Florida Senate - 2026                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 78
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì974894]Î974894                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  11/19/2025           .                                
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       The Committee on Community Affairs (Osgood) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Home hardening products; sales tax refund.—
    6         (1)As used in this section, the term:
    7         (a)“Department” means the Department of Revenue.
    8         (b) “Eligible residential property” means a residential
    9  property with a site-built dwelling for which a homestead
   10  exemption has been granted under s. 196.031, Florida Statutes,
   11  and which has a just value of $700,000 or less.
   12         (c) “Home hardening product” means an impact-resistant
   13  door, an impact-resistant garage door, or an impact-resistant
   14  window.
   15         (d)“Impact-resistant door” means an exterior door system
   16  designed to resist wind and wind-borne debris forces which is
   17  rated for impact resistance and wind pressure in accordance with
   18  any of the following most recent sets of test methods,
   19  standards, and specifications:
   20         1.ASTM International E1886 and E1996;
   21         2.American Architectural Manufacturers Association 506; or
   22         3.Florida Building Code Testing Application Standard TAS
   23  201, TAS 202, and TAS 203.
   24         (e)“Impact-resistant garage door” means a garage door
   25  system designed to resist wind and wind-borne debris forces
   26  which is rated for impact resistance and wind pressure in
   27  accordance with any of the following most recent sets of test
   28  methods, standards, and specifications:
   29         1.ASTM International E1886 and E1996;
   30         2.American Architectural Manufacturers Association 506;
   31         3.Florida Building Code Testing Application Standard TAS
   32  201, TAS 202, TAS 203; or
   33         4.ANSI/DASMA 115.
   34         (f)“Impact-resistant window” means a window that is
   35  laminated or has been treated with a polycarbonate glazing
   36  system designed to resist wind and wind-borne debris forces
   37  which is rated for impact resistance and wind pressure in
   38  accordance with any of the following most recent sets of test
   39  methods, standards, and specifications:
   40         1.ASTM International E1886 and E1996;
   41         2.American Architectural Manufacturers Association 506; or
   42         3.Florida Building Code Testing Application Standard TAS
   43  201, TAS 202, and TAS 203.
   44         (g)“Owner” means a person who holds the legal title to an
   45  eligible residential property.
   46         (h) “Purchase period” means retail purchases made during
   47  the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.
   48         (i) “Site-built dwelling” means a dwelling constructed at
   49  its permanent location. Site-built dwellings do not include
   50  mobile homes, manufactured homes, trailers, or any home or
   51  trailer that may be titled or registered in accordance with
   52  chapter 319, Florida Statutes, or chapter 320, Florida Statutes.
   53         (2)Home hardening products used on eligible residential
   54  property are exempt from the tax imposed by chapter 212, Florida
   55  Statutes, upon an affirmative showing to the satisfaction of the
   56  department that the requirements of this section have been met,
   57  in an amount up to $500 per eligible residential property for
   58  purchases made during the purchase period. This exemption inures
   59  to the owner through a refund of previously paid taxes. To be
   60  eligible to receive a refund, an owner must submit an
   61  application to the department on a form approved by the
   62  department which includes all of the following:
   63         (a)The name and address of the owner claiming the refund.
   64         (b)The address and assessment roll parcel number of the
   65  eligible residential property for which a refund of previously
   66  paid taxes is being sought.
   67         (c) A sworn statement, submitted under penalty of perjury,
   68  from the owner which specifies the actual cost of the exempt
   69  home hardening products, the amount of sales tax paid in this
   70  state on the exempt home hardening products, and that the
   71  property is an eligible residential property. Copies of receipts
   72  evidencing payment of sales tax must be attached to the form.
   73         (3) The owner may submit an application for only one
   74  eligible residential property.
   75         (4) The owner must submit the refund application to the
   76  department between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2028. Within 30
   77  business days after receipt of the refund application, the
   78  department must determine if the application meets the
   79  requirements of this section. The department must issue a refund
   80  within 30 business days after it formally approves the
   81  application.
   82         (5)The department is authorized, and all conditions are
   83  deemed met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4),
   84  Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing this section.
   85  Notwithstanding any other law, emergency rules adopted under
   86  this subsection are effective for the length of the exemption
   87  period and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to
   88  adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency
   89  rules.
   90         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
   91  
   92  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   93  And the title is amended as follows:
   94         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   95  and insert:
   96                        A bill to be entitled                      
   97         An act relating to home hardening products; defining
   98         terms; providing a sales tax exemption for home
   99         hardening products used on eligible residential
  100         property; specifying a limitation on exemptions;
  101         requiring property owners to submit an application to
  102         the Department of Revenue in order to be eligible;
  103         specifying information required to be included in such
  104         applications; providing that property owners may
  105         submit an application for only one residential
  106         property; requiring that refund applications be
  107         submitted within a specified timeframe; providing
  108         requirements for the department in issuing refunds;
  109         authorizing the department to adopt emergency rules;
  110         specifying the timeframe such rules are effective;
  111         authorizing the renewal of such rules; providing an
  112         effective date.