The Florida House of Representatives has passed a measure to eliminate non-school property taxes on primary residences, advancing a proposal that still requires approval from the state Senate and at least 60 percent voter support in a November referendum.
House Joint Resolution 203, sponsored by Rep. Monique Miller, was approved after significant revisions that would fully remove property taxes on homesteads. The initial version suggested gradually increasing homestead exemptions over ten years until 2037. On Thursday, lawmakers voted 80-30 along party lines, with Republicans supporting the measure and Democrats opposing it.
The resolution includes provisions to prevent counties and municipalities from reducing funding for law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders.
If enacted, Florida would be the first state to eliminate property taxes on homesteads. However, before reaching voters on the November ballot, the measure must pass in the Senate. It is anticipated that the Senate and Governor Ron DeSantis may prefer to address the issue during a special session following the legislative session’s end on March 13.
“Regarding a property tax proposal for the 2026 ballot: we’ve been working with members of the Senate who have been great partners,” DeSantis posted on X before Thursday’s vote. “Given that it can’t be voted on by the people before November, it’s better to do it right than do it quick!”
Governor DeSantis has promoted eliminating property taxes as a way to address housing affordability issues in Florida and encourage homeownership. He stated last year that such taxes “effectively require homeowners to pay rent to the government.”
According to projections from Florida’s Revenue Estimating Conference, local governments could lose $13.3 billion annually if HJR 203 becomes law.
During debate on Thursday, Rep. Rita Harris criticized the proposal: “We are defunding the police,” Harris said. “We are defunding the fire. We are defunding the garbage. We are defunding the schools. We are defunding the waste management. We are defunding people cutting your trees during storm season. We are defunding the state of Florida.”
This year lawmakers have introduced seven constitutional amendments related to property tax cuts for homesteads; only two others besides HJR 203 have advanced through House committees.
