Bill Text: FL S1740 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Additional Homestead Tax Exemption
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-09 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/HJR 169 -SJ 1244 [S1740 Detail]
Download: Florida-2012-S1740-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2012 SJR 1740 By Senator Garcia 40-01681-12 20121740__ 1 Senate Joint Resolution 2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 3 of Article VII of the State Constitution to authorize 4 the Legislature, by general law, to allow counties and 5 municipalities to grant an additional homestead tax 6 exemption not exceeding the assessed value of the 7 property to an owner who has maintained permanent 8 residency on the property for a specified duration, 9 who has attained age 65, and whose household income 10 does not exceed a specified amount. 11 12 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII of 15 the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to 16 the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 17 general election or at an earlier special election specifically 18 authorized by law for that purpose: 19 ARTICLE VII 20 FINANCE AND TAXATION 21 SECTION 6. Homestead exemptions.— 22 (a) Every person who has the legal or equitable title to 23 real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the 24 owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, 25 shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for 26 special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of twenty-five 27 thousand dollars and, for all levies other than school district 28 levies, on the assessed valuation greater than fifty thousand 29 dollars and up to seventy-five thousand dollars, upon 30 establishment of right thereto in the manner prescribed by law. 31 The real estate may be held by legal or equitable title, by the 32 entireties, jointly, in common, as a condominium, or indirectly 33 by stock ownership or membership representing the owner’s or 34 member’s proprietary interest in a corporation owning a fee or a 35 leasehold initially in excess of ninety-eight years. The 36 exemption shall not apply with respect to any assessment roll 37 until such roll is first determined to be in compliance with the 38 provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by general 39 law. This exemption is repealed on the effective date of any 40 amendment to this Article which provides for the assessment of 41 homestead property at less than just value. 42 (b) Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any 43 individual or family unit or with respect to any residential 44 unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate 45 assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock 46 or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion 47 which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed 48 value of the property. 49 (c) By general law and subject to conditions specified 50 therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are 51 permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax 52 levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and 53 amount established by general law. 54 (d) The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or 55 municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies 56 and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an 57 additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding: 58 (1) Fifty thousand dollars to any person who has the legal 59 or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the 60 permanent residence of the owner and who has attained age sixty 61 five and whose household income, as defined by general law, does 62 not exceed twenty thousand dollars; or.63 (2) The value assessable to any person who has the legal or 64 equitable title to real estate and who has maintained thereon 65 the permanent residence of the owner for not less than twenty 66 years and who has attained age sixty-five and whose household 67 income, as defined by general law, does not exceed fifteen 68 thousand dollars. 69 70 The general law must allow counties and municipalities to grant 71 this additional exemption, within the limits prescribed in this 72 subsection, by ordinance adopted in the manner prescribed by 73 general law, and must provide for the periodic adjustment of the 74 income limitation prescribed in this subsection for changes in 75 the cost of living. 76 (e) Each veteran who is age 65 or older who is partially or 77 totally permanently disabled shall receive a discount from the 78 amount of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead 79 property the veteran owns and resides in if the disability was 80 combat related, the veteran was a resident of this state at the 81 time of entering the military service of the United States, and 82 the veteran was honorably discharged upon separation from 83 military service. The discount shall be in a percentage equal to 84 the percentage of the veteran’s permanent, service-connected 85 disability as determined by the United States Department of 86 Veterans Affairs. To qualify for the discount granted by this 87 subsection, an applicant must submit to the county property 88 appraiser, by March 1, proof of residency at the time of 89 entering military service, an official letter from the United 90 States Department of Veterans Affairs stating the percentage of 91 the veteran’s service-connected disability and such evidence 92 that reasonably identifies the disability as combat related, and 93 a copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge. If the property 94 appraiser denies the request for a discount, the appraiser must 95 notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the denial, 96 and the veteran may reapply. The Legislature may, by general 97 law, waive the annual application requirement in subsequent 98 years. This subsection shall take effect December 7, 2006, is 99 self-executing, and does not require implementing legislation. 100 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be 101 placed on the ballot: 102 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 103 ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6 104 ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION; LOW-INCOME SENIORS WHO 105 MAINTAIN LONG-TERM RESIDENCY ON PROPERTY; NOT EXCEEDING ASSESSED 106 VALUE.—Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to 107 authorize the Legislature, by general law and subject to 108 conditions set forth in the general law, to allow counties and 109 municipalities to grant an additional homestead tax exemption 110 not exceeding the assessed value of the property to an owner who 111 has maintained permanent residency on the property for not less 112 than 20 years, who has attained age 65, and whose household 113 income does not exceed $15,000. The general law must allow 114 counties and municipalities to grant this additional exemption 115 by ordinance and must provide for periodic adjustment of the 116 household income limitation of $15,000 for changes in the cost 117 of living.