HJR 353

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 of
3	Article VII and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII
4	of the State Constitution to increase the maximum
5	additional homestead exemption for low-income seniors from
6	$25,000 to $50,000 and to schedule the amendment to take
7	effect January 1, 2007, if adopted.
8
9	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII
12	and the creation of Section 26 of Article XII of the State
13	Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
14	electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
15	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
16	authorized by law for that purpose:
17	ARTICLE VII
18	FINANCE AND TAXATION
19	SECTION 6.  Homestead exemptions.--
20	(a)  Every person who has the legal or equitable title to
21	real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the
22	owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner,
23	shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for
24	special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of five thousand
25	dollars, upon establishment of right thereto in the manner
26	prescribed by law. The real estate may be held by legal or
27	equitable title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a
28	condominium, or indirectly by stock ownership or membership
29	representing the owner's or member's proprietary interest in a
30	corporation owning a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of
31	ninety-eight years.
32	(b)  Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any
33	individual or family unit or with respect to any residential
34	unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate
35	assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock
36	or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion
37	which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed
38	value of the property.
39	(c)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
40	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of twenty-
41	five thousand dollars of the assessed value of the real estate
42	for each school district levy. By general law and subject to
43	conditions specified therein, the exemption for all other levies
44	may be increased up to an amount not exceeding ten thousand
45	dollars of the assessed value of the real estate if the owner
46	has attained age sixty-five or is totally and permanently
47	disabled and if the owner is not entitled to the exemption
48	provided in subsection (d).
49	(d)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
50	therein, the exemption shall be increased to a total of the
51	following amounts of assessed value of real estate for each levy
52	other than those of school districts: fifteen thousand dollars
53	with respect to 1980 assessments; twenty thousand dollars with
54	respect to 1981 assessments; twenty-five thousand dollars with
55	respect to assessments for 1982 and each year thereafter.
56	However, such increase shall not apply with respect to any
57	assessment roll until such roll is first determined to be in
58	compliance with the provisions of section 4 by a state agency
59	designated by general law. This subsection shall stand repealed
60	on the effective date of any amendment to section 4 which
61	provides for the assessment of homestead property at a specified
62	percentage of its just value.
63	(e)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
64	therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are
65	permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax
66	levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and
67	amount established by general law.
68	(f)  The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or
69	municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies
70	and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an
71	additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding fifty twenty-
72	five thousand dollars to any person who has the legal or
73	equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the
74	permanent residence of the owner and who has attained age sixty-
75	five and whose household income, as defined by general law, does
76	not exceed twenty thousand dollars. The general law must allow
77	counties and municipalities to grant this additional exemption,
78	within the limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance
79	adopted in the manner prescribed by general law, and must
80	provide for the periodic adjustment of the income limitation
81	prescribed in this subsection for changes in the cost of living.
82	ARTICLE XII
83	SCHEDULE
84	SECTION 26.  Increased homestead exemption.--The amendment
85	to Section 6 of Article VII increasing the maximum additional
86	amount of the homestead exemption for low-income seniors shall
87	take effect January 1, 2007.
88	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
89	placed on the ballot:
90	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
91	ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6
92	ARTICLE XII, SECTION 26
93	INCREASED HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.--Proposing amendment of the
94	State Constitution to increase the maximum additional homestead
95	exemption for low-income seniors from $25,000 to $50,000 and to
96	schedule the amendment to take effect January 1, 2007, if
97	adopted.

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