Legislative Update: Property tax reform placed on November ballot

The Florida Legislature met in Special Session this week and approved a measure that will place property tax relief on the November ballot.  

After more than a year of discussion around the issue of property tax, Gov. Ron DeSantis released his proposal and called the Legislature back to Tallahassee for a Special Session from June 1-3. 

On Monday, the Legislature formally convened and began committee consideration of the proposed bills. Through this process, both the House and Senate adopted several substantive changes to the governor’s original proposal. While many of the amendments were technical in nature, most importantly, the House and Senate adopted an amendment that would remove school levies from the increased exemption. This means that levies for school districts will remain subject to the current $25,000 exemption. 

On Tuesday, the House and Senate met in session and took up the joint resolution, implementing legislation for final consideration. After discussion and debate, the House approved the joint resolution,HB 1F - Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes by Rep. Overdorf, by a vote of 75-26, while the Senate approved it by a vote of 30-9.  

As a proposed constitutional amendment, the measure will now be placed on the 2026 General Election ballot, where it must receive at least 60 percent voter approval statewide to take effect.  

According to the legislative staff analysis, the joint resolution proposes several amendments to the Florida Constitution, including: 

The proposed amendment reduces the assessment limitation for non-homestead residential and non-residential property from 10 percent to five percent.

Real property owned by persons who maintained permanent residence as of Dec. 31, 2026, and have established or will establish homestead are eligible for the following exemption from non-school levies: 

• Beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, up to $150,000 of the assessed value.
• Beginning on Jan. 1, 2028, up to $250,000 of the assessed value.

The exemption value is adjusted annually for positive inflation growth beginning Jan. 1, 2029.

Levies for school districts will remain subject to the current $25,000 exemption.

Real property owned by persons who maintain permanent residence on or after Jan. 1, 2027, and establish homestead are eligible for the following exemption from non-school levies: 

• Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, up to $50,000 of assessed value. The exemption value is adjusted annually for positive inflation growth beginning Jan. 1, 2028.
• Beginning with the fifth year of the exemption, such person may be exempted up to the amount of the exemption available to a person who maintained homestead on or before Dec. 31, 2026.

The amendment requires local governments to use remaining property taxes solely for core public needs, including public safety, education and schools, infrastructure and natural resources.

Beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2030, the proposed amendment allows a county or municipality to, by two-thirds vote of the membership of the governing body, determine if a reduction to the five-year requirement is warranted for a critical local need.

The proposed amendment requires the Legislature, by general law, to prescribe a uniform procedure for counties, municipalities and school districts to increase the amount of assessed value exempt from taxes.

Additionally, the proposed amendment allows special districts to increase, by referendum, the amount of assessed value exempt from taxes. Special districts may adjust the exemption amount annually for positive inflation growth. 

The ballot language appears below.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 

ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 4, 6, AND 9 

ARTICLE XII 

SAVE OUR HOMES FROM EXCESSIVE PROPERTY TAXES. — This  amendment benefits Florida taxpayers by: Exempting homestead properties from taxation. Exempts the first $250,000 of a homestead's value from taxation for all levies other than school district levies and requires, through general law, a schedule for full elimination. Ensuring funding for core services. Requires local governments to use remaining property taxes solely for core public needs including public safety, education and schools, infrastructure, and natural resources. Protecting small businesses. Limits future property tax assessments on businesses. Ensuring fairness for Florida residents. Requires any person who establishes Florida residency after January 1, 2027, to maintain Florida residency for five years prior to receiving the increased homestead exemption. If approved, the amendment would take effect on January 1, 2027. 

During the Session, the Legislature also passed SB 4F – Property Tax Administration by Sen. Avila, which serves as the implementing legislation for the joint resolution should it be approved by the voters. The bill revises the calculation used to determine the maximum millage rate that local governments and special districts may adopt by majority vote, requiring the use of the rolled-back rate for notice purposes. An important note: SB 4F is not a joint resolution, which means the proposal would still be subject to the governor’s approval or veto. 

With the conclusion of the Special Session, attention now turns to the 2026 General Election, where voters will ultimately decide whether to approve the proposed constitutional changes. The FICPA Governmental Affairs team will keep our members updated at the appropriate time. 

Countdown to Qualifying 

Each election cycle, Florida holds a candidate qualifying period during which individuals seeking elected office must complete the necessary requirements to appear on the ballot. This is often a critical and fast-paced time for campaigns as candidates work to secure their place in the election. 

The 2026 qualifying period begins at noon on Monday, June 8, 2026, and concludes at noon on Friday, June 12, 2026. 

The qualifying period applies to candidates seeking the following offices: 

• Federal office (U.S. House of Representatives)
• Governor
• Cabinet offices (Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Chief Financial Officer)
• State Senate (even-numbered districts)
• State House of Representatives
• County offices
• Special district offices  

Once qualifying concludes, the field of candidates for the 2026 election cycle will be set, providing a clearer picture of the races that will shape Florida's political landscape in the months ahead.

Brown Named Executive Director of Board of Accountancy 

The FICPA is pleased to share that Kevin Brown has been named Acting Director of the Florida Board of Accountancy. Brown has been a member of the Division of Certified Public Accounting since 2020 and has most recently served as Program Manager, acting as the liaison between the Division and the Board. Kevin succeeds Roger Scarborough, who is now enjoying his retirement. The FICPA welcomes Brown as Acting Director and looks forward to continuing its close relationship with the Board of Accountancy and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation led by Secretary Melanie Griffin.

FICPA Attends Candidate Interviews in Tampa 

This week, Director of Legislative and Political Affairs Lauren Jones and Manager of Legislative and Political Affairs Brayden Harrell attended the Chamber of Commerce Political Institute Candidate Interviews in Tampa. 

The Tampa interviews marked the third stop in this year’s candidate interview process. Alongside leaders from across the business community, FICPA representatives met with candidates seeking legislative office, discussing issues important to Florida’s CPAs, businesses and taxpayers. 

Participation in these interviews helps ensure that candidates understand the value of the CPA profession and the important role CPAs play in supporting Florida’s economy, businesses and communities. As the 2026 election cycle continues to take shape, the FICPA remains committed to building relationships with policymakers and advocating for the profession.