What is the latest proposal to eliminate property taxes in Florida?

1. A Study that Could Lead to a Tax Overhaul — Why House Bill 1371 Matters

House Bill 1371 advanced as a procedural vehicle that does not itself repeal taxes but mandates a study to explore phasing out property taxes and how to replace their revenue, signaling legislative appetite to pursue structural change. The bill passed its first committee stop 15-6 and requires a report by February 1, which frames the debate as technical and forward-looking rather than an immediate abolition ^[1]. The study approach gives lawmakers cover to examine trade-offs — including increased reliance on sales or other taxes — and reflects concern among committee members about impacts on low-wage workers and local budgets during recessions. Because the bill is study-centered, it creates a policy pathway without committing revenue replacement choices, leaving major decisions to follow-up legislation or ballot measures.

2. Direct Repeal Ambitions: HJR 201 and Ballot Timetables

One of the most consequential legislative gambits is HJR 201, which proposes eliminating property taxes as soon as 2027 except for school district levies and has been referred to the Select Committee on Property Taxes, marking a direct route to constitutional change if voters approve. Several analyses report that lawmakers filed multiple bills with some aiming to place repeal or dramatic cuts before voters as early as November 2026 or implementation by 2027, contingent on the 60% supermajority constitutional amendment threshold ^{[2] [5] [6]}. These proposals would necessitate identifying replacements for an estimated $20 billion in annual revenue and redesigning state-local fiscal relationships, a political and technical undertaking that the legislature and governor are simultaneously advancing in different forms.

3. Governor’s Two-Pronged Push: Rebates Now, Bigger Reforms Later

Governor DeSantis’s public plan combines immediate relief and a pillar for longer-term repeal: a proposed $1,000 statewide homestead rebate covering state-mandated school property taxes and an administration-led push to eliminate homestead property taxes via a constitutional amendment in a later cycle. The $1,000 rebate targets more than 5.1 million homesteaded properties and is framed as both relief and a stepping stone toward more sweeping elimination or exemption expansion ^{[3] [7]}. Analysts note alternatives in play — doubling or tripling exemptions, raising homestead thresholds to $500,000 or $1 million, or letting local voters decide — all of which would shift responsibility and revenue between state and local governments and could erode local budgets unless the state backfills losses ^{[4] [8]}.

4. Revenue Trade-offs and Local Government Risks: The Numbers Behind the Headlines

Across proposals, the central fiscal fact is the billions-in-dollars gap that would open if property taxes are removed or vastly reduced: estimates cited include roughly $20 billion annually lost from local coffers if homestead taxes were eliminated. Legislative and executive plans acknowledge likely offsets such as higher sales taxes, increased state aid, or structural shifts of levying power, but experts and critics warn that replacement revenue must be stable through recessions to avoid service cuts ^{[4] [9] [5]}. The House special committee and studies mandated by bills like HB 1371 are designed to produce options, yet no consensus exists on how to preserve education, public safety, and infrastructure funding while delivering promised homeowner relief.

5. Political Timelines, Voter Hurdles, and Competing Agendas

Politically, the push involves two competing tempos: one seeks to deliver tangible relief via rebates and exemption growth in upcoming sessions, while another aims at a ballot-driven constitutional rewrite that requires 60% voter approval. The proposals reflect partisan priorities and personal political branding — the governor’s messaging frames elimination as tax relief and property rights expansion, while some House initiatives emphasize study and committee vetting to manage local concerns ^{[3] [7] [1]}. Observers should expect intense negotiation over replacement revenue sources, the scope of exemptions, and timing, with the outcome dependent on legislative compromise, committee reports, and whether a constitutional amendment makes a 60% threshold at the ballot box.