Florida Legislature approves package cutting taxes for guns, fishing, and tennis tickets

People who buy guns, fishing gear and tickets to two tennis tournaments, will see tax cuts as part of a bill (HB 7031E) approved by the Legislature on Friday.

The Senate voted 29-6 and the House 88-11 for the tax package, which is estimated to cut state and local revenue by $272.2 million, including $105 million in state general fund revenue in the next fiscal year.

"This is a broad-based tax relief package that positively impacts taxpayers, homestead property owners, positively impacts military service members, small counties and rural counties," said Senate Finance and Tax Committee Chairman Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs.

Democrats voting against the measure countered the package failed to address housing, gas and food affordability issues.

"We are offering up a ton of tax relief to people who go and purchase tennis tickets, to people who go and purchase guns," said Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville. "For the regular average, everyday working, hard-working person here in our state, there's absolutely no relief whatsoever."

Part of the package lifts taxes on admissions to Association of Tennis Professionals' ATP Masters 1000 and Women's Tennis Association's WTA 1000 tournaments through July 1, 2029. Both tours have events at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The measure is estimated to reduce revenue by $25.8 million.

Another piece of the bill revives a hunting, fishing and camping sales tax "holiday" created last year. This year's version is set to run from September 1 through Dec. 31.

During that time, sales taxes would be lifted on ammunition, pistols, rifles, and an assortment of firearm accessories that include range bags, holsters, magazines, mats, sights, slings, stocks, cleaning kits, silencers and triggers.

Camping gear that will fall under the holiday includes sleeping bags and camping stoves under $50, flashlights under $30 and tents under $200. Sales taxes would also be lifted for fishing rods and reels individually sold under $75, tackle boxes under $30 and bait priced $10 or less.

Those discounts are projected to save consumers $32.2 million.

The package also includes property tax exemptions for members of the military deployed in 2023, 2024, and 2025, adds $35.2 million for rural road and bridge improvements, revises the way special assessments may be levied against RV parks, and changes the Save Our Homes portability by allowing the transfer to a new homestead from any homestead abandoned in the prior three years. Under current law, the transfer is only allowed from the immediate prior homestead.

For parimutuel operators, the package cuts the tax on slot machine revenues from 35 percent to 34 percent and the gross receipts tax on cardroom revenues from 8 percent to 5 percent. The measure also lifts an annual $2 million slot machine licensing fee on permitholders in Broward County. The discount is allowed only in counties with two Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida casinos.

"Under the compact with the Seminole Tribe, the revenues have far exceeded any sort of expectations, a lot of those revenues can be used to offset some of these taxes," Avila said.

Democrats were disappointed the bill didn't include a moratorium on the state's 22-cent-per-gallon gas tax as pump prices remain over $4 per gallon in the state.

"Hopefully future legislators will listen to the voters. They're asking us to focus on affordability, not give tax breaks to large corporations," said Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani.

The package also moves the back-to-school sales tax "holiday" to July 20 through August 20 rather than for all of August, as was set in state law last year. During the holiday period, sales taxes will be lifted on select clothes and supplies, and personal computers priced at $1,500 or less.

There's also a three-year exemption from sales taxes on impact-resistant windows and doors. The home hardening effort is expected to cut state and local revenue by $45.3 million in the next fiscal year.

The package increases the dollar-for-dollar tax credit businesses can receive when donating to select charities aiding vulnerable children and families from $40 million to $53.1 million.

The measure further directs annual revenue from documentary stamp taxes on real estate transactions to include $60 million to the Florida Rail Enterprise, $15.2 million to the Small Counties Road Assistance Program, and $60 million to the C-51 Reservoir Project.