CS/HJR 421

1
House Joint Resolution
2A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 of
3Article VII and the creation of Section 28 of Article XII
4of the State Constitution to provide for an additional
5homestead exemption and provide an effective date if such
6amendment is adopted.
7
8Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10     That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VII
11and the creation of Section 28 of Article XII of the State
12Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
13electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
14general election:
15
ARTICLE VII
16
FINANCE AND TAXATION
17     SECTION 6.  Homestead exemptions.--
18     (a)(1)  Every person who has the legal or equitable title
19to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of
20the owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the
21owner, shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments
22for special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of twenty-
23five thousand dollars and, for all levies other than school
24district levies, on the assessed valuation greater than fifty
25thousand dollars and up to seventy-five thousand dollars, upon
26establishment of right thereto in the manner prescribed by law.
27     (2)  The real estate may be held by legal or equitable
28title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a condominium,
29or indirectly by stock ownership or membership representing the
30owner's or member's proprietary interest in a corporation owning
31a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of ninety-eight years.
32The exemption shall not apply with respect to any assessment
33roll until such roll is first determined to be in compliance
34with the provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by
35general law. This exemption is repealed on the effective date of
36any amendment to this Article which provides for the assessment
37of homestead property at less than just value.
38     (b)  Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any
39individual or family unit or with respect to any residential
40unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate
41assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock
42or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion
43which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed
44value of the property.
45     (c)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
46therein, each person who is entitled to receive the homestead
47exemption provided in subsection (a) is also entitled to an
48additional homestead exemption in an amount equal to forty
49percent (40%) of the just value of the homestead between
50seventy-five thousand dollars and five hundred thousand dollars.
51The additional exemption shall apply only after the first
52seventy-five thousand dollars of just value of the homestead
53property. However, in any year, such person shall receive only
54the exemption provided in this subsection or the application of
55the cumulative assessment limitation calculated pursuant to
56subsection (c) of Section 4, whichever provides the lower
57taxable value. The exemption shall not apply with respect to any
58assessment roll until such roll is first determined to be in
59compliance with the provisions of Section 4 by the state agency
60designated by general law. This exemption is repealed on the
61effective date of any future amendment to this constitution
62which provides for the assessment of homestead property at less
63than just value.
64     (d)(c)  By general law and subject to conditions specified
65therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are
66permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax
67levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and
68amount established by general law.
69     (e)(d)  The legislature may, by general law, allow counties
70or municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax
71levies and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an
72additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding fifty thousand
73dollars to any person who has the legal or equitable title to
74real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the
75owner and who has attained age sixty-five and whose household
76income, as defined by general law, does not exceed twenty
77thousand dollars. The general law must allow counties and
78municipalities to grant this additional exemption, within the
79limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance adopted in
80the manner prescribed by general law, and must provide for the
81periodic adjustment of the income limitation prescribed in this
82subsection for changes in the cost of living.
83     (f)(e)  Each veteran who is age 65 or older who is
84partially or totally permanently disabled shall receive a
85discount from the amount of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on
86homestead property the veteran owns and resides in if the
87disability was combat related, the veteran was a resident of
88this state at the time of entering the military service of the
89United States, and the veteran was honorably discharged upon
90separation from military service. The discount shall be in a
91percentage equal to the percentage of the veteran's permanent,
92service-connected disability as determined by the United States
93Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify for the discount
94granted by this subsection, an applicant must submit to the
95county property appraiser, by March 1, proof of residency at the
96time of entering military service, an official letter from the
97United States Department of Veterans Affairs stating the
98percentage of the veteran's service-connected disability and
99such evidence that reasonably identifies the disability as
100combat related, and a copy of the veteran's honorable discharge.
101If the property appraiser denies the request for a discount, the
102appraiser must notify the applicant in writing of the reasons
103for the denial, and the veteran may reapply. The Legislature
104may, by general law, waive the annual application requirement in
105subsequent years. This subsection shall take effect December 7,
1062006, is self-executing, and does not require implementing
107legislation.
108
ARTICLE XII
109
SCHEDULE
110     SECTION 28.  Property tax exemptions and ad valorem tax
111limitations.--The amendment to Section 6 of Article VII,
112providing an additional homestead exemption equal to the greater
113of forty percent of the homestead's just valuation between
114seventy-five thousand and five hundred thousand dollars or the
115accumulated benefit from the limitation on annual increases in
116assessments of homestead property, and this section, if
117submitted to the electors of this state for approval or
118rejection at the next general election, shall take effect
119January 1 of the year following such general election.
120     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
121placed on the ballot:
122
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
123
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6
124
ARTICLE XII, SECTION 28
125     ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.--Proposing an amendment to
126the State Constitution to provide for an additional homestead
127exemption equal to the greater of 40 percent of the just value
128of the homestead property between $75,000 and $500,000 or the
129accumulated benefit provided under Save Our Homes, and providing
130that the amendment shall take effect January 1 of the year
131following the general election at which approved.


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