Florida House Committee Advances Wide-Ranging Property Tax Reform Package

Florida’s property tax system at a crossroads as Republican Legislature advances sweeping relief proposals.

Despite objections from Democrats and routine pushback from local governments wary of property tax changes, a Florida House committee on Thursday advanced a broad slate of Florida property tax reform proposals aimed at delivering statewide relief.

Seven of the proposals take the form of constitutional amendments — requiring approval by three-fifths of the Legislature and, ultimately, by Florida voters — since property taxes are addressed directly in the Florida Constitution. An additional proposal is a standard bill making technical statutory adjustments.

House Select Committee on Property Taxes Chair Toby Overdorf argued that rising local property tax burdens have become untenable for homeowners and businesses and that the state must act to return money to Floridians. His comments come as Governor DeSantis continues to call for property tax relief, though the Governor has not yet offered a detailed plan and has criticized the House’s strategy of placing multiple measures on the ballot.

Chairman Overdorf emphasized that the package is still in its early stages and that the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January, will bring further deliberation and refinement. Senate leadership has not yet outlined its priorities.

Under the House plan, school property taxes — which make up just under 40% of the typical tax bill, according to Florida TaxWatch — would be shielded from reductions. Local governments would also be prohibited from reducing law enforcement funding to offset any revenue loss.

The seven proposed constitutional amendments include:

• HJR 201 — Eliminates non-school homestead property taxes.

• HJR 203 — Phases out non-school homestead property taxes over 10 years.

• HJR 205 — Exempts Floridians age 65 and older from paying non-school homestead property taxes.

• HJR 207 — Establishes a non-school homestead exemption equal to 25% of a home’s assessed value.

• HJR 209 — Creates a $100,000 non-school homestead exemption for properties with active homeowners insurance.

• HJR 211 — Removes the cap on portability, allowing homeowners to fully transfer their Save Our Homes benefit when moving to a new residence.

• HJR 213 — Reduces allowable increases in assessed non-school property taxes to 3% over three years for homestead properties (down from 3% annually) and to 15% over three years for non-homestead properties (down from 10% annually).

  
  

A separate bill, HB 215, would require local governments to secure a supermajority vote to raise property taxes and would allow newly married couples to combine their Save Our Homes tax cap benefits.