percent of the amount of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit
   55  the person or household received. The department shall allocate
   56  the rebates to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served
   57  basis, determined by the date the department receives an
   58  application, until all appropriated funds for the fiscal year
   59  are expended.
   60         (c) The department shall prepare and submit a report by
   61  December 31, 2026, to the Governor and Cabinet, the President of
   62  the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
   63  Senate Minority Leader, and the House of Representatives
   64  Minority Leader which addresses the feasibility of creating and
   65  implementing an automatic Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program
   66  using data provided by the Internal Revenue Service or another
   67  federal agency so that a person or household may receive funds
   68  from the state without having to complete an annual application
   69  and provide documentation as set forth in paragraph (a).
   70         1. If the department determines that an automatic program
   71  is not feasible, the report must identify specific barriers to
   72  the creation of an automatic program and provide recommendations
   73  to remove the barriers.
   74         2. If the department determines that an automatic program
   75  is feasible, the report must include a legislative proposal to
   76  implement the automatic program.
   77         (d) Receipt of the rebate under this section may not be
   78  used to determine a person’s or household’s eligibility for
   79  Medicaid, Florida Kidcare, cash assistance, or the Supplemental
   80  Nutrition Assistance Program established under 7 U.S.C. ss. 2011
   81  et seq.
   82         (e) The department shall adopt rules to implement the
   83  Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program.
   84         Section 2. Section 220.925, Florida Statutes, as created by
   85  this act, applies to a federal Earned Income Tax Credit granted
   86  beginning on or after January 1, 2025.
   87         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.