Bill > S1076

This bill enacts several changes to Florida's tax laws concerning electrical power and energy. It imposes an additional tax on the gross receipts for electrical power or energy, with the rate increasing incrementally from 1.0% in 2015 to 1.75% in 2017, and clarifies that this increase applies to bills dated on or after the effective date of each increase. The bill also revises exemptions from utility and communications services taxes, and importantly, it modifies the state sales tax rate for electrical power or energy, reducing it from 7% to 4.5% in 2015, 3.0% in 2016, and finally to 1.75% in 2017. Furthermore, it mandates that any discretionary sales surtaxes, which are local add-on sales taxes, must be applied to all charges for electrical power or energy unless specifically exempted. Finally, the bill establishes a sales tax holiday for certain Energy Star and WaterSense products, allowing consumers to purchase qualifying energy-efficient and water-saving items tax-free during a specific weekend in September 2014, with limitations on the number and price of items purchased.