Florida Senate - 2016 CS for CS for SJR 778 By the Committees on Finance and Tax; and Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security; and Senator Altman 593-02005-16 2016778c2 1 Senate Joint Resolution 2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 3 of Article VII and the creation of a new section in 4 Article XII of the State Constitution to authorize the 5 discount on ad valorem taxes on homestead property 6 which is received by certain veterans who have 7 permanent, combat-related disabilities to carry over 8 upon the death of the veteran to the benefit of a 9 surviving spouse until the surviving spouse remarries 10 or sells or otherwise disposes of the property and to 11 specify that the discount is transferrable to another 12 permanent residence if the surviving spouse remains 13 unmarried. 14 15 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16 17 That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII 18 and the creation of a new section in Article XII of the State 19 Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the 20 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 21 general election or at an earlier special election specifically 22 authorized by law for that purpose: 23 ARTICLE VII 24 FINANCE AND TAXATION 25 SECTION 6. Homestead exemptions.— 26 (a) Every person who has the legal or equitable title to 27 real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the 28 owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, 29 shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for 30 special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of twenty-five 31 thousand dollars and, for all levies other than school district 32 levies, on the assessed valuation greater than fifty thousand 33 dollars and up to seventy-five thousand dollars, upon 34 establishment of right thereto in the manner prescribed by law. 35 The real estate may be held by legal or equitable title, by the 36 entireties, jointly, in common, as a condominium, or indirectly 37 by stock ownership or membership representing the owner’s or 38 member’s proprietary interest in a corporation owning a fee or a 39 leasehold initially in excess of ninety-eight years. The 40 exemption shall not apply with respect to any assessment roll 41 until such roll is first determined to be in compliance with the 42 provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by general 43 law. This exemption is repealed on the effective date of any 44 amendment to this Article which provides for the assessment of 45 homestead property at less than just value. 46 (b) Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any 47 individual or family unit or with respect to any residential 48 unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate 49 assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock 50 or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion 51 which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed 52 value of the property. 53 (c) By general law and subject to conditions specified 54 therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are 55 permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax 56 levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and 57 amount established by general law. 58 (d) The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or 59 municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies 60 and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant either or 61 both of the following additional homestead tax exemptions: 62 (1) An exemption not exceeding fifty thousand dollars to 63 any person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate 64 and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner and 65 who has attained age sixty-five and whose household income, as 66 defined by general law, does not exceed twenty thousand dollars; 67 or 68 (2) An exemption equal to the assessed value of the 69 property to any person who has the legal or equitable title to 70 real estate with a just value less than two hundred and fifty 71 thousand dollars and who has maintained thereon the permanent 72 residence of the owner for not less than twenty-five years and 73 who has attained age sixty-five and whose household income does 74 not exceed the income limitation prescribed in paragraph (1). 75 76 The general law must allow counties and municipalities to grant 77 these additional exemptions, within the limits prescribed in 78 this subsection, by ordinance adopted in the manner prescribed 79 by general law, and must provide for the periodic adjustment of 80 the income limitation prescribed in this subsection for changes 81 in the cost of living. 82 (e)(1) Each veteran who is age 65 or older who is partially 83 or totally permanently disabled shall receive a discount from 84 the amount of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead 85 property the veteran owns and resides in if the disability was 86 combat related and the veteran was honorably discharged upon 87 separation from military service. The discount shall be in a 88 percentage equal to the percentage of the veteran’s permanent, 89 service-connected disability as determined by the United States 90 Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify for the discount 91 granted by this subsection, an applicant must submit to the 92 county property appraiser, by March 1, an official letter from 93 the United States Department of Veterans Affairs stating the 94 percentage of the veteran’s service-connected disability and 95 such evidence that reasonably identifies the disability as 96 combat related and a copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge. 97 If the property appraiser denies the request for a discount, the 98 appraiser must notify the applicant in writing of the reasons 99 for the denial, and the veteran may reapply. The Legislature 100 may, by general law, waive the annual application requirement in 101 subsequent years. This subsection is self-executing and does not 102 require implementing legislation. 103 (2) If a veteran who is receiving the discount described in 104 paragraph (1) predeceases his or her spouse and if, upon the 105 death of the veteran, the surviving spouse holds the legal or 106 beneficial title to the homestead property and permanently 107 resides thereon, the discount carries over to the benefit of the 108 surviving spouse until he or she remarries or sells or otherwise 109 disposes of the property. If the surviving spouse sells the 110 property, a discount not to exceed the dollar amount granted 111 from the most recent ad valorem tax roll may be transferred to 112 his or her new residence if the residence is used as his or her 113 permanent residence and he or she does not remarry. 114 (f) By general law and subject to conditions and 115 limitations specified therein, the Legislature may provide ad 116 valorem tax relief equal to the total amount or a portion of the 117 ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead property to the: 118 (1) Surviving spouse of a veteran who died from service 119 connected causes while on active duty as a member of the United 120 States Armed Forces. 121 (2) Surviving spouse of a first responder who died in the 122 line of duty. 123 (3) As used in this subsection and as further defined by 124 general law, the term: 125 a. “First responder” means a law enforcement officer, a 126 correctional officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical 127 technician, or a paramedic. 128 b. “In the line of duty” means arising out of and in the 129 actual performance of duty required by employment as a first 130 responder. 131 ARTICLE XII 132 SCHEDULE 133 Ad valorem tax discount for spouses of deceased veterans 134 who had permanent, combat-related disabilities.—The amendment to 135 Section 6 of Article VII, relating to ad valorem tax discount 136 for spouses of deceased veterans who had permanent, combat 137 related disabilities, and this section shall take effect January 138 1, 2017. 139 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be 140 placed on the ballot: 141 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 142 ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6 143 ARTICLE XII 144 AD VALOREM TAX DISCOUNT FOR SPOUSES OF DECEASED VETERANS 145 WHO HAD PERMANENT, COMBAT-RELATED DISABILITIES.—Proposing an 146 amendment to the State Constitution to authorize the discount on 147 ad valorem taxes on homestead property which is received by 148 certain veterans who have permanent, combat-related disabilities 149 to carry over upon the death of the veteran to the benefit of a 150 surviving spouse until the surviving spouse remarries or sells 151 or otherwise disposes of the property. The discount is 152 transferrable to another permanent residence if the surviving 153 spouse remains unmarried.