Florida Legislature OKs Gun, Hunting Tax Holiday; Democrats Wanted Gas Relief

With gas prices averaging $4.23 per gallon across Florida, Democratic lawmakers tried last week to steer a $272 million tax relief package toward the pump. Republicans steered it toward the gun shop instead.

The Florida Legislature passed HB 7031-E — the Taxpayer Savings and Spending Package — during a special session, with the House approving the measure 88-11 and the Senate 29-6. For Treasure Coast residents already stretching budgets against rising prices, the bill delivers a mix of targeted breaks: a sales tax holiday on hunting, fishing, and camping supplies from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31; a permanent exemption on small propane tanks; and a shift in the back-to-school sales tax holiday to run July 20 through Aug. 20 so families can shop before the first day of school.

What the bill does not include is a gas tax suspension. Florida suspended its roughly 40-cents-per-gallon gas tax for one month in 2022, and Democratic state Sen. Tina Polsky pressed her Republican colleagues to do it again.

"We clearly can do it and we chose not to do it," Polsky said during Friday's floor debate. "When you ask your constituents, would you rather have a tax break on gas or a tax break on guns, what do you think they're going to choose?"

Republican state Sen. Bryan Ávila pushed back, arguing the logistics made a gas tax holiday unworkable on short notice. The gas tax is "based on the wholesale payment and collection process," Ávila said, adding that aligning the timing to deliver real savings to drivers "would take a lot of work."

Senate President Ben Albritton framed the outdoor recreation holiday in patriotic terms, tying it to the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary. "There is no better time to honor our constitutional right to hunt and fish," Albritton said.

Not every senator was moved. Independent Sen. Jason Pizzo, a former Democrat, criticized provisions he said benefited wealthy donors, including a cut in the slot machine revenue tax from 35% to 34% and a reduction in the gross receipts tax on cardroom revenues from 8% to 5%.

"Why are we giving billionaires individual breaks during the best of times?" Pizzo said. "Shame on us." Pizzo and Polsky both voted against the final bill.

For mobile home park residents — a significant constituency across Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — the bill does offer one concrete protection: a cap on annual assessment increases at three percent, down from the current 10% limit.

The hunting and camping sales tax holiday takes effect Sept. 1. The revised back-to-school shopping window opens July 20.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.