Fla. House OKs Property Tax Cut In Major State Reform Effort

Florida lawmakers are advancing a sweeping property tax reform that could dramatically reshape how homeowners are taxed — and it may soon be in voters’ hands.

The Florida House has approved HJR 203, a proposed constitutional amendment that would exempt all homestead properties from non-school property taxes beginning January 1, 2027. If ultimately adopted, the measure would deliver significant relief to homeowners while preserving funding for public education.

Under the proposal, local governments would also be prohibited from cutting funding for law enforcement — a provision supporters say ensures that tax relief does not come at the expense of public safety.

“This ensures that essential public safety services remain unaffected,” wrote state Rep. Monique Miller (R-Palm Bay), who introduced the bill in October.

After clearing its committee stops, HJR 203 passed the House on Thursday by a vote of 80–30. The measure now heads to the Florida Senate. With less than a month left in the regular session and no Senate companion bill formally introduced yet, its path forward remains uncertain.

Governor Ron DeSantis, a longtime proponent of cutting property taxes, confirmed Thursday that discussions with Senate leaders are underway.

“Regarding a property tax proposal for the 2026 ballot: we’ve been working with members of the Senate who have been great partners. Given that it can’t be voted on by the people before November, it’s better to do it right than do it quick!” he wrote on social media.

If the Senate advances the amendment, it will appear on the November general election ballot. As with all constitutional amendments in Florida, it must secure at least 60 percent voter approval to pass. If approved, it would take effect in 2027.

Florida already stands out nationally for having no state income tax — a hallmark of its pro-growth, limited-government model. Supporters argue that reducing property tax burdens would further solidify the state’s reputation as a haven for families, retirees, and small businesses fleeing high-tax blue states.

The tax reform effort comes as the DeSantis administration continues to clash with federal courts over immigration enforcement.

Last August, Governor DeSantis vowed to resist a federal court order targeting the state’s controversial detention facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” a site used to house illegal aliens pending deportation.

“This was not something that was unexpected. This is a judge that was not going to give us a fair shake. This was preordained. Very much an activist judge that is trying to do policy from the bench,” DeSantis said at a press conference. “This is not going to deter us. We are going to continue working on the deportations, advancing that mission.”

The remarks followed an 82-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, an Obama appointee, who ordered the facility in Ochopee, Florida, to stop accepting new detainees and be dismantled within 60 days. The decision cited environmental concerns under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including alleged harm to endangered species such as the Florida panther.

Florida officials forcefully rejected the ruling.

“This ruling from an activist judge ignores the fact that this land has already been developed for a decade,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin at the time. “It is another attempt to prevent the President from fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, and rapists from our country.”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier echoed that sentiment.

“Alligator Alcatraz remains operational, and we will not stop in our mission to detain, deport, and deliver for the American people,” Uthmeier said, calling the ruling “a desperate attempt to derail enforcement.”

In response to growing detention needs, DeSantis also announced a second facility in Baker County near Jacksonville.

“Because of the success of Alligator Alcatraz, there’s demand for more. So I did announce that we’re going to be opening another facility right outside of Jacksonville in Baker County. We’ve called that the ‘Deportation Depot,’” the governor said. “That is something that will be able to hold another 2,000 and there’s an airport close by. So you have the processing and the removal.”

As Florida simultaneously pushes bold tax relief and aggressive immigration enforcement, the state continues positioning itself as a national leader in conservative governance — emphasizing lower taxes, strong law enforcement, and resistance to what state leaders describe as federal overreach.

Now, voters may soon have the final say on whether property tax reform becomes the next pillar of Florida’s model.