Our economic research team evaluated the impact of the data privacy bills introduced this year and found that though it may promote some level of consumer privacy, as introduced, the bills in their current form would disproportionately affect small businesses and expose Florida employers to significant costs and economic risks.

Although the data privacy legislation would create economic value and privacy for consumers, many businesses and taxpayers are concerned about its expansive nature and unintended consequences. This independent analysis simply provides the facts that can enable the legislation to target its intended audience without unintentionally hurting many small and mid-size Florida businesses and non-profit organizations. 

“Florida TaxWatch commends State Rep. Josie Tomkow for her amendment to House Bill 15, which will allocate the additional sales tax revenue generated through the legislation to reduce the Business Rent Tax (BRT) from 5.5 percent to 2.0 percent after it first restores the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund to pre-pandemic levels. For years, Florida TaxWatch has recommended the use of this revenue to reduce the BRT, and we are thrilled that it is finally being considered. 

Florida TaxWatch commends Governor Ron DeSantis for signing SB 72, Florida’s COVID-19 Liability Shield, into law this afternoon. This important bill will avoid the annual loss of an estimated 356,000 jobs and $28 billion in personal income for Florida residents, according to a Florida TaxWatch research report.

“Floridians are required by law to pay online sales taxes, but most are unaware; and even if they know about it, the process is remarkably tedious. Enacting legislation to shift the burden to out-of-state retailers would protect these hard-working men and women, who are already dedicated taxpayers, while also providing for a more efficient process that puts over $1.3 billion back in local and state government coffers every year. Florida TaxWatch is grateful to Rep. Clemons for supporting this issue – which has been an organizational priority for almost two decades – and working tirelessly to see House Bill 15 through.”

Florida TaxWatch commends House Speaker Chris Sprowls, Representative Lawrence McClure, Senate President Wilton Simpson, Senator Jeff Brandes, and members of the House and Senate for passing SB 72­­­­, which provides limited immunity from civil liability for damages relating to COVID-19 for responsible Florida businesses and health care providers. 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch – the taxpayer research institute respected for more than 40 years – released its latest Economic Commentary, The State of Medicaid in Florida.

With more than 8,400 miles of shoreline and an estimated 1.5 million residential swimming pools, it should come as no surprise that Florida leads the U.S. in unintentional drowning deaths of children ages 1-4.

Locally imposed tourist development taxes (TDTs) play a vital role in Florida counties’ promotion of tourism. Over the years, the Legislature has added more and more authorized uses of this revenue, diluting the funding available for tourism promotion and advertising. The “slippery slope” warning raised by the tourism industry and Florida TaxWatch in the past has become a reality.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –  Today, Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, joined by Dr. Bill Kent, Chairman of the Board for the International Swimming Hall of Fame, announced the release of the taxpayer research institute’s newest report, Every Child a Swimmer.

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Mon., March 22, 2021 at 1:30 p.m., Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will host a virtual press conference with Senate Bill 358 co-introducer Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach), along with House Bill 1119 prime sponsors Rep. Dan Daley (D-Coral Springs) and Rep. Jim Mooney (R-Islamorada) related to water safety.

The Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Program is a performance-based incentive program, that incentivizes the creation of high-quality, high-wage jobs – the higher the wage, the larger the refund – in sought-after targeted industries and offers a bonus for new jobs in rural areas of the state, incentivizing businesses to locate in economically disadvantaged counties.

Florida TaxWatch supports the concept of a centralized management system for the fleet of state[1]owned motor vehicles, maintenance facilities, and fuel depots.

Telemedicine increases access to quality care and can be used as an innovative tool to reduce costly medical interventions such as emergency room utilization and length of hospital stay.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –  Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro commended the state’s legislative leaders, House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R-Palm Harbor) and Senate President Wilton Simpson (R- Trilby), on their plan to bolster the state’s unemployment-compensation system by requiring out-of-state online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Floridians.

“Even before the pandemic proved how essential connectivity is to enterprise and education, we knew that Broadband is vital to talent development, health and safety, job creation, business climate, capital attraction, and Florida’s economic growth.”

Tallahassee, Fla. –  Today, Florida TaxWatch released its review of the Broward County School District’s SMART Program in its report Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: SMART Program Quarterly Report Review for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2020.

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Fri., March 5, 2021 from 1 to 3 p.m., Florida TaxWatch will host the 2021 State of the Taxpayer Day – Virtual Event. This annual event is typically held in person on the Wednesday evening after the Tuesday start of Florida’s legislative session, but it will be held via Zoom this year, allowing the state’s elected officials to speak directly to the interests of hard-working taxpayers and their families despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch and Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc. today released the results of a February 2021 poll, which indicate 63 percent of Floridians support e-fairness legislation that would require out-of-state retailers to collect online sales taxes. Currently, the burden falls on consumers, which costs Florida’s state and local governments over $1.3 billion a year, while also putting in-state retailers at a competitive disadvantage. For these reasons, this is an issue that Florida TaxWatch has been engaged in for more than a decade.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch and Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, Inc. today released the results of a February 2021 poll, which indicate Floridians strongly support COVID-19 business and healthcare liability protections by 72 percent and 74 percent, respectively. Notably, these sentiments transcended party affiliation, as well as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and region.