Florida SB 278: Traffic Offenses

Bill Text

278 
Limitation on the Assessed Value of New Homestead Property 
2025-10-23T12:01:43Z 
Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to limit the assessed value of new homestead property established after a change of ownership which had an assessed value of less than a certain amount to no more than 150 percent of the assessed value of the property for the preceding year for ad valorem taxation purposes and to provide an effective date, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
SJR 
Joint Resolution 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SJR 278 

 By Senator Bernard 

 24-00423C-26 2026278__ 
 1 Senate Joint Resolution 
 2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4 
 3 of Article VII and the creation of a new section in 
 4 Article XII of the State Constitution to limit the 
 5 assessed value of new homestead property established 
 6 after a change of ownership which had an assessed 
 7 value of less than a certain amount to no more than 
 8 150 percent of the assessed value of the property for 
 9 the preceding year for ad valorem taxation purposes 
 10 and to provide an effective date. 
 11 
 12 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 13 
 14 That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VII 
 15 and the creation of a new section in Article XII of the State 
 16 Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the 
 17 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 
 18 general election or at an earlier special election specifically 
 19 authorized by law for that purpose: 
 20 ARTICLE VII 
 21 FINANCE AND TAXATION 
 22 SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.—By general law 
 23 regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just 
 24 valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided: 
 25 (a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge 
 26 to Florida’s aquifers, or land used exclusively for 
 27 noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general 
 28 law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. 
 29 (b) As provided by general law and subject to conditions, 
 30 limitations, and reasonable definitions specified therein, land 
 31 used for conservation purposes shall be classified by general 
 32 law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. 
 33 (c) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property held 
 34 for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for 
 35 taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be 
 36 classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation. 
 37 (d) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under 
 38 Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at 
 39 just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective 
 40 date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as 
 41 provided in this subsection. 
 42 (1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed 
 43 annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in 
 44 assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following: 
 45 a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior year. 
 46 b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all 
 47 urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or 
 48 successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially 
 49 reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of 
 50 Labor Statistics. 
 51 (2) No assessment shall exceed just value. 
 52 (3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general 
 53 law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of 
 54 January 1 of the following year, unless the provisions of 
 55 paragraph (8) or paragraph (9) apply. Thereafter, the homestead 
 56 shall be assessed as provided in this subsection. 
 57 (4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value 
 58 as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the 
 59 homestead, unless the provisions of paragraph (8) or paragraph 
 60 (9) apply. That assessment shall only change as provided in this 
 61 subsection. 
 62 (5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to 
 63 homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general 
 64 law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change, 
 65 addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be 
 66 assessed as provided in this subsection. 
 67 (6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, the 
 68 property shall be assessed as provided by general law. 
 69 (7) The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any 
 70 of the provisions of this amendment shall be held 
 71 unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the 
 72 decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining 
 73 provisions of this amendment. 
 74 (8)a. A person who establishes a new homestead as of 
 75 January 1 and who has received a homestead exemption pursuant to 
 76 Section 6 of this Article as of January 1 of any of the three 
 77 years immediately preceding the establishme