Statement by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro on Governor DeSantis Veto of Senate Bill 1382: Tax Administration

“Florida TaxWatch thanks Governor DeSantis for vetoing Senate Bill 1382. As we warned during the 2022 Legislative Session, many provisions of this bill posed unintended risks to taxpayers and, of particular concern, severe consequences for small businesses. Balancing enforcement without infringing on the rights of hard-working Floridians is admittedly a difficult task, and while we appreciate efforts to amend the bill and establish necessary safeguards in the tax audit process, in its final form, it ultimately cast far too wide a net. We commend Governor DeSantis for recognizing this and continuing to be responsive to the needs of small businesses – the backbone of our economy – once again proving the Sunshine State is truly the epicenter of freedom and opportunity in the nation.

“As many know, Florida TaxWatch led in the creation of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which is codified in both statute and the state constitution. As such, we will collaborate with NFIB-Florida and other stakeholders to establish a Taxpayer Audit and Administration Work Group that will work with the Department of Revenue to enact laws and regulations that properly balance taxpayer accountability, fairness under the law, and fair-minded (reasonable) tax compliance.”