The Florida Senate

Effective January 1, 2000, the Department of Revenue shall establish a toll-free number for verification of valid registration numbers and resale certificates. ¹The system must be sufficient to guarantee a low busy rate and must respond to keypad inquiries, and data must be updated daily.

Effective January 1, 2000, the Department of Revenue shall establish a system for receiving information from dealers regarding certificate numbers of those seeking to make purchases for resale. The department must provide such dealers with verification of those numbers which are canceled or invalid. This information must be provided by the department free of charge.

Effective July 1, 1999, the Department of Revenue shall expand its dealer education program regarding the proper use of resale certificates. The expansion shall include, but need not be limited to, revision of the registration application for clarity, development of industry-specific brochures, development of a media campaign to heighten awareness of resale fraud and its consequences, outreach to business and professional organizations, and creation of seminars and continuing education programs for taxpayers and licensed professionals.