Assessment of Inherited Homestead Property

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 1 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

House Joint Resolution 1
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4 2
of Article VII and the creation of a new section in 3
Article XII of the State Constitution to authorize the 4
Legislature to provide, by general law, that the 5
transfer of homestead property by inheritance is not 6
considered to be a change in ownership for purposes of 7
homestead property assessment and provide an effective 8
date. 9
10
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
12
That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VII 13
and the creation of a new section of Article XII of the State 14
Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to the electors 15
of this state for approval or rejection at the next general 16
election or at an earlier special election specifically 17
authorized by law for that purpose: 18
ARTICLE VII 19
FINANCE AND TAXATION 20
SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.—By general law 21
regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just 22
valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided: 23
(a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge 24
to Florida's aquifers, or land used exclusively for 25

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 2 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general 26
law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. 27
(b) As provided by general law and subject to conditions, 28
limitations, and reasonable definitions specified therein, land 29
used for conservation purposes shall be classified by general 30
law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. 31
(c) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property 32
held for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for 33
taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be 34
classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation. 35
(d) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under 36
Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at 37
just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective 38
date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as 39
provided in this subsection. 40
(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be 41
changed annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes 42
in assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following: 43
a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior 44
year. 45
b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all 46
urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or 47
successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially 48
reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of 49
Labor Statistics. 50

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 3 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(2) No assessment shall exceed just value. 51
(3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general 52
law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of 53
January 1 of the following year, unless the provisions of 54
paragraph (8) apply. The legislature, by general law, may 55
provide that the transfer of homestead property upon inheritance 56
is not a change of ownership for purposes of this paragraph. 57
Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as provided in this 58
subsection. 59
(4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value 60
as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the 61
homestead, unless the provisions of paragraph (8) apply. That 62
assessment shall only change as provided in this subsection. 63
(5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to 64
homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general 65
law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change, 66
addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be 67
assessed as provided in this subsection. 68
(6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, the 69
property shall be assessed as provided by general law. 70
(7) The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any 71
of the provisions of this amendment shall be held 72
unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the 73
decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining 74
provisions of this amendment. 75

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 4 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(8)a. A person who establishes a new homestead as of 76
January 1 and who has received a homestead exemption pursuant to 77
Section 6 of this Article as of January 1 of any of the three 78
years immediately preceding the establishment of the new 79
homestead is entitled to have the new homestead assessed at less 80
than just value. The assessed value of the newly established 81
homestead shall be determined as follows: 82
1. If the just value of the new homestead is greater than 83
or equal to the just value of the prior homestead as of January 84
1 of the year in which the prior homestead was abandoned, the 85
assessed value of the new homestead shall be the just value of 86
the new homestead minus an amount equal to the lesser of 87
$500,000 or the difference between the just value and the 88
assessed value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the 89
year in which the prior homestead was abandoned. Thereafter, the 90
homestead shall be assessed as provided in this subsection. 91
2. If the just value of the new homestead is less than the 92
just value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the year in 93
which the prior homestead was abandoned, the assessed value of 94
the new homestead shall be equal to the just value of the new 95
homestead divided by the just value of the prior homestead and 96
multiplied by the assessed value of the prior homestead. 97
However, if the difference between the just value of the new 98
homestead and the assessed value of the new homestead calculated 99
pursuant to this sub-subparagraph is greater than $500,000, the 100

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 5 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

assessed value of the new homestead shall be increased so that 101
the difference between the just value and the assessed value 102
equals $500,000. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as 103
provided in this subsection. 104
b. By general law and subject to conditions specified 105
therein, the legislature shall provide for application of this 106
paragraph to property owned by more than one person. 107
(e) The legislature may, by general law, for assessment 108
purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow 109
counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that 110
historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of 111
character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply 112
only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The 113
requirements for eligible properties must be specified by 114
general law. 115
(f) A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law, 116
provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead 117
property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of 118
that property which results from the construction or 119
reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing 120
living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents 121
or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner's spouse 122
if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the 123
living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a 124
reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following: 125

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 6 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(1) The increase in assessed value resulting from 126
construction or reconstruction of the property. 127
(2) Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the 128
property as improved. 129
(g) For all levies other than school district levies, 130
assessments of residential real property, as defined by general 131
law, which contains nine units or fewer and which is not subject 132
to the assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a) 133
through (d) shall change only as provided in this subsection. 134
(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be 135
changed annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but 136
those changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%) 137
of the assessment for the prior year. 138
(2) No assessment shall exceed just value. 139
(3) After a change of ownership or control, as defined by 140
general law, including any change of ownership of a legal entity 141
that owns the property, such property shall be assessed at just 142
value as of the next assessment date. Thereafter, such property 143
shall be assessed as provided in this subsection. 144
(4) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to 145
such property shall be assessed as provided for by general law; 146
however, after the adjustment for any change, addition, 147
reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as 148
provided in this subsection. 149
(h) For all levies other than school district levies, 150

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 7 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

assessments of real property that is not subject to the 151
assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a) through (d) 152
and (g) shall change only as provided in this subsection. 153
(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be 154
changed annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but 155
those changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%) 156
of the assessment for the prior year. 157
(2) No assessment shall exceed just value. 158
(3) The legislature must provide that such property shall 159
be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a 160
qualifying improvement, as defined by general law, is made to 161
such property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as 162
provided in this subsection. 163
(4) The legislature may provide that such property shall 164
be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a 165
change of ownership or control, as defined by general law, 166
including any change of ownership of the legal entity that owns 167
the property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as 168
provided in this subsection. 169
(5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to 170
such property shall be assessed as provided for by general law; 171
however, after the adjustment for any change, addition, 172
reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as 173
provided in this subsection. 174
(i) The legislature, by general law and subject to 175

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 8 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

conditions specified therein, may prohibit the consideration of 176
the following in the determination of the assessed value of real 177
property: 178
(1) Any change or improvement to real property used for 179
residential purposes made to improve the property's resistance 180
to wind damage. 181
(2) The installation of a solar or renewable energy source 182
device. 183
(j)(1) The assessment of the following working waterfront 184
properties shall be based upon the current use of the property: 185
a. Land used predominantly for commercial fishing 186
purposes. 187
b. Land that is accessible to the public and used for 188
vessel launches into waters that are navigable. 189
c. Marinas and drystacks that are open to the public. 190
d. Water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities, 191
commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction 192
and repair facilities and their support activities. 193
(2) The assessment benefit provided by this subsection is 194
subject to conditions and limitations and reasonable definitions 195
as specified by the legislature by general law. 196
ARTICLE XII 197
SCHEDULE 198
Assessment of inherited homestead property.—This section 199
and the amendment to Section 4 of Article VII authorizing the 200

HJR 793 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr793-00
Page 9 of 9
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

legislature, by general law, to provide that transfer of 201
homestead property by inheritance is not a change of ownership 202
for purposes of homestead property assessment shall take effect 203
January 1, 2027. 204
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be 205
placed on the ballot: 206
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 207
ARTICLE VII, SECTION 4 208
ASSESSMENT OF INHERITED HOMESTEAD PROPERTY.—Proposing an 209
amendment to the State Constitution, effective January 1, 2027, 210
authorizing the Legislature, by general law, to provide that the 211
transfer of homestead property by inheritance is not considered 212
a change of ownership for purposes of homestead property 213
assessment. 214