18
Florida Pool Pro
sm
• March 2014
be effective upon becoming a law. This
bill was referred to Community Affairs;
Judiciary; Rules Committees on February
10.
The Electrical Power or Energy Bill
(HB 899 by Rep. Hill) is of interest to the
FSPA because of the possiblity of adding
pool pumps to the sales tax holiday.
The proposed law, as currently written,
provides for energy star appliances such as
refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. Pool pumps
are energy star appliances and FSPA will
reach out to the bill sponsor and others
for their consideration. The bill imposes
additional tax on gross receipts for electrical
power or energy for specified years; revises
exemptions from tax on gross receipts
for utility and communications services;
provides exemptions from additional tax
on gross receipts from electrical power
or energy; requires additional tax to be
excluded from taxable base on which
gross receipts are calculated under certain
circumstances; revises sales tax rate for
charges for electrical power or energy;
provides that discretionary sales surtaxes
apply regardless of sales tax rate for
charges for electrical power or energy;
requires discretionary sales surtaxes to be
levied on all charges for electrical power
or energy unless specifically exempted;
provides for sales tax holiday for certain
products; provides restrictions; and
authorizes emergency rules. The effective
date would be July 1, 2014. This bill was
filed on February 11.
The Ad Valorem Assessments/
Renewable Energy Source Devices (SJR
916 by Senator Brandes / HJR 825 by
Rep La Rosa) was recently filed. The
bill proposes an amendment to the State
Constitution to revise the Legislature’s
authority to exempt the value of renewable
energy source devices from consideration
in determining the assessed value of real
property by removing a restriction that
limits such exemptions to property used
for residential purposes and restricting
such exemptions to installation by an
end-use customer of a renewable energy
source device that is primarily intended
to offset part or all of that customer’s
electricity demands, etc. A joint resolution
is proposing to put this on the ballot for
the voters to consider. The Senate Joint
Resolution (SJR 916) was referred to
Communications, Energy, and Public
Utilities; Community Affairs; Judiciary;
Rules Committee on February 10. The
House Joint Resolution (HJR 825) was filed
on February 5.
The Renewable Energy Source
Devices Bill (SB 922 by Sen. Brandes
/ HB 827 by Rep. La Rosa) prohibits
consideration by a property appraiser of the
increased value of real property due to the
installation of a renewable energy source
device by an end-use customer; revising
the definition of the term “renewable
energy source device”, etc. These bills
are tied to the joint resolutions and the
outcome of a constitutional amendment
on the ballot. The effective date would be
January 1, 2015 if SJR 916, or a similar joint
resolution having substantially the same
specific intent and purpose, is approved
by the electors at the general election to
be held in November 2014 or at an earlier
special election specifically authorized by
law for that purpose. SB 922 was referred
to Communications, Energy, and Public
Utilities; Community Affairs and Rules
Committee on February 10. HB 827 was
filed on February 5.
In the FSPA Bills of Interest list there
have been a few updates and additions.
A House bill has been added for the
Daylight Savings Time Bill (SB 74 by Sen.
Soto / HB 701 by Rep Danish). HB 701
was referred to Government Operations
Subcommittee.
State Speed Zones has also had a
House bill filed (SB 392 by Sen. Brandes
and Sen. Clemens / HB 761 by Rep
Caldwell). HB 761 was referred to the
Transportation and Highway Safety
Subcommittee.
SJR 946 by Sen. Grimsley (Legislative
Term Limits - HJR 613 by Rep. Perry)
was filed on February 10. The House
Joint Resolution (HJR 613) was filed on
January 15.
Specialty License Plates (SB 714 by
Sen. Bean) has been added to the list of Bills
of Interest. The bill requires the Department
of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to
create a Florida homebuilders license plate;
establishing an annual use fee for the plate;
providing for the distribution of use fees
received from the sale of such plates, etc.
Te effective date would be October 1, 2014.
This bill was referred to Transportation;
Rules; Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation, Tourism, and Economic
Deve l opmen t ; App r op r i a t i ons on
February 4.
2014 Session Legislative Bill Tracking Report
Continued from page 14
