Florida Senate - 2017                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for CS for SB 764
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì9349707Î934970                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/13/2017           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax (Baxley)
       recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 41 - 233
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 196.102, Florida Statutes, is created to
    6  read:
    7         196.102 Exemption for certain totally and permanently
    8  disabled first responders.—
    9         (1)As used in this section, the term:
   10         (a)“First responder” has the same meaning as in s.
   11  196.081.
   12         (b)“Cardiac event” means a heart attack, stroke, or
   13  vascular rupture.
   14         (c)“In the line of duty” has the same meaning as in s.
   15  196.081.
   16         (2)Any real estate that is owned and used as a homestead
   17  by a person who is totally and permanently disabled as a result
   18  of an injury or injuries sustained in the line of duty while
   19  serving as a first responder is exempt from taxation, if the
   20  first responder is a permanent resident of this state on January
   21  1 of the year for which the exemption is being claimed.
   22         (3)An applicant may qualify for the exemption under this
   23  section by applying by March 1, pursuant to subsection (4) or
   24  subsection (5), to the property appraiser of the county where
   25  the property is located.
   26         (4) An applicant may qualify for the exemption under this
   27  section by satisfying the requirements for the totally and
   28  permanently disabled exemption in s. 196.101; however, for
   29  purposes of this section, the applicant is not required to
   30  satisfy the gross income requirement in s. 196.101(4)(a).
   31         (5) An applicant may qualify for the exemption under this
   32  section by providing all of the following documents, which serve
   33  as prima facie evidence that the person is entitled to the
   34  exemption:
   35         (a) An award letter from the Social Security
   36  Administration, based upon the applicant’s total and permanent
   37  disability, provided to the property appraiser within 3 months
   38  after issuance.
   39         (b)1. A certificate from the organization that employed the
   40  applicant as a first responder at the time that the injury or
   41  injuries occurred. The employer certificate must contain, at a
   42  minimum:
   43         a. The title of the person signing the certificate;
   44         b. The name and address of the employing entity;
   45         c. A description of the incident that caused the injury or
   46  injuries;
   47         d. The date and location of the incident; and
   48         e. A statement that the first responder’s injury or
   49  injuries were:
   50         (I) Directly and proximately caused by service in the line
   51  of duty.
   52         (II) Without willful negligence on the part of the first
   53  responder.
   54         (III) The sole cause of the first responder’s total and
   55  permanent disability.
   56         2. If the first responder’s total and permanent disability
   57  was caused by a cardiac event, the employer must also certify
   58  that the requirements of subsection (6) are satisfied.
   59         3. The employer certificate must be supplemented with
   60  extant documentation of the incident or event that caused the
   61  injury, such as an accident or incident report. The applicant
   62  may deliver the original employer certificate to the property
   63  appraiser’s office or the employer may directly transmit the
   64  employer certificate to the applicable property appraiser.
   65         (c) A certificate from a physician licensed in this state
   66  under chapter 458 or chapter 459 which certifies that the
   67  applicant is totally and permanently disabled and that such
   68  disability renders the applicant unable to engage in any
   69  substantial gainful occupation due to an impairment of the mind
   70  or body, which condition is reasonably certain to continue
   71  throughout the life of the applicant. The physician certificate
   72  shall read as follows:
   73  
   74                          FIRST RESPONDER’S                        
   75                      PHYSICIAN CERTIFICATE OF                     
   76                   TOTAL AND PERMANENT DISABILITY                  
   77  
   78  I,...(name of physician)..., a physician licensed pursuant to
   79  chapter 458 or chapter 459, Florida Statutes, hereby certify
   80  that Mr.....Mrs.....Miss.... Ms........(applicant name and
   81  social security number)..., is totally and permanently disabled
   82  due to an impairment of the mind or body, and such impairment
   83  renders him or her unable to engage in any substantial gainful
   84  occupation, which condition is reasonably certain to continue
   85  throughout his or her life. This is due to the following mental
   86  or physical condition(s):
   87  
   88  It is my professional belief that the above-named condition(s)
   89  render Mr.....Mrs.....Miss.... Ms........(applicant name)...
   90  totally and permanently disabled and that the foregoing
   91  statements are true, correct, and complete to the best of my
   92  knowledge and professional belief.
   93  
   94  Signature....
   95  Address...(print)...
   96  Date....
   97  Florida Board of Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine license number
   98  Issued on.....
   99  
  100  NOTICE TO TAXPAYER: Each Florida resident applying for an
  101  exemption due to a disability that occurred in the line of duty
  102  while serving as a first responder must present to the county
  103  property appraiser a copy of this form, an award letter from the
  104  Social Security Administration, and a certificate from the
  105  employer for whom the applicant worked as a first responder at
  106  the time of the injury, as required by section 196.102(5),
  107  Florida Statutes. This form is to be completed by a licensed
  108  Florida physician.
  109  
  110  NOTICE TO TAXPAYER AND PHYSICIAN: Section 196.102(10), Florida
  111  Statutes, provides that any person who knowingly and willingly
  112  gives false information for the purpose of claiming the
  113  homestead exemption for totally and permanently disabled first
  114  responders commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable
  115  by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not
  116  exceeding $5,000, or both.
  117         (6) A total and permanent disability that results from a
  118  cardiac event does not qualify for the exemption provided in
  119  this section unless the cardiac event occurs no later than 24
  120  hours after the first responder performed nonroutine stressful
  121  or strenuous physical activity in the line of duty and the first
  122  responder provides the employer with medical evidence showing
  123  that:
  124         (a) The nonroutine stressful or strenuous activity directly
  125  and proximately caused the cardiac event that gave rise to the
  126  total and permanent disability; and
  127         (b) The cardiac event was not caused by a preexisting
  128  vascular disease.
  129         (7) An applicant that is granted the exemption under this
  130  section has a continuing duty to notify the property appraiser
  131  of any changes in his or her status with the Social Security
  132  Administration or in employment or other relevant changes in
  133  circumstances which affect his or her qualification for the
  134  exemption.
  135         (8)The tax exemption carries over to the benefit of the
  136  surviving spouse as long as the surviving spouse holds the legal
  137  or beneficial title to the homestead, permanently resides
  138  thereon as specified in s. 196.031, and does not remarry. If the
  139  surviving spouse sells the property, an exemption not to exceed
  140  the amount granted under the most recent ad valorem tax roll may
  141  be transferred to the new residence if it is used as the
  142  surviving spouse’s primary residence and he or she does not
  143  remarry.
  144         (9)An applicant may apply for the exemption before
  145  producing the necessary documentation described in subsection
  146  (4) or subsection (5). Upon receipt of the documentation, the
  147  exemption must be granted as of the date of the original
  148  application and the excess taxes paid must be refunded. Any
  149  refund of excess taxes paid must be limited to those paid during
  150  the 4-year period of limitation set forth in s. 197.182(1)(e).
  151         (10)A person who knowingly or willfully gives false
  152  information for the purpose of claiming the exemption provided
  153  in this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
  154  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more
  155  than $5,000, or both.
  156         (11)Notwithstanding s. 196.011 and this section, the
  157  deadline for a first responder to file an application with the
  158  property appraiser for an exemption under this section for the
  159  2017 tax year is August 1, 2017.
  160         (12) If an application is not timely filed under subsection
  161  (11), a property appraiser may grant the exemption if:
  162         (a) The applicant files an application for the exemption on
  163  or before the 25th day after the mailing of the notice required
  164  under s. 194.011(1) by the property appraiser during the 2017
  165  calendar year;
  166         (b)The applicant is qualified for the exemption; and
  167         (c)The applicant produces sufficient evidence, as
  168  determined by the property appraiser, which demonstrates that
  169  the applicant was unable to apply for the exemption in a timely
  170  manner or otherwise demonstrates extenuating circumstances that
  171  warrant granting the exemption.
  172         (13)If the property appraiser denies an exemption under
  173  subsection (11) or subsection (12), the applicant may file,
  174  pursuant to s. 194.011(3), a petition with the value adjustment
  175  board requesting that the exemption be granted. Notwithstanding
  176  s. 194.013, the eligible first responder is not required to pay
  177  a filing fee for such petition filed on or before December 31,
  178  2017. Upon review of the petition, the value adjustment board
  179  shall grant the exemption if it determines the applicant is
  180  qualified and has demonstrated the existence of extenuating
  181  circumstances warranting the exemption.
  182         (14)The Department of Revenue may, and all conditions are
  183  deemed to be met to, adopt emergency rules pursuant to ss.
  184  120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer the application process for
  185  the 2017 calendar year. This subsection expires August 30, 2018.
  186         Section 2. This act operates retroactively to January 1,
  187  2017.
  188  
  189  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  190  And the title is amended as follows:
  191         Delete lines 8 - 20
  192  and insert:
  193         providing procedures for applying for the exemption;
  194         specifying requirements for documents that serve as
  195         prima facie evidence of entitlement to the exemption;
  196         providing that total and permanent disabilities
  197         resulting from cardiac events do not qualify for the
  198         exemption except when certain conditions are met;
  199         providing that applicants have a continuing duty to
  200         notify property appraisers of certain changes;
  201         providing that the exemption carries over to the
  202         benefit of surviving spouses under certain
  203         circumstances; providing requirements relating to the
  204         date of granting an exemption and the refund of excess
  205         taxes; providing a criminal penalty for knowingly or
  206         willfully giving false information to claim the
  207         exemption; specifying a deadline and procedures for
  208         applying for the exemption for the 2017 tax year;
  209         specifying procedures for petitioning a denial with
  210         the value adjustment board; authorizing the Department
  211         of Revenue to adopt emergency rules; providing
  212         retroactive applicability; providing an