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House Bill 0253e1




                                       HB 253, First Engrossed/ntc



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to ad valorem tax

  3         administration; amending s. 197.222, F.S.;

  4         providing that the tax collector may accept a

  5         late payment of the first installment of ad

  6         valorem taxes prepaid by the installment

  7         method; providing a penalty; providing for

  8         distribution of penalty revenue; providing an

  9         effective date.

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11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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13         Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and

14  subsection (4) of section 197.222, Florida Statutes, 1996

15  Supplement, as amended by chapter 96-288, Laws of Florida, are

16  amended to read:

17         197.222  Prepayment of estimated tax by installment

18  method.--

19         (1)  Ad valorem taxes on any real property with more

20  than $100 of estimated taxes due may be prepaid in

21  installments as provided in this section.  A taxpayer who

22  elects to prepay taxes shall make payments based upon an

23  estimated tax equal to the actual taxes levied upon the

24  subject property in the prior year.  Such taxpayer shall

25  complete and file an application for each parcel to prepay

26  such taxes by installment with the tax collector prior to May

27  1 of the year in which the taxpayer elects to prepay taxes in

28  installments pursuant to this section.  The application shall

29  be made on forms supplied by the department and provided to

30  the taxpayer by the tax collector. After submission of an

31  initial application, a taxpayer shall not be required to


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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






                                       HB 253, First Engrossed/ntc



  1  submit additional annual applications as long as he or she

  2  continues to elect to prepay taxes in installments pursuant to

  3  this section. However, if in any year the taxpayer does not so

  4  elect, reapplication shall be required for a subsequent

  5  election to do so.  Installment payments shall be made

  6  according to the following schedule:

  7         (a)  The first payment of one-quarter of the total

  8  amount of estimated taxes due shall be made not later than

  9  June 30 of the year in which the taxes are assessed.  A

10  6-percent discount applied against the amount of the

11  installment shall be granted for such payment. The tax

12  collector may accept a late payment of the first installment

13  under this paragraph within 30 days after June 30; such late

14  payment must be accompanied by a penalty of 5 percent of the

15  amount of the installment due.

16         (4)  The moneys collected under this section shall be

17  placed in an interest-earning escrow account.  The taxes and

18  penalties collected shall be distributed as provided in s.

19  197.383.  The interest earned on this account shall be

20  distributed as provided in s. 197.383 or, at the option of the

21  tax collector, as provided in s. 219.075(2).

22         Section 2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 1998.

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