Florida Senate - 2025                                    SB 1018
       
       
        
       By Senator Ingoglia
       
       
       
       
       
       11-01515-25                                           20251018__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to homestead exemptions; amending s.
    3         196.031, F.S.; increasing the homestead tax exemption
    4         amount for all levies, except for assessments for
    5         special benefits; deleting homestead tax exemptions
    6         for all levies other than school district levies;
    7         providing a contingent effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 196.031, Florida
   12  Statutes, as amended by chapter 2024-261, Laws of Florida, is
   13  amended to read:
   14         196.031 Exemption of homesteads.—
   15         (1)(a) A person who, on January 1, has the legal title or
   16  beneficial title in equity to real property in this state and
   17  who in good faith makes the property his or her permanent
   18  residence or the permanent residence of another or others
   19  legally or naturally dependent upon him or her, is entitled to
   20  an exemption from all taxation, except for assessments for
   21  special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of $75,000
   22  $25,000 on the residence and contiguous real property, as
   23  defined in s. 6, Art. VII of the State Constitution. Such title
   24  may be held by the entireties, jointly, or in common with
   25  others, and the exemption may be apportioned among such of the
   26  owners as reside thereon, as their respective interests appear.
   27  If only one of the owners of an estate held by the entireties or
   28  held jointly with the right of survivorship resides on the
   29  property, that owner is allowed an exemption of up to the
   30  assessed valuation of $75,000 $25,000 on the residence and
   31  contiguous real property. However, an exemption of more than
   32  $75,000 $25,000 is not allowed to any one person or on any one
   33  dwelling house, except that an exemption up to the assessed
   34  valuation of $75,000 $25,000 may be allowed on each apartment or
   35  mobile home occupied by a tenant-stockholder or member of a
   36  cooperative corporation and on each condominium parcel occupied
   37  by its owner. Except for owners of an estate held by the
   38  entireties or held jointly with the right of survivorship, the
   39  amount of the exemption may not exceed the proportionate
   40  assessed valuation of all owners who reside on the property.
   41  Before such exemption may be granted, the deed or instrument
   42  shall be recorded in the official records of the county in which
   43  the property is located. The property appraiser may request the
   44  applicant to provide additional ownership documents to establish
   45  title.
   46         (b) Every person who qualifies to receive the exemption
   47  provided in paragraph (a) is entitled to an additional exemption
   48  of up to $25,000 on the assessed valuation greater than $50,000
   49  for all levies other than school district levies. The $75,000
   50  $25,000 value of the additional exemption provided in this
   51  subsection paragraph shall be adjusted annually on January 1 of
   52  each year for inflation using the percentage change in the
   53  Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average,
   54  all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding
   55  calendar year as initially reported by the United States
   56  Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, if such percent
   57  change is positive.
   58         (8) Unless the homestead property is totally exempt from ad
   59  valorem taxation, the exemption exemptions provided in
   60  subsection (1) paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) shall be applied before
   61  other homestead exemptions, which shall then be applied in the
   62  order that results in the lowest taxable value.
   63         Section 2. This act shall take effect on the effective date
   64  of the amendment to the State Constitution proposed by SJR 1016
   65  or a similar joint resolution having substantially the same
   66  specified intent and purpose, if such amendment to the State
   67  Constitution is approved at the next general election or at an
   68  earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that
   69  purpose.