Editor’s word: Anita Padilla and Michelle Vecerina contributed to this report.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Quick aid for burdensome property taxes didn’t make it into this yr’s price range, however state lawmakers say the combat isn’t over, with $1 million allotted for a property tax research pending the governor’s approval.
The research, which might discover choices for lowering or eliminating property taxes, was added to HB 7031, Taxation – the state’s tax bundle.
If accredited by the governor, the Workplace of Financial and Demographic Analysis will conduct a research of the state’s property tax system and make a report and proposals to the Legislature by Nov. 1, the invoice textual content mentioned.
The first objective is to “analyze the potential influence of eliminating or considerably lowering advert valorem assessments on homestead property and supply coverage choices for mitigating damaging fiscal penalties,” the modification mentioned.
The tax bundle handed this week as Florida lawmakers agreed on a $115.1 billion price range for 2025–2026, ending a tax aid standoff and chopping spending by $3.8 billion from final yr.
The governor will obtain the price range within the coming days and can have 15 days to behave on it, per the Home’s workplace.
No property tax rebate, conversations proceed
Again in March, DeSantis introduced a proposed $5 billion in property tax aid, which might have offered about $1,000 in financial savings for each homesteaded Floridian. Nonetheless, that proposal was not included within the remaining tax bundle.
As a substitute, lawmakers accredited almost a $1.3 billion bundle of tax cuts, primarily benefiting households and companies throughout the state by completely abolishing the enterprise lease tax.
Senate President Ben Albritton instructed reporters Monday on the conclusion of session that eliminating the enterprise tax was a call that “may also help companies, however it’s going to additionally assist Floridians and it helps our enterprise local weather in Florida.”
“There was dialogue… between the Governor’s workforce and our workforce… of how can we check out property taxes this yr, and the way can we make it significant?” Albritton mentioned, including, “We actually by no means might simply discover the suitable approach to try this.”
Nonetheless, he emphasised, “The property tax dialogue is alive and nicely. Simply because we didn’t discover a technique to get that put into place this yr doesn’t imply that dialogue is over.”
Albritton mentioned conversations could proceed by way of the summer season to discover probably combining proposals from the Home and the governor’s workplace to “construct a system that helps Floridians and once more, particularly people who have homesteads in Florida.”
“I’m enthusiastic about the potential for it,” Albritton mentioned.
Home Speaker Daniel Perez confirmed to Florida’s Voice that the Senate “by no means provided such a proposal throughout price range negotiations so there was nothing to behave or not act upon” in regard to a rebate.
Nonetheless, Perez identified different tax aid within the present bundle, and mentioned he “expects the conservative Governor of Florida will signal a recurring tax lower invoice in extra of $1.2 billion.”
What lawmakers are saying
Sen. Jonathan Martin celebrated the inclusion of the research, posting on-line he was “joyful to see SB 852 – Examine on Elimination of Property Taxes get included in HB 7031 that’s on its technique to the desk of @GovRonDeSantis.”
“One GIANT step nearer to letting Floridians resolve in 2026 whether or not they need property tax aid embodied within the Florida Structure!” Martin mentioned.
Completely happy to see SB 852 – Examine on Elimination of Property Taxes get included in HB 7031 that’s on its technique to the desk of @GovRonDeSantis One GIANT step nearer to letting Floridians resolve in 2026 whether or not they need property tax aid embodied within the Florida Structure! Thanks…
— Jonathan Martin (@JonMartinEsq) June 18, 2025
Martin additionally thanked Rep. Ryan Chamberlin for advancing the trouble within the Home.
Chamberlin, who has beforehand advocated to start “the start of the tip of property taxes,” filed laws this yr to develop exemptions and supply fast aid – although it didn’t cross. He instructed Florida’s Voice Thursday that absolutely eliminating property taxes will take years and added, “If we don’t begin now, it’ll by no means occur.”
Final yr, Chamberlin filed the same research invoice, which additionally failed. This yr, Martin revived the idea within the Senate; although his standalone invoice didn’t advance, it was amended into the tax bundle.
Chamberlin wrote on X, “Congratulations and appreciation is because of Senator Martin for this main transfer ahead!”
“We did get some traction with it, but it surely didn’t get funded final yr, however thank goodness, Senator Martin was capable of take it this yr and do what wanted to be finished on the Senate facet, and we did get some ahead progress with it this yr, and that sort of units the tone for the urge for food now that has been brewing over the previous few years,” Chamberlin instructed Florida’s Voice.
Rep. Berny Jacques instructed Florida’s Voice property tax aid is a “should” and he’s “dedicated to working with my colleagues to get it finished.”
“Hardworking Floridians and our retired seniors are being crushed financially by these taxes – this has to cease,” Jacques mentioned.
Rep. Meg Weinberger instructed Florida’s Voice that she believes Floridians are “feeling the squeeze of rising property taxes, and the Florida Home is dedicated to exploring options to ease that burden.”
“Whereas we will’t unilaterally remove them, we owe it to our constituents to take a critical have a look at how these taxes are impacting households — and what actual aid might seem like. That’s why Speaker Daniel Perez created the Choose Committee on Property Taxes: to dig into the difficulty and develop significant proposals that voters can in the end resolve on the poll field,” Weinberger mentioned.
Rep. Dean Black instructed Florida’s Voice “every little thing is on the desk” and they’re contemplating a number of choices.
Black mentioned he wish to see owners have the ability to afford their properties and never “threat being thrown out of their dwelling once they retire and perhaps aren’t making as a lot cash as they used to as a result of they will’t afford their property taxes.”
Sure counties in Florida already function with no property taxes, Black instructed Florida’s Voice, and mentioned there are “different methods of elevating income apart from holding taxpayers properties hostage.”
“A technique is thru particular assessments, there are charges for providers, and quite a few different methods to lift income with out doing that. Nobody needs to inadvertently create a scenario the place we have now cities and counties who’re immediately pressured to defund their police,” Black mentioned.
Jacques, Chamberlin, Weinberger, and Black are all on the Home Choose Committee on Property Taxes.
Speaker Perez: Summer time choose committee schedule TBD
On the finish of the repeatedly scheduled end-of-legislative session this yr, Home Speaker Daniel Perez introduced the formation of the Choose Committee on Property Taxes amid rising calls from Floridians, lawmakers, and the governor to remove them completely.
The committee has already met twice, nevertheless, no proposals are set in stone simply but.
On Monday, Perez instructed reporters on the conclusion of session there are 5 proposals proper now that members are taking dwelling, speaking to their constituents, companies, and leaders about and are available again to make choices on which a kind of, “if any, is the most suitable choice for Florida.”
“It’s a top-of-mind subject to Floridians, if not an important subject to Floridians, and I don’t blame them,” Perez mentioned, noting he has a mortgage on his own residence.
Perez instructed Florida’s Voice that particular conferences haven’t but been scheduled, however the committee will “proceed its work.”
He mentioned the Home’s purpose is to provide proposals for consideration by the 2026 common session so “there stays ample time for them to finish their work.”
Perez mentioned they’re open to new concepts from “any supply,” and they’re additionally “trying ahead to seeing what the Governor and Senate convey to the desk as neither have but made precise poll proposals.”
“Everybody takes this subject significantly. Our purpose can be to discover a technique to offering actual, lasting aid that doesn’t jeopardize important native providers (police, fireplace, colleges) which can be presently paid for by property taxes,” Perez mentioned.
Interim committee conferences for the autumn begin Oct. 6 and the primary day of the 2025-2026 common session is Jan. 13, 2026.
Florida’s Voice has reached out to the Home and Senate to see if the price range was despatched to the governor and can replace this text if there are any new developments. Keep tuned as Florida’s Voice continues to trace the property tax dialog.
