One of the top priorities of the Florida Attractions Association (FAA) is safeguarding the Florida Tourist Development Tax (TDT), also known as the bed tax. These taxes, approved by counties, are imposed on overnight accommodations, and play a crucial role in funding the Tourism Development Council (TDC) (and/or CVB, VCB) of your county. They provide the necessary resources to promote county destinations and attractions to potential visitors. By combining your attraction marketing dollars with theirs and partnering with VISIT FLORIDA, attractions of all sizes can be promoted both domestically and internationally.

A threat to the TDT has emerged in the form of HB 7033 – the House tax package. HB 7033 contains harmful provisions that would allow counties to use TDT revenue for property tax relief and any general purpose. Additionally, language contained in the House bill would dissolve all TDCs by December 31, 2025, and require a county referendum on TDT every eight years to continue providing the property tax benefit.

While the Senate has not expressed the same interest in these reforms as the House, now is the time to act and let the Legislature know the devastating impact that the dangerous TDT provisions in HB 7033 can have on Florida tourism and your attraction.

CALL TO ACTION

During the week of May 12, 2025, legislators will negotiate and consider the tax package for FY 2025-26. It is important that you contact your legislators this week and ask them to remove the harmful TDT provisions from HB 7033 before passing the final tax package. TDT funds are meant to be spent on tourism advertisement and promotion, not property tax reductions and any general purpose. Please contact your Senator and Representative THIS WEEK and voice your opposition to the vast expansion of TDT allowable uses in HB 7033 and ask them to remove the TDT provisions.

If you have any questions, please contact me by email (lupfer@floridaattractions.org) or phone (850) 222-2885.

Thank you.

Bill Lupfer

President

Florida Attractions Association

HB 7033 remains a threat to Florida’s tourism industry leading into the budget conference process during the week of May 12, 2025.

The Florida Legislature failed to complete their Constitutionally-mandated task of creating an annual state budget and jointly agreed to "extend" the Regular Session nearly one month to June 6, 2025. After initially being more than $4.4 billion apart in their spending plans, the House and Senate leaders reached an agreement late Friday on the total amount of the FY 2025-26 budget. Each budget silo will receive allocations ahead of the budget conference process, where conferees will iron out spending differences. Once spending differences have been reconciled, the final budget will go through a 72-hour "cooling off" period, before both chambers vote on the final proposal.

Many bills did not make it across the finish line this session and died at 11:59 p.m. on Friday. 1,982 bills were filed for consideration during the 2025 Legislative Session, however, only 254 bills (13%) passed both chambers and have a chance at becoming law. Governor Ron DeSantis has already signed 19 bills into law and is waiting to be presented with the rest from the Legislature. For comparison, 25 more bills were filed in the 2025 Legislative Session compared to the 2024 Legislative Session, but 71 less bills were passed by the Legislature during the 2025 Legislative Session.

HB 7033 is included in the bills that are under consideration during the extended session and will be a starting point for House and Senate negotiations on the FY 2025-26 tax package. Although the Senate’s tax proposal (SB 7034) did not contain the same harmful provisions, HB 7033 would drastically alter the allowable use of Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenues. Specifically, the bill mandates that counties divert at least 75% of “adjusted collections” from the TDT toward ad valorem (property) tax relief beginning in FY 2026–2027 and would allow the remaining TDT revenue to be used for any general purpose. These adjusted collections refer to TDT funds not already committed to contracts, projects, or debt service. In addition to redirecting funds away from tourism promotion and facilities, the bill would dissolve all local Tourist Development Councils (TDCs) by the end of the year and require a public referendum on TDT usage every eight years as a mechanism to continue the property tax benefit. While the Senate has indicated little interest in advancing such sweeping changes to TDT usage, HB 7033 remains a threat to Florida’s tourism industry leading into the budget conference process during the week of May 12, 2025.

Legislative Update - Week 8 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

4/18/25 Bill Tracker

Yesterday, the Florida House approved two bills, HB 1221 and HB 7033, which, if enacted, would terminate local tourism promotion efforts by reallocating funds.

These bills propose the following changes:

- All Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenue would be mandated to be utilized as a property tax credit, resulting in the elimination of funding for tourism promotion, marketing, and the development of tourism facilities.
- The dissolution of every Tourist Development Council in Florida is set to be completed by the end of the year.

These proposed measures would have a profound effect on the tourism industry in Florida, devastating how tourism is promoted and supported in your county.

If you have not already, please contact your representative and ask them to support your county’s Tourist Development Council and Tourist Development tax (Bed Tax) and to OPPOSE HB 1221 and HB 7033.

Please review this post for more details and speaking points.

Legislative Update - Week 7 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

4/18/25 Bill Tracker

Legislative Update - Week 6 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

4/11/25 Bill Tracker

Legislative Update - Week 5 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

4/6/25 Bill Tracker

Legislative Update - Week 4 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

3/30/25 Bill Tracker

Legislative Update - Week 3 | Liberty Partners of Tallahassee

3/24/25 Bill Tracker