Tourist Development Tax
HB 7099, will allow the use of Tourist Development Tax revenue in Bay, Okaloosa and Walton counties, to reimburse expenses incurred providing public safety services, including emergency medical and law enforcement services. These revenues cannot be used to supplant the normal operating expenses of an emergency medical service, fire department, or law enforcement and must be approved by the board of county commissioners by a majority vote upon receipt of a recommendation from the tourist development council.
Business Rent Tax
The reduction of the business rent tax from 6% to 5% was removed from HB 7099, by the Senate Appropriations Committee. HB 7099 will still include the Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday and the permanent elimination of the sales tax on machinery and manufacturing equipment. For more information please click here.
Alcohol Issues: Kegs
HB 1078 is a bill that will allow a distributor to implement an annual or semi-annual inventory and reconciliation process of kegs allowing the loss or variance to be paid by the vendor on a per-keg basis, requiring a food service establishment to meet at least 51% of its gross food and beverage revenue during the first 60 day operating period, prevents a municipality or county from requiring an additional license or tax for the privilege of selling alcoholic beverages in railroad stations and on passenger trains, and increases the number of temporary permits allowed for a charitable, or non-profit organization from 3 per year to 12 per year. Sponsored by Rep. Ray Wesley Rodrigues (R – Fort Myers) the bill was substituted for SB 698. SB 698, sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley, (R – Orange Park), was read for the second time on the House floor.