Florida 2024 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0609 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 02/01/2024

                       
 
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A bill to be entitled 1 
An act relating to local business taxes; amending s. 2 
11.40, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by 3 
the act; amending s. 11.45, F.S.; requiring the 4 
Auditor General to contact certain local governments; 5 
requiring such local government provide specifi ed 6 
evidence within a certain time period; requiring 7 
notification to the Legislative Auditing Committee in 8 
specified circumstances; amending s. 205.0315, F.S.; 9 
authorizing specified entities to continue to levy a 10 
certain tax; prohibiting the repeal or modif ication of 11 
certain ordinances beginning a date certain; providing 12 
an exception; amending ss. 205.033 and 205.043, F.S.; 13 
revising the conditions imposed on taxing authorities 14 
governing the levy of a specified tax; amending s. 15 
205.0535, F.S.; providing defin itions; prohibiting 16 
reclassification of businesses subject to a specified 17 
tax rate; prohibiting the revenue generated from a 18 
certain tax from exceeding a specified value; 19 
requiring specified actions be taken in event of a 20 
violation of such prohibition; pro viding 21 
applicability; amending s. 205.0536, F.S.; conforming 22 
provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 23 
205.046, F.S.; requiring a specified document be filed 24 
with a certain audit; providing requirements for such 25     
 
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document; amending ss. 215.97, 218. 32, and 489.537, 26 
F.S.; conforming a cross -reference; providing an 27 
effective date. 28 
 29 
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 30 
 31 
 Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 11.40, Florida 32 
Statutes, is amended to read: 33 
 11.40  Legislative Audi ting Committee.— 34 
 (2)  Following notification by the Auditor General, the 35 
Department of Financial Services, the Division of Bond Finance 36 
of the State Board of Administration, the Governor or his or her 37 
designee, or the Commissioner of Education or his or h er 38 
designee of the failure of a local governmental entity, district 39 
school board, charter school, or charter technical career center 40 
to comply with the applicable provisions within s. 11.45(5) -(7), 41 
s. 205.0535, s. 218.32(1), s. 218.38, or s. 218.503(3), th e 42 
Legislative Auditing Committee may schedule a hearing to 43 
determine if the entity should be subject to further state 44 
action. If the committee determines that the entity should be 45 
subject to further state action, the committee shall: 46 
 (a)  In the case of a local governmental entity or district 47 
school board, direct the Department of Revenue and the 48 
Department of Financial Services to withhold any funds not 49 
pledged for bond debt service satisfaction which are payable to 50     
 
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such entity until the entity complies w ith the law. The 51 
committee shall specify the date that such action must begin, 52 
and the directive must be received by the Department of Revenue 53 
and the Department of Financial Services 30 days before the date 54 
of the distribution mandated by law. The Departm ent of Revenue 55 
and the Department of Financial Services may implement this 56 
paragraph. 57 
 (b)  In the case of a special district created by: 58 
 1.  A special act, notify the President of the Senate, the 59 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the standing comm ittees 60 
of the Senate and the House of Representatives charged with 61 
special district oversight as determined by the presiding 62 
officers of each respective chamber, the legislators who 63 
represent a portion of the geographical jurisdiction of the 64 
special district, and the Department of Economic Opportunity 65 
that the special district has failed to comply with the law. 66 
Upon receipt of notification, the Department of Economic 67 
Opportunity shall proceed pursuant to s. 189.062 or s. 189.067. 68 
If the special district rem ains in noncompliance after the 69 
process set forth in s. 189.0651, or if a public hearing is not 70 
held, the Legislative Auditing Committee may request the 71 
department to proceed pursuant to s. 189.067(3). 72 
 2.  A local ordinance, notify the chair or equivalent of 73 
the local general-purpose government pursuant to s. 189.0652 and 74 
the Department of Economic Opportunity that the special district 75     
 
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has failed to comply with the law. Upon receipt of notification, 76 
the department shall proceed pursuant to s. 189.062 or s. 77 
189.067. If the special district remains in noncompliance after 78 
the process set forth in s. 189.0652, or if a public hearing is 79 
not held, the Legislative Auditing Committee may request the 80 
department to proceed pursuant to s. 189.067(3). 81 
 3.  Any manner other than a special act or local ordinance, 82 
notify the Department of Economic Opportunity that the special 83 
district has failed to comply with the law. Upon receipt of 84 
notification, the department shall proceed pursuant to s. 85 
189.062 or s. 189.067(3). 86 
 (c)  In the case of a charter school or charter technical 87 
career center, notify the appropriate sponsoring entity, which 88 
may terminate the charter pursuant to ss. 1002.33 and 1002.34. 89 
 Section 2.  Paragraphs (d) through (j) of subsection (7) of 90 
section 11.45, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as paragraphs 91 
(e) through (k), respectively, and a new paragraph (d) is added 92 
to that subsection, to read: 93 
 11.45  Definitions; duties; authorities; reports; rules. — 94 
 (7)  AUDITOR GENERAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. — 95 
 (d)  During the Auditor General's review of audit reports, 96 
he or she shall contact each local government which is not in 97 
compliance with s. 205.0535, and request evidence of corrective 98 
action. The local government shall provide the Auditor General 99 
with evidence of the initiation of corrective action within 45 100     
 
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days after the date the corrective action is requested by the 101 
Auditor General and evidence of completion of corrective action 102 
within 180 days after the date the corrective action is 103 
requested by the Auditor General. If the local government fails 104 
to comply with the Auditor General's request or is unable to 105 
take corrective action within the required timeframe, the 106 
Auditor General shall notify the Legislative Auditing Committee. 107 
 Section 3.  Section 205. 0315, Florida Statutes, is amended 108 
to read: 109 
 205.0315  Ordinance adopted before adoption after October 110 
1, 2024 1995.—Beginning October 1, 2024 1995, a county or 111 
municipality that has not adopted a business tax ordinance or 112 
resolution under this chapter bef ore July 1, 2024, may not 113 
increase or otherwise modify the tax rate structure or 114 
classification in such adopt a business tax ordinance , except as 115 
provided in s. 205.0535. However, . the business tax rate 116 
structure and classifications in the adopted ordinanc e may be 117 
repealed must be reasonable and based upon the rate structure 118 
and classifications prescribed in ordinances adopted by adjacent 119 
local governments that have implemented s. 205.0535. If no 120 
adjacent local government has implemented s. 205.0535, or if the 121 
governing body of the county or municipality finds that the rate 122 
structures or classifications of adjacent local governments are 123 
unreasonable, the rate structure or classifications prescribed 124 
in its ordinance may be based upon those prescribed in 125     
 
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ordinances adopted by local governments that have implemented s. 126 
205.0535 in counties or municipalities that have a comparable 127 
population. 128 
 Section 4.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1), subsections 129 
(4) and (5), and paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of section 130 
205.033, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 131 
 205.033  Conditions for levy; counties. — 132 
 (1)  The following conditions are imposed on the authority 133 
of a county governing body to levy a business tax: 134 
 (b)  Unless the county implements s. 205.0535 or adopts a 135 
new business tax ordinance under s. 205.0315, A business tax 136 
levied under this subsection may not exceed the rate provided by 137 
this chapter in effect for the year beginning October 1, 2023 138 
1971; however, beginning October 1, 2024 1980, the county 139 
governing body must decrease may increase business taxes 140 
authorized by this chapter as provided in s. 205.0535 . The 141 
amount of the increase above the tax rate levied on October 1, 142 
1971, for taxes levied at a flat rate may be up to 100 percent 143 
for business taxes tha t are $100 or less; 50 percent for 144 
business taxes that are between $101 and $300; and 25 percent 145 
for business taxes that are more than $300. Beginning October 1, 146 
1982, the increase may not exceed 25 percent for taxes levied at 147 
graduated or per unit rates. Authority to increase business 148 
taxes does not apply to licenses or receipts granted to any 149 
utility franchised by the county for which a franchise fee is 150     
 
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paid. 151 
 (4)  The revenues derived from the business tax, exclusive 152 
of the costs of collection and any cr edit given for municipal 153 
business taxes, shall be apportioned between the unincorporated 154 
area of the county and the incorporated municipalities located 155 
therein by a ratio derived by dividing their respective 156 
populations by the population of the county. Thi s subsection 157 
does not apply to counties that have established a new rate 158 
structure under s. 205.0535 before October 1, 2024 . 159 
 (5)  The revenues so apportioned shall be sent to the 160 
governing authority of each municipality, according to its 161 
ratio, and to the governing authority of the county, according 162 
to the ratio of the unincorporated area, within 15 days 163 
following the month of receipt. This subsection does not apply 164 
to counties that have established a new rate structure under s. 165 
205.0535 before October 1, 2024. 166 
 (6)(a)  Each county, as defined in s. 125.011(1), or any 167 
county adjacent thereto may levy and collect, by an ordinance 168 
enacted by the governing body of the county, an additional 169 
business tax up to 50 percent of the appropriate business tax 170 
imposed under subsection (1); however, beginning October 1, 171 
2024, such business tax must be decreased as provided in s. 172 
205.0535. 173 
 Section 5.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 174 
205.043, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 175     
 
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 205.043  Conditions for levy; municipalities.— 176 
 (1)  The following conditions are imposed on the authority 177 
of a municipal governing body to levy a business tax: 178 
 (b)  Unless the municipality implements s. 205.0535 or 179 
adopts a new business tax ordinance under s. 205.0315, A 180 
business tax levied under this subsection may not exceed the 181 
rate in effect in the municipality for the year beginning 182 
October 1, 2023. 1971; however, Beginning October 1, 2024 1980, 183 
the municipal governing body must decrease may increase business 184 
taxes authorized by this chapter as provided in s. 205.0535 . The 185 
amount of the increase above the tax rate levied on October 1, 186 
1971, for taxes levied at a flat rate may be up to 100 percent 187 
for business taxes that are $100 or less; 50 percent fo r 188 
business taxes that are between $101 and $300; and 25 percent 189 
for business taxes that are more than $300. Beginning October 1, 190 
1982, an increase may not exceed 25 percent for taxes levied at 191 
graduated or per unit rates. Authority to increase business 192 
taxes does not apply to receipts or licenses granted to any 193 
utility franchised by the municipality for which a franchise fee 194 
is paid. 195 
 Section 6.  Section 205.0535, Florida Statutes, is amended 196 
to read: 197 
 205.0535  Reclassification and rate structure revisio ns.— 198 
 (1)  As used in this section, the term: 199 
 (a)  "Recalculated tax rate" means the tax rate that, if it 200     
 
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had been applied in the immediate prior fiscal year, would 201 
result in the maximum total revenue that does not exceed the 202 
revenue base. 203 
 (b)  "Revenue base" means the total revenue for the fiscal 204 
year ending September 30, 2024. 205 
 (c)  "Total revenue" means: 206 
 1.  For a county, the total annual revenue generated by 207 
receipts issued in the fiscal year, less any revenue distributed 208 
to municipalities under s. 205.033(4) in such year, and less any 209 
revenue refunded to businesses pursuant to sub -210 
subparagraph(4)(a)3.b. in such year. 211 
 2.  For a municipality, the total annual revenue generated 212 
by receipts issued in the fiscal year plus any revenue received 213 
from the county under s. 205.033(4) in such fiscal year, and 214 
less any revenue refunded to businesses pursuant to sub -215 
subparagraph(4)(a)3.b. in such year. 216 
 (2)(1) Beginning by October 1, 2024 2008, any municipality 217 
that has adopted by ordinance a local business tax after October 218 
1, 1995, may not by ordinance reclassify businesses, 219 
professions, and occupations or and may establish new rate 220 
structures, if the conditions specified in subsections (2) and 221 
(3) are met. A person who is engaged in the business of 222 
providing local exchange telephone service or a pay telephone 223 
service in a municipality or in the unincorporated area of a 224 
county and who pays the business tax under the category 225     
 
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designated for telephone companies or a pay telephone service 226 
provider certified pursuan t to s. 364.3375 is deemed to have but 227 
one place of business or business location in each municipality 228 
or unincorporated area of a county. Pay telephone service 229 
providers may not be assessed a business tax on a per -instrument 230 
basis. 231 
 (3)  Beginning October 1, 2024, the total revenue generated 232 
by the business tax each fiscal year may not exceed the revenue 233 
base.  234 
 (4)(a)  Beginning October 1, 2025, if the total revenue 235 
received by a local government from the local business tax in 236 
the immediate prior fiscal y ear exceeds the revenue base: 237 
 1.  The governing authority must adopt an ordinance to 238 
proportionally adjust the rates of the local business taxes 239 
levied under this chapter for the current fiscal year to the 240 
recalculated tax rate. 241 
 2.  The rate adjustment o rdinance must be adopted as soon 242 
as practicable, but no later than January 1 of the current 243 
fiscal year. 244 
 3.  By February 1, the county or municipality must issue a 245 
refund to each business that paid the local business tax: 246 
 a.  In the prior fiscal year. Su ch refund shall be the 247 
difference between the amount paid and the amount that would 248 
have been paid if the recalculated tax rate had been used. 249 
 b.  At the unreduced rate in the current fiscal year. Such 250     
 
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refund shall the difference in the amount paid and the amount 251 
due if the recalculated tax rate had been used. 252 
 (b)  A refund issued under subparagraph (a)3. may be 253 
granted as a credit against tax due in the next fiscal year. 254 
 (c)  If the county or municipality is unable to grant a 255 
refund pursuant to subpar agraph (a)3. because a business no 256 
longer exists, or the county or municipality is unable to locate 257 
the business or deliver such refund after making reasonable 258 
efforts to do so, then such refund shall be treated by the 259 
county or municipality as unclaimed p roperty under chapter 717. 260 
 (2)  Before adopting a reclassification and revision 261 
ordinance, the municipality or county must establish an equity 262 
study commission and appoint its members. Each member of the 263 
study commission must be a representative of the bu siness 264 
community within the local government's jurisdiction. Each 265 
equity study commission shall recommend to the appropriate local 266 
government a classification system and rate structure for 267 
business taxes. 268 
 (3)(a)  After the reclassification and rate struct ure 269 
revisions have been transmitted to and considered by the 270 
appropriate local governing body, it may adopt by majority vote 271 
a new business tax ordinance. Except that a minimum tax of up to 272 
$25 is permitted, the reclassification may not increase the tax 273 
by more than the following: for receipts costing $150 or less, 274 
200 percent; for receipts costing more than $150 but not more 275     
 
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than $500, 100 percent; for receipts costing more than $500 but 276 
not more than $2,500, 75 percent; for receipts costing more than 277 
$2,500 but not more than $10,000, 50 percent; and for receipts 278 
costing more than $10,000, 10 percent; however, in no case may 279 
the tax on any receipt be increased more than $5,000. 280 
 (b)  The total annual revenue generated by the new rate 281 
structure for the fisca l year following the fiscal year during 282 
which the rate structure is adopted may not exceed: 283 
 1.  For municipalities, the sum of the revenue base and 10 284 
percent of that revenue base. The revenue base is the sum of the 285 
business tax revenue generated by recei pts issued for the most 286 
recently completed local fiscal year or the amount of revenue 287 
that would have been generated from the authorized increases 288 
under s. 205.043(1)(b), whichever is greater, plus any revenue 289 
received from the county under s. 205.033(4). 290 
 2.  For counties, the sum of the revenue base, 10 percent 291 
of that revenue base, and the amount of revenue distributed by 292 
the county to the municipalities under s. 205.033(4) during the 293 
most recently completed local fiscal year. The revenue base is 294 
the business tax revenue generated by receipts issued for the 295 
most recently completed local fiscal year or the amount of 296 
revenue that would have been generated from the authorized 297 
increases under s. 205.033(1)(b), whichever is greater, but may 298 
not include any revenues distributed to municipalities under s. 299 
205.033(4). 300     
 
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 (c)  In addition to the revenue increases authorized by 301 
paragraph (b), revenue increases attributed to the increases in 302 
the number of receipts issued are authorized. 303 
 (4)  After the conditions speci fied in subsections (2) and 304 
(3) are met, municipalities and counties may, every other year 305 
thereafter, increase or decrease by ordinance the rates of 306 
business taxes by up to 5 percent. However, an increase must be 307 
enacted by at least a majority plus one vo te of the governing 308 
body. 309 
 (5)  This chapter does not prohibit a municipality or 310 
county from decreasing or repealing any business tax authorized 311 
under this chapter. By majority vote, the governing body of a 312 
county or municipality may adopt an ordinance rep ealing a local 313 
business tax or establishing new rates that decrease local 314 
business taxes, provided that the new rates do not produce 315 
revenues in excess of the revenue base and do not result in an 316 
increase in local business taxes for a taxpayer. Such ordina nces 317 
are not subject to subsections (2) and (3) . 318 
 (6)  A receipt may not be issued unless the federal 319 
employer identification number or social security number is 320 
obtained from the person to be taxed. 321 
 (7)  This section does not apply to a municipality that 322 
imposes a business tax on merchants which is measured by gross 323 
receipts from the sale of merchandise or services, or both, as 324 
described in s. 205.044. 325     
 
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 Section 7.  Section 205.0536, Florida Statutes, is amended 326 
to read: 327 
 205.0536  Distribution of county revenues.—A county that 328 
established establishes a new rate structure under s. 205.0535 , 329 
before October 1, 2024, shall retain all business tax revenues 330 
collected from businesses, professions, or occupations whose 331 
places of business are located within the u nincorporated 332 
portions of the county. Any business tax revenues collected by a 333 
county that established establishes a new rate structure under 334 
s. 205.0535, before October 1, 2024, from businesses, 335 
professions, or occupations whose places of business are located 336 
within a municipality, exclusive of the costs of collection, 337 
must be apportioned between the unincorporated area of the 338 
county and the incorporated municipalities located th erein by a 339 
ratio derived by dividing their respective populations by the 340 
population of the county. As used in this section, the term 341 
"population" means the latest official state estimate of 342 
population certified under s. 186.901. The revenues so 343 
apportioned shall be sent to the governing authority of each 344 
municipality, according to its ratio, and to the governing 345 
authority of the county, according to the ratio of the 346 
unincorporated area, within 15 days after the month of receipt. 347 
 Section 8.  Section 205.0 46, Florida Statutes, is created 348 
to read: 349 
 205.046  Audits.—An audit of financial statements of a 350     
 
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local government which is performed by a certified public 351 
accountant pursuant to s. 218.39 and submitted to the Auditor 352 
General must be accompanied by an affi davit executed by the 353 
chair of the governing board of the local government, as a 354 
separate document, stating that the local government has 355 
complied with the provisions of s. 205.0535 and must be filed 356 
with the Auditor General or, in the event the local gove rnment 357 
has not complied with s. 205.0535, the affidavit shall instead 358 
include a description of the noncompliance and corrective action 359 
taken by the local government to correct the noncompliance and 360 
to prevent such noncompliance in the future. 361 
 Section 9. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 362 
215.97, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 363 
 215.97  Florida Single Audit Act. — 364 
 (2)  As used in this section, the term: 365 
 (a)  "Audit threshold" means the threshold amount used to 366 
determine when a state single audit or project-specific audit of 367 
a nonstate entity shall be conducted in accordance with this 368 
section. Each nonstate entity that expends a total amount of 369 
state financial assistance equal to or in excess of $750,000 in 370 
any fiscal year of such nonstate e ntity shall be required to 371 
have a state single audit or a project -specific audit for such 372 
fiscal year in accordance with the requirements of this section. 373 
After consulting with the Executive Office of the Governor, the 374 
Department of Financial Services, and all state awarding 375     
 
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agencies, the Auditor General shall periodically review the 376 
threshold amount for requiring audits under this section and may 377 
recommend any appropriate statutory change to revise the 378 
threshold amount in the annual report submitted to the 379 
Legislature pursuant to s. 11.45(7)(i) s. 11.45(7)(h). 380 
 Section 10.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 381 
218.32, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 382 
 218.32  Annual financial reports; local governmental 383 
entities.— 384 
 (1) 385 
 (e)1.  Each local govern mental entity that is not required 386 
to provide for an audit under s. 218.39 must submit the annual 387 
financial report to the department no later than 9 months after 388 
the end of the fiscal year. The department shall consult with 389 
the Auditor General in the devel opment of the format of annual 390 
financial reports submitted pursuant to this paragraph. The 391 
format must include balance sheet information used by the 392 
Auditor General pursuant to s. 11.45(7)(g) s. 11.45(7)(f). The 393 
department must forward the financial inform ation contained 394 
within the annual financial reports to the Auditor General in 395 
electronic form. This paragraph does not apply to housing 396 
authorities created under chapter 421. 397 
 2.  The annual financial report filed by a dependent 398 
special district or an inde pendent special district shall 399 
specify separately: 400     
 
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 a.  The total number of district employees compensated in 401 
the last pay period of the district's fiscal year being 402 
reported. 403 
 b.  The total number of independent contractors to whom 404 
nonemployee compensatio n was paid in the last month of the 405 
district's fiscal year being reported. 406 
 c.  All compensation earned by or awarded to employees, 407 
whether paid or accrued, regardless of contingency. 408 
 d.  All compensation earned by or awarded to nonemployee 409 
independent contractors, whether paid or accrued, regardless of 410 
contingency. 411 
 e.  Each construction project with a total cost of at least 412 
$65,000 approved by the district that is scheduled to begin on 413 
or after October 1 of the fiscal year being reported, together 414 
with the total expenditures for such project. 415 
 3.  The annual financial report of a dependent special 416 
district or an independent special district amending a final 417 
adopted budget under s. 189.016(6) must include a budget 418 
variance report based on the budget adop ted under s. 189.016(4) 419 
before the beginning of the fiscal year being reported. 420 
 4.  The annual financial report of an independent special 421 
district that imposes ad valorem taxes shall include the millage 422 
rate or rates imposed by the district, the total amo unt of ad 423 
valorem taxes collected by or on behalf of the district, and the 424 
total amount of outstanding bonds issued by the district and the 425     
 
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terms of such bonds. 426 
 5.  The annual financial report of an independent special 427 
district that imposes non -ad valorem special assessments shall 428 
include the rate or rates of such assessments imposed by the 429 
district, the total amount of special assessments collected by 430 
or on behalf of the district, and the total amount of 431 
outstanding bonds issued by the district and the te rms of such 432 
bonds. 433 
 Section 11.  Subsection (8) of section 489.537, Florida 434 
Statutes, is amended to read: 435 
 489.537  Application of this part. — 436 
 (8)  Persons licensed under this part are subject to ss. 437 
205.0535(2) 205.0535(1) and 205.065, as applicable. 438 
 Section 12.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 439