HJR 7001 - Relating to Supermajority Vote for State Taxes and Fees

On Monday, March 5th, HJR 7001, by Representative Tom Leek (R-Daytona Beach) was read for a third time on the Senate floor and passed by a vote of 25 yeas to 13 nays.

HJR 7001 proposes an amendment to the State Constitution requiring any law that imposes a new tax, increases the rate or amount of a tax, or expands a tax base, and that results in a net increase in state revenues, to be approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

The amendment proposed in the joint resolution will take effect on January 8, 2019, if approved by sixty percent of the voters during the 2018 general election or earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that purpose.

HJR 7001 will go on to the desk of the Governor.

AIF supports this legislation requiring two-thirds vote from each house of the legislature to pass tax increases in the state. This action would that would make it more difficult to raise taxes, leaving more money in the pockets of Florida’s families and business.

 

SB 620 & HB 7087-Relating to Taxation

On Monday, March 5th, HB 7087, by the House Ways and Means Committee and Representative Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) was read for a third time on the House floor and passed by a vote of 75 yeas to 35 nays.

On Thursday, March 8th, SB 620 by Senator Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) was substituted with HB 7087. HB 7087 was then amended to implement the Senate version of the tax package.

On Friday, March 9th, HB 7087 was temporarily postponed on third reading on the Senate calendar.

On Sunday, March 11th, the legislature met to pass the budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year and pass the tax package, HB 7087. The Senate passed their amended version of the tax package by a vote of 33 yeas to 3 nays and requested the House concur on the bill as amended. The House then took up the bill, concurred to the bill as amended and the bill passed by a vote of 93 yeas to 12 nays.

The bill provides for a wide range of tax reductions designed to directly impact both families and businesses. The total impact for the fiscal year of 2018 and 2019 is $186 million in reductions.
The bill contains several provisions related to sales tax that include priorities important to AIF and its members.

Specifically, it includes:

• Tax rate reduction for tax on commercial rentals (business rent tax) from 5.8% to 5.7%.
• New, extended, or expanded sales tax exemptions for: 
  • Certain generators for nursing homes and assisted living facilities;
  • Certain purchases of agriculture related fencing materials and building materials for repair of storm damage from Hurricane Irma
• A seven-day “disaster preparedness” holiday for sales of specified items related to disaster preparedness.
  
  

 HB 7087 will go on to the desk of the Governor.

AIF supports tax cuts for Florida’s families and businesses that aid in relief after the events of a disastrous hurricane season. AIF supports incremental reductions of the business rent tax to make Florida more attractive to business.