Tax package, elections bill sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis on eve of expected presidential announcement

Wednesday could be a busy day in Florida politics.

Legislative leaders sent 38 bills to Gov Ron DeSantis Tuesday on the eve of his expected Twitter announcement that he’s running for President.

Among the bills sent to DeSantis are a tax cut package (HB 7063) slated to take effect in June and an elections bill (SB 7050) containing many changes promoted by Secretary of State Cord Byrd, including one that ensures DeSantis would not need to resign to run for President.

Much of the $1.3 billion tax package focuses on sales taxes, including permanent sales tax cuts for diapers and incontinence products, which will save consumers an estimated $27.5 million per year; baby and toddler products; worth $158.7 million per year; and oral hygiene products, worth $39.8 million a year.

The bill also temporarily cuts the commercial rent tax businesses pay from 5.5% to 4.5%. However, that cut won’t take effect until Dec. 1. The tax is projected to be cut to 2% in the summer of 2024 when the unemployment benefits trust fund is replenished to pre-COVID-19 levels. The cut for a few months will save businesses a projected $215.9 million.

The package also includes two sales tax holidays for disaster preparedness items, one of which starts next week, assuming DeSantis signs the bill. It runs from May 27-June 9. The second disaster preparedness tax holiday is from Aug. 26-Sept. 8.

The elections package, meanwhile, hikes fines on third-party voter registration groups, shortens the window to return mail ballots and updates the state’s “resign-to-run” law, which requires an elected official to submit, at the time they qualify to run for another office, an irrevocable resignation effective the date his or her new elected position would start.

Although Republicans said, as written, the current statute does not apply to candidates for President or Vice President, they “clarified” the law anyway.

SB 7050 also bans non-citizens and felons working for voter registration groups from handling applications and imposes a $50,000 fine for each infraction. 

Democrats have slammed the measure as an attempt to suppress their voters.

Also on Tuesday, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner sent the Governor legislation (HB 7041) that changes how Space Florida operates.

The legislation increases collaboration between public and private stakeholders on spaceport activities and enhances transparency measures regarding spaceport projects. The bill also separates the Space Florida Board of Directors from the Enterprise Florida Board. The Governor is empowered to make the appointments to the board and they must be confirmed by the Florida Senate.

The Governor has 15 days to act on bills after receiving them unless they are received during the Legislative Session. In those instances, the Governor has seven days to act.

But DeSantis has generally acted quickly. As of May 23, DeSantis had approved 102 bills. Another 98 bills were pending action in his office, including the 38 that were sent Tuesday, according to the Governor’s Bill Action Report.

A complete list of bills sent to DeSantis Tuesday night is here.