Florida House passes broad tax package including sales‑tax holidays and property tax changes
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Summary
The Florida House passed CS/HB 7031, a comprehensive tax package that creates targeted sales‑tax holidays, modifies property‑tax assessment rules for mobile home parks, expands various tax exemptions and credits, and includes a temporary firearms‑accessories sales‑tax exemption; final passage was 105‑2.
Representative Duggan, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced CS for HB 7031 as the chamber’s omnibus tax package and said it bundles a range of changes affecting sales, property and specialty taxes. “Members, this is this year's tax package,” Duggan said in opening remarks as he described new sales‑tax holidays for hunting, fishing and camping items, a one‑year exemption for firearms accessories, a shift in the timing of the back‑to‑school holiday, and multiple property‑tax clarifications.
The bill shifts the monthlong back‑to‑school sales tax holiday so it runs from July 20 through Aug. 20 to better align shopping with school start dates, and creates a new hunting, fishing and camping holiday from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 for specified items. Duggan also described a one‑year exemption for firearms accessories and a provision limiting a lease exemption for tangible personal property used in Space Florida projects to one year.
On property taxes, Duggan said the measure creates a 3% assessment‑increase limitation for mobile home parks that rent at least 75% of lots to owners under long‑term leases, and clarifies that certain municipal service taxing units and dependent special districts must have unanimous governing‑body approval for new levies. The bill also makes technical changes to save‑our‑homes portability rules and extends an affordable‑housing credit when state property is sold, Duggan said.
Representative Hunchowski and others praised many provisions but objected to the firearms‑accessories sales‑tax holiday. “I rise in opposition to the sections dealing with firearm accessories … I don't think that is a good use of tax dollars,” Hunchowski said during debate. Supporters argued the package contains targeted relief and investments—Representative Dunkley thanked the chair for the added home‑hardening exemption for impact‑resistant windows and doors and Representative Hart Logan cited the extended timing for the school‑supply holiday.
After structured debate and a motion to waive rules to read the bill a third time, the House voted on final passage. The clerk announced a 105 yeas, 2 nays tally; Speaker presiding announced the bill passed.
The bill text bundles many smaller policy changes and tax exemptions; sponsors said several measures incorporate separate bills (including provisions from HB 1177, HB 185 and others). The House placed the measure on final passage under majority procedures; members signaled a mix of support for most provisions and dissent over the temporary tax break for firearms accessories.
What’s next: The House completed final passage and transmitted its enacted version to the Senate for concurrence or conference, as applicable.