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 |
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9 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
10 |
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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. |