HJR 459

1
House Joint Resolution
2A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4 of
3Article VII of the State Constitution to provide an
4additional circumstance for assessing homestead property
5at less than just value.
6
7Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8
9     That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VII of
10the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
11the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
12general election or at an earlier special election specifically
13authorized by law for that purpose:
14
ARTICLE VII
15
FINANCE AND TAXATION
16     SECTION 4.  Taxation; assessments.--By general law
17regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just
18valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided:
19     (a)  Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge
20to Florida's aquifers, or land used exclusively for
21noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general
22law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use.
23     (b)  Pursuant to general law tangible personal property
24held for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for
25taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be
26classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation.
27     (c)  All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under
28Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at
29just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective
30date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as
31provided herein.
32     (1)  Assessments subject to this provision shall be changed
33annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in
34assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following:
35     a.  Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior
36year.
37     b.  The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all
38urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or
39successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially
40reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
41Labor Statistics.
42     (2)  No assessment shall exceed just value.
43     (3)  After any change of ownership, as provided by general
44law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of
45January 1 of the following year, unless the application of
46paragraph (8) yields an initial lesser assessment. Thereafter,
47the homestead shall be assessed as provided herein.
48     (4)  New homestead property shall be assessed at just value
49as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the
50homestead, unless the application of paragraph (8) yields an
51initial lesser assessment. That assessment shall only change as
52provided herein.
53     (5)  Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to
54homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general
55law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change,
56addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be
57assessed as provided herein.
58     (6)  In the event of a termination of homestead status, the
59property shall be assessed as provided by general law.
60     (7)  The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any
61of the provisions of this amendment shall be held
62unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the
63decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining
64provisions of this amendment.
65     (8)  When a person sells his or her homestead property
66within this state and within two years purchases another
67property and establishes such property as homestead property,
68the newly established homestead property shall, in the first
69year the homestead is established, be initially assessed at less
70than just value, as provided by general law. However, the
71initial assessment may not be less than the assessment
72applicable to the prior homestead property at the time of sale.
73To qualify for such initial lesser assessment, the just value of
74the new homestead property at the time of purchase must not
75exceed the just value of the prior homestead property at the
76time of sale, the person selling the prior homestead property
77must not have previously received the initial lesser assessment
78authorized by this paragraph for a homestead property, the new
79homestead property and the prior homestead property must be in
80the same county, and the total building square footage of the
81new homestead property must not exceed one hundred ten percent
82of the total building square footage of the prior homestead
83property. Following the initial lesser assessment, the new
84homestead property shall be assessed as provided in this
85subsection.
86     (d)  The legislature may, by general law, for assessment
87purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow
88counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that
89historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of
90character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply
91only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The
92requirements for eligible properties must be specified by
93general law.
94     (e)  A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law,
95provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead
96property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of
97that property which results from the construction or
98reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing
99living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents
100or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner's spouse
101if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the
102living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a
103reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following:
104     (1)  The increase in assessed value resulting from
105construction or reconstruction of the property.
106     (2)  Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the
107property as improved.
108     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
109placed on the ballot:
110
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
111
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4
112     TAXATION; HOMESTEAD PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS.--Proposing an
113amendment to the State Constitution to provide for assessing at
114less than just value property purchased within 2 years after the
115sale of homestead property if the new property is established as
116homestead and if the initial lesser assessment of the new
117property is not less than the assessment applicable to the prior
118homestead at the time of sale and to provide that the just value
119of the new homestead must not exceed the just value of the prior
120homestead, that the person selling the prior homestead must not
121have previously received the initial lesser assessment, that
122both the new homestead and prior homestead must be in the same
123county, and that the total building square footage of the new
124homestead must not exceed 110 percent of that square footage of
125the prior homestead.


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