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Today is Day 39 and just three weeks remain before the scheduled end of the 2023 legislative session on May 5. While three weeks may sound quick, there will be a lot of late nights, early mornings and weekends to ensure the budget is finalized and legislative priorities make it across the finish line. Below is the Week 6 rundown of what happened in Tallahassee. Business Rent Tax Reduction & Other Florida Chamber Priorities Included in House Tax Package ?This week, the House Ways & Means Committee passed their proposed $1.8 billion initial tax reduction package, filed as HB 7063, which includes several Florida Chamber priorities important to local businesses and consumers. Some of the business priorities included in the bill are: A reduction of the business rent tax from 5.5 percent to 4.5 percent beginning July 1, 2023, saving local business nearly $400 million in taxes. Florida is currently the only state that levies a business rent tax which puts Florida’s businesses at a competitive disadvantage. This business rent tax will be further reduced to two percent once the unemployment compensation trust fund is replenished due to SB 50, which passed in 2021 with the Chamber’s support. A two-year extension of the natural gas fuel tax that would otherwise go into effect on January 1, 2024 without further action. A sales tax exemption on the purchase of machinery and equipment that is used to produce, store and transport renewable natural gas. An elimination of a documentary stamp tax loophole negatively impacting Florida’s small business community related to the Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program. A freeze of local communications services tax (CST) rates for three years, offering consumers relief from increased taxes. Multiple sales tax holidays and tax breaks on various items, including Back to School, Disaster Preparedness and Freedom Summer sales tax holidays. The Senate Finance and Tax Committee is expected to release its proposed tax package in the coming days to be heard in committee on Tuesday, April 18. The Florida Chamber team is actively engaged with lawmakers in the House and Senate, our members, and key stakeholders to ensure business-friendly tax relief is included as the House and Senate negotiate a final tax package over the next few weeks. Expansion of Kidcare Passes Unanimously from House and Advances in Senate ?HB 121, sponsored by Representative Robin Bartleman, passed off the House Floor on Thursday 105-0. The bill, a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner and the Florida Chamber, increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kidcare program through a phased in approach to address the fiscal cliffs many families face as they climb up the economic ladder, so families aren’t choosing between healthcare coverage for their children or an increase to their paycheck. Current eligibility requirements create a healthcare coverage gap, and thus disincentivize upward mobility. The House budget proposal includes $34.7 million to fund the income eligibility increase under HB 121. According to The Florida Scorecard, 12.7 percent of Floridians do not have health insurance coverage. With the federal public health emergency under COVID coming to an end, along with the end of continuous enrollment from Medicaid, the number of uninsured Floridians is expected to increase. The Florida Healthy Kids Program, also known as Kidcare, allows for the purchase of subsidized health insurance for children that are uninsured and in low-income households. The Senate bill, SB 246, also advanced this week and has one committee stop remaining. Workforce Package Progresses Through House & Senate This week, the Florida Legislature made great strides in expanding workforce education across the state. SB 240 by Senator Travis Hutson and HB 7051 by Representative Lauren Melo received unanimous approval in their committee hearings, with the Senate bill now ready for a Floor vote. Workforce development is necessary for a top-tier, globally competitive workforce, which is vital for Florida to fulfill its competitive potential as a top-10 global economy by 2030. SB 240 and HB 7051 address growing workforce challenges through data-based decision-making and incentives for the development of a stronger talent pipeline. The bills provide all high school students the option to enroll in at least one work-based learning opportunity and encourages public/private partnerships by allowing schools, local workforce boards, community or faith-based organizations, and trade associations to sponsor apprenticeships. These bills also encourage the progression of career and technical education programs by allowing middle school students to continue a sequential career and technical education program in high school. SB 240 and HB 7051 also establish regional education consortia with representatives from local businesses and education institutions, with the goal of linking local educational programs to specific industry and employment needs in a community. Finally, the bills expand the duties of the Florida Center for Nursing to involve various stakeholder groups to evaluate workforce data, determine best practices and make recommendations for systemic changes to improve the nursing shortage.
Today is Day 39 and just three weeks remain before the scheduled end of the 2023 legislative session on May 5. While three weeks may sound quick, there will be a lot of late nights, early mornings and weekends to ensure the budget is finalized and legislative priorities make it across the finish line. Below is the Week 6 rundown of what happened in Tallahassee.
Business Rent Tax Reduction & Other Florida Chamber Priorities Included in House Tax Package
?This week, the House Ways & Means Committee passed their proposed $1.8 billion initial tax reduction package, filed as HB 7063, which includes several Florida Chamber priorities important to local businesses and consumers. Some of the business priorities included in the bill are:
The Senate Finance and Tax Committee is expected to release its proposed tax package in the coming days to be heard in committee on Tuesday, April 18. The Florida Chamber team is actively engaged with lawmakers in the House and Senate, our members, and key stakeholders to ensure business-friendly tax relief is included as the House and Senate negotiate a final tax package over the next few weeks.
Expansion of Kidcare Passes Unanimously from House and Advances in Senate
?HB 121, sponsored by Representative Robin Bartleman, passed off the House Floor on Thursday 105-0. The bill, a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner and the Florida Chamber, increases the income eligibility threshold for coverage under the Florida Kidcare program through a phased in approach to address the fiscal cliffs many families face as they climb up the economic ladder, so families aren’t choosing between healthcare coverage for their children or an increase to their paycheck. Current eligibility requirements create a healthcare coverage gap, and thus disincentivize upward mobility. The House budget proposal includes $34.7 million to fund the income eligibility increase under HB 121.
According to The Florida Scorecard, 12.7 percent of Floridians do not have health insurance coverage. With the federal public health emergency under COVID coming to an end, along with the end of continuous enrollment from Medicaid, the number of uninsured Floridians is expected to increase. The Florida Healthy Kids Program, also known as Kidcare, allows for the purchase of subsidized health insurance for children that are uninsured and in low-income households.
The Senate bill, SB 246, also advanced this week and has one committee stop remaining.
Workforce Package Progresses Through House & Senate
This week, the Florida Legislature made great strides in expanding workforce education across the state. SB 240 by Senator Travis Hutson and HB 7051 by Representative Lauren Melo received unanimous approval in their committee hearings, with the Senate bill now ready for a Floor vote.
Workforce development is necessary for a top-tier, globally competitive workforce, which is vital for Florida to fulfill its competitive potential as a top-10 global economy by 2030. SB 240 and HB 7051 address growing workforce challenges through data-based decision-making and incentives for the development of a stronger talent pipeline.
The bills provide all high school students the option to enroll in at least one work-based learning opportunity and encourages public/private partnerships by allowing schools, local workforce boards, community or faith-based organizations, and trade associations to sponsor apprenticeships. These bills also encourage the progression of career and technical education programs by allowing middle school students to continue a sequential career and technical education program in high school.
SB 240 and HB 7051 also establish regional education consortia with representatives from local businesses and education institutions, with the goal of linking local educational programs to specific industry and employment needs in a community. Finally, the bills expand the duties of the Florida Center for Nursing to involve various stakeholder groups to evaluate workforce data, determine best practices and make recommendations for systemic changes to improve the nursing shortage.