Documentary Stamp Tax Distributions

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jason Shoaf

HB 5501 redirects documentary stamp tax revenue from the Transportation Trust Fund and housing programs into General Revenue, cutting transit funding by about $467M yearly.

Died on Calendar, companion bill(s) passed, see HB 7031 (Ch. 2025-208), SB 2500 (Ch. 2025-198)

#(adopted) #publictransportation #subjectindex

Main purpose

HB 5501 would change how Florida’s documentary stamp tax (doc stamps) collections are distributed by redirecting certain portions now credited to state trust funds into the General Revenue Fund (GR). It also repeals statutory provisions created by the Live Local Act (ch. 2023-17) that temporarily dedicated additional doc stamp revenue to housing.

Key provisions

Repeals s. 420.50871, F.S., and related Live Local Act provisions that allocated a time‑limited doc stamp distribution for housing programs (the “lesser of 8% or $150 million” provision).

Reinstates the General Revenue service charge previously applied to doc stamp revenues (an historic ~8% trust‑fund service charge).

Redirects the documentary stamp tax distribution that is currently credited to the State Transportation Trust Fund (the lesser of $466.75 million or 20.5453% of remaining doc stamp proceeds) into the General Revenue Fund.

Makes conforming changes to multiple statutes and prior chapter law cross‑references (e.g., ss. 201.0205, 339.0801, 339.55, 341.303, 343.58, 420.5092, 420.9073, and repeals portions of ch. 2023‑17 and ch. 2024‑6).

Who/what would be affected

General Revenue Fund: increased deposits from reinstated service charge and redirected distributions.

State Housing Trust Fund / Local Government Housing Trust Fund: elimination of the additional time‑limited $150 million allocation to the State Housing Trust Fund; ongoing baseline housing distributions (SHIP, SAIL) would remain unchanged.

State Transportation Trust Fund (STTF) and transportation programs: substantial reduction in doc stamp funding used for New Starts Transit, Small County Outreach Program (SCOP), Strategic Intermodal System (SIS), Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP), and Florida Rail Enterprise (first $60M). Estimated negative impact to STTF: ~$466.8 million annually.

Local governments and private sector developers: potential reductions in housing and transportation funding may affect affordable housing and transportation projects.

Fiscal impact (as reported)

The House Appropriations analysis described a net zero effect on total state revenues because GR gains offset trust fund losses (reinstated service charge cancels the $150M housing allocation; transportation redirect adds ~$466.8M to GR).

Significant negative impact on the STTF: approximately $466.75 million (or 20.5453% of the relevant base) would be removed from transportation funding annually, shifting the burden for transportation projects to other STTF revenue sources.

Procedural / timeline notes

Passed the Florida House (April 9, 2025); favorably reported with amendment by Senate Appropriations (4/17/25).

Died on Calendar (6/16/25) in the Senate; companion bills with similar policy provisions were enacted (HB 7031 and SB 2500; see cited chapter laws).

If enacted as written, the bill’s effective date was July 1, 2025.

This summary highlights the bill’s redistribution of doc stamp revenues from specific trust funds—especially transportation and the temporary housing allocation—into General Revenue, and the downstream effects on housing and transportation finance.

Bill