(The Center Square) – The Florida House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would cut the state’s sales tax in its floor session on Wednesday.
House Bill 7031, which would cut the state’s sales tax from 6% to 5.25%, sailed through the chamber with a 112-0 vote.
Florida House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, handled the Ways and Means Committee-sponsored bill on the House floor.
“This bill provides permanent sales tax relief to every Florida citizen,” Duggan said during debate on the floor. “This tax relief will be permanent. To increase any tax or fee requires a supermajority vote so the intent and effect is to make this sale tax relief permanent. This will not be a tax holiday.”
The bill, if it becomes law, would also reduce the state’s commercial rent tax from 2% to 1.25%; reduce non-residential electricity sales tax rate from 4.35% to 3.6%; the sales tax on new mobile homes from 3% to 2% and the levy on coin-operated amusement machines would be pared down from 4% to 3.25%.
Duggan, when questioned by Rep. Angela Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said the bill wouldn’t affect local sales tax levies that can be put into place by municipalities and counties.
If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, it would go into effect on July 1.
That is unlikely since the governor is seeking property tax relief instead. The Republican former presidential candidate wants a one-time $1,000 property tax rebate provided to 5.1 million homeowners and has asked lawmakers to put a ballot measure for the 2026 election that would provide permanent relief.
He said the House’s plan to reduce the state’s sales tax would benefit “Canadian tourists” and other non-residents.
The Senate would also be a potential roadblock for the legislation.
Earlier this month, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, urged a compromise in a letter to his members that would be nonrecurring, providing lawmakers flexibility in case of an economic downturn.
“However, at this point, I believe it is prudent that a final tax cut package of this size be predominantly nonrecurring, while permanent tax cuts are explored during the interim,” Albritton said in the letter.
Albritton also said that he doesn’t want to cut taxes now and have to raise them in a few years due to a budget shortfall.
