HB 775

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to homestead property; amending s.
3196.031, F.S.; providing for certain minors to be deemed
4permanent residents of homestead property for certain
5purposes; amending s. 196.061, F.S.; providing for
6nonapplication of certain homestead abandonment provisions
7to minors inheriting homestead property; providing an
8effective date.
9
10Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12     Section 1.  Subsection (8) is added to section 196.031,
13Florida Statutes, to read:
14     196.031  Exemption of homesteads.--
15     (8)  In the case of a minor who has inherited homestead
16property pursuant to s. 732.4015, the minor shall be deemed to
17be a permanent resident of the homestead property until such
18time as the minor reaches majority.
19     Section 2.  Section 196.061, Florida Statutes, is amended
20to read:
21     196.061  Rental of homestead to constitute
22abandonment.--The rental of an entire dwelling previously
23claimed to be a homestead for tax purposes shall constitute the
24abandonment of said dwelling as a homestead, and said
25abandonment shall continue until such dwelling is physically
26occupied by the owner thereof. However, such abandonment of such
27homestead after January 1 of any year shall not affect the
28homestead exemption for tax purposes for that particular year so
29long as this provision is not used for 2 consecutive years. The
30provisions of this section shall not apply to:
31     (1)  A member of the Armed Forces of the United States
32whose service in such forces is the result of a mandatory
33obligation imposed by the federal Selective Service Act or who
34volunteers for service as a member of the Armed Forces of the
35United States; or
36     (2)  A minor who has inherited homestead property pursuant
37to s. 732.4015.
38     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.


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