HB 217 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the property tax exemption for 2
surviving spouses of veterans; amending s. 196.081, 3
F.S.; authorizing the surviving spouses of veterans 4
who predecease the issuance of a certain letter from 5
the Federal Government to produce the letter before 6
the property appraiser; providing applicability; 7
providing an effective date. 8
9
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10
11
Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 196.081, Florida 12
Statutes, is amended to read: 13
196.081 Exemption for certain permanently and totally 14
disabled veterans and for surviving spouses of veterans; 15
exemption for surviving spouses of first responders who die in 16
the line of duty.— 17
(2) The production by a veteran or the spouse or surviving 18
spouse of a letter of total and permanent disability from the 19
United States Government or United States Department of Veterans 20
Affairs or its predecessor before the property appra iser of the 21
county in which property of the veteran lies is prima facie 22
evidence of the fact that the veteran or the surviving spouse is 23
entitled to the exemption. If a veteran predeceases the issuance 24
of such letter, the surviving spouse may produce the l etter 25
HB 217 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb217-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
before the property appraiser as prima facie evidence of the 26
fact that the surviving spouse is entitled to the exemption. 27
Section 2. The amendment to s. 196.081, Florida Statutes, 28
made by this act first applies to the 2026 tax roll. 29
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 30