Senate tax package reported favorably after debate, public testimony objects to extended hunting and firearm tax holidays

The Senate Finance and Tax Committee on Thursday reported SPB 7034 favorably after lengthy discussion and more than a dozen appearance forms on the bill, the chamber’s omnibus tax package that sponsor Senator Avila described as broad-based tax relief for families and businesses.

Avila summarized the package as including permanent sales-tax exemptions for clothing and shoes priced at $75 or less, bullion exemptions under $500, multiple sales-tax holidays (a May disaster-preparedness holiday, a two-month “Freedom Months” for certain recreational items, a back-to-school holiday in August, a 10-day skilled-worker “tool time” holiday, and what sponsor called a nearly four-month hunting-season holiday for firearms, ammunition and related items scheduled from Sept. 8 through Dec. 31). The sponsor also described a variety of property-tax and corporate tax provisions, a rural community investment tax credit, updates adopting the federal Internal Revenue Code as of Jan. 1, 2025, and other changes. The sponsor’s summary included a staff estimate that the bill would reduce revenues by roughly $2.1 billion, a mix of recurring and nonrecurring reductions.

Public testimony at the committee focused heavily on the proposed extended hunting-season sales tax holiday for firearms and ammunition. Several students and gun-violence-prevention advocates urged the committee to reject the holiday and to add exemptions for gun safes and locks if firearms were included. Alexis Weinburn, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School graduate from Parkland, said the tax break “allows someone to buy a firearm tax free and walk into a school,” and urged lawmakers to “subsidize safety” rather than firearm purchases. Other public commenters, including several students from Florida State University and representatives from Florida for All and Florida Rising, warned the holiday would increase access to weapons and ammunition without addressing mental-health or safety measures.

Business and local-government organizations filed mixed positions. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association filed against some parts of the bill; industry groups including tourism representatives sought carve-outs for tourist-development taxes in other bills discussed earlier. County-level testifiers also urged caution, and Senator Bernard said he would oppose the bill in its present form because of the length of the hunting season tax holiday and its lack of purchase caps.

Sponsor Avila responded that certain firearm-safety devices already carry a permanent exemption under section 212.08 of Florida law, and that the package includes a study by the Office of Economic & Demographic Research to examine long-term fiscal effects. President Gates supported much of the package and said he had not seen evidence that the hunting holiday would harm competitiveness for federal grants; he also raised the issue of reducing the business rent tax as a continued policy objective.

After debate and roll call, the committee reported SPB 7034 favorably and moved it forward as a committee bill. The committee record shows the bill was submitted as a committee bill and reported favorably; no floor action took place in the hearing and many witnesses asked the Legislature to amend or remove the hunting/firearms holiday.