The Florida Senate

551.106  License fee; tax rate; penalties.--

(1)  LICENSE FEE.--

(a)  Upon submission of the initial application for a slot machine license and annually thereafter upon submission of an application for renewal of the slot machine license, the licensee must pay to the division a nonrefundable license fee of $3 million. The license fee shall be deposited into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to be used by the division and the Department of Law Enforcement for investigations, regulation of slot machine gaming, and enforcement of slot machine gaming provisions under this chapter. These payments shall be accounted for separately from taxes or fees paid pursuant to the provisions of chapter 550.

(b)  Prior to January 1, 2007, the division shall evaluate the license fee and shall make recommendations to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives regarding the optimum level of slot machine license fees in order to adequately support the slot machine regulatory program.

(2)  TAX ON SLOT MACHINE REVENUES.--

(a)  The tax rate on slot machine revenues at each facility shall be 50 percent.

(b)  The slot machine revenue tax imposed by this section shall be paid to the division for deposit into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund for immediate transfer by the Chief Financial Officer for deposit into the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund of the Department of Education. Any interest earnings on the tax revenues shall also be transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund.

(c)1.  Funds transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund under paragraph (b) shall be used to supplement public education funding statewide and shall not be used for recurring appropriations.

2.  If necessary to comply with any covenant established pursuant to s. 1013.68(4), s. 1013.70(1), or s. 1013.737(3), funds transferred to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund under paragraph (b) shall first be available to pay debt service on lottery bonds issued to fund school construction in the event lottery revenues are insufficient for such purpose or to satisfy debt service reserve requirements established in connection with lottery bonds. Moneys available pursuant to this subparagraph are subject to annual appropriation by the Legislature.

(3)  PAYMENT AND DISPOSITION OF TAXES.--Payment for the tax on slot machine revenues imposed by this section shall be paid to the division. The division shall deposit these sums with the Chief Financial Officer, to the credit of the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. The slot machine licensee shall remit to the division payment for the tax on slot machine revenues. Such payments shall be remitted by 3 p.m. Wednesday of each week for taxes imposed and collected for the preceding week ending on Sunday. The slot machine licensee shall file a report under oath by the 5th day of each calendar month for all taxes remitted during the preceding calendar month. Such payments shall be accompanied by a report under oath showing all slot machine gaming activities for the preceding calendar month and such other information as may be prescribed by the division.

(4)  FAILURE TO PAY TAX; PENALTIES.--A slot machine licensee who fails to make tax payments as required under this section is subject to an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 for each day the tax payment is not remitted. All administrative penalties imposed and collected shall be deposited into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. If any slot machine licensee fails to pay penalties imposed by order of the division under this subsection, the division may suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the license of the slot machine licensee.

(5)  SUBMISSION OF FUNDS.--The division may require slot machine licensees to remit taxes, fees, fines, and assessments by electronic funds transfer.

History.--s. 1, ch. 2005-362; s. 1, ch. 2006-27.