Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 578
       
       
        
       By Senator Ingoglia
       
       
       
       
       
       11-01087-24                                            2024578__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to limitation on local fees for
    3         virtual offices; creating ss. 125.01035 and 166.272,
    4         F.S.; prohibiting a county, municipality, or local
    5         governmental entity from imposing, levying, or
    6         collecting certain fees relating to the utilization of
    7         a virtual office; providing definitions; providing an
    8         effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Section 125.01035, Florida Statutes, is created
   13  to read:
   14         125.01035 Limitation on local fees.—
   15         (1) A county, municipality, or local governmental entity
   16  may not adopt or maintain in effect an ordinance or a rule that
   17  has the effect of imposing a tax, charge, fee, or other
   18  imposition on or with respect to the utilization of a virtual
   19  office.
   20         (2) For purposes of this section, the term:
   21         (a) “Tax, charge, fee, or other imposition” includes any
   22  amount or in-kind payment of property or services, regardless of
   23  whether such amount or in-kind payment of property or services
   24  is designated as a user fee, privilege fee, occupancy fee, or
   25  rental fee.
   26         (b) “Virtual office” means an office that provides
   27  communications services, such as telephone or facsimile
   28  services, and address services without providing dedicated
   29  office space.
   30         Section 2. Section 166.272, Florida Statutes, is created to
   31  read:
   32         166.272 Limitation on local fees.—
   33         (1) A municipality may not levy on or collect from a person
   34  any tax, charge, fee, or other imposition on or with respect to
   35  the utilization of a virtual office.
   36         (2) For purposes of this section, the term:
   37         (a) “Tax, charge, fee, or other imposition” includes any
   38  amount or in-kind payment of property or services, regardless of
   39  whether such amount or in-kind payment of property or services
   40  is designated as a user fee, privilege fee, occupancy fee, or
   41  rental fee.
   42         (b) “Virtual office” means an office that provides
   43  communications services, such as telephone or facsimile
   44  services, and address services without providing dedicated
   45  office space.
   46         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.