(1) AUTHORIZATION TO GRANT TAX CREDITS; LIMITATIONS.—

(a) There shall be allowed a credit of 50 percent of a community contribution against any tax due for a calendar year under s. 624.509 or s. 624.510.

(b) No insurer shall receive more than $200,000 in annual tax credits for all approved community contributions made in any one year.

(c) The total amount of tax credit which may be granted for all programs approved under this section and ss. 212.08(5)(p) and 220.183 is $12.5 million in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, $13.5 million in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and $10.5 million in each fiscal year thereafter for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071 and $3.5 million each fiscal year for all other projects.

(d) Each proposal for the granting of such tax credit requires the prior approval of the director.

(e) If the credit granted pursuant to this section is not fully used in any one year because of insufficient tax liability on the part of the insurer, the unused amount may be carried forward for a period not to exceed 5 years. The carryover credit may be used in a subsequent year when the tax imposed by s. 624.509 or s. 624.510 for such year exceeds the credit under this section for such year.

(f) An insurer that claims a credit against premium-tax liability earned by making a community contribution under this section need not pay any additional retaliatory tax levied under s. 624.5091 as a result of claiming such a credit. Section 624.5091 does not limit such a credit in any manner.

(2) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—

(a) Each community contribution by an insurer must be in a form specified in subsection (5).

(b) Each community contribution must be reserved exclusively for use in a project as defined in s. 220.03(1)(t).

(c) The project must be undertaken by an “eligible sponsor,” as defined in s. 220.183(2)(c). In no event shall a contributing insurer have a financial interest in the eligible sponsor.

(d) The project shall be located in an area that was designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to chapter 290 as of May 1, 2015, or a Front Porch Florida Community. Any project designed to provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or to construct or rehabilitate housing for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) is exempt from the area requirement of this paragraph.

(e)1. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for less than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant tax credits for those applications and shall grant remaining tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis for any subsequent eligible applications received before the end of the state fiscal year. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for more than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant the tax credits for those applications as follows:

a. If tax credit applications submitted for approved projects of an eligible sponsor do not exceed $200,000 in total, the credits shall be granted in full if the tax credit applications are approved.

b. If tax credit applications submitted for approved projects of an eligible sponsor exceed $200,000 in total, the amount of tax credits granted under sub-subparagraph a. shall be subtracted from the amount of available tax credits, and the remaining credits shall be granted to each approved tax credit application on a pro rata basis.

2. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects other than those that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for less than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant tax credits for those applications and shall grant remaining tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis for any subsequent eligible applications received before the end of the state fiscal year. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects other than those that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for more than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant the tax credits for those applications on a pro rata basis.

(3) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—

(a) Any eligible sponsor wishing to participate in this program must submit a proposal to the Department of Economic Opportunity which sets forth the sponsor, the project, the area in which the project is located, and such supporting information as may be prescribed by rule. The proposal shall also contain a resolution from the local governmental unit in which the proposed project is located certifying that the project is consistent with local plans and regulations.

(b)1. Any insurer wishing to participate in this program must submit an application for tax credit to the Department of Economic Opportunity which sets forth the sponsor; the project; and the type, value, and purpose of the contribution. The sponsor must verify, in writing, the terms of the application and indicate its willingness to receive the contribution, which verification must accompany the application for tax credit.

2. The insurer must submit a separate application for tax credit for each individual contribution which it proposes to contribute to each individual project.

(4) ADMINISTRATION.—

(a)1. The Department of Economic Opportunity may adopt rules to administer this section, including rules for the approval or disapproval of proposals by insurers.

2. The decision of the director shall be in writing, and, if approved, the proposal shall state the maximum credit allowable to the insurer. A copy of the decision shall be transmitted to the executive director of the Department of Revenue, who shall apply such credit to the tax liability of the insurer.

3. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall monitor all projects periodically, in a manner consistent with available resources to ensure that resources are utilized in accordance with this section; however, each project shall be reviewed no less frequently than once every 2 years.

4. The Department of Economic Opportunity shall, in consultation with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and the statewide and regional housing and financial intermediaries, market the availability of the community contribution tax credit program to community-based organizations.

(b) The Department of Revenue shall adopt any rules necessary to ensure the orderly implementation and administration of this section.

(5) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Community contribution” means the grant by an insurer of any of the following items:

1. Cash or other liquid assets.

2. Real property, including 100 percent ownership of a real property holding company.

3. Goods or inventory.

4. Other physical resources which are identified by the department.

For purposes of this paragraph, the term “real property holding company” means a Florida entity, such as a Florida limited liability company, that is wholly owned by the insurer; is the sole owner of real property, as defined in s. 192.001(12), located in the state; is disregarded as an entity for federal income tax purposes pursuant to 26 C.F.R. s. 301.7701-3(b)(1)(ii); and at the time of contribution to an eligible sponsor, has no material assets other than the real property and any other property that qualifies as a community contribution.

(b) “Director” means the director of the Department of Economic Opportunity.

(c) “Local government” means any county or incorporated municipality in the state.

(d) “Project” means an activity as defined in s. 220.03(1)(t).

History.—s. 56, ch. 84-356; s. 124, ch. 91-112; s. 54, ch. 94-136; s. 149, ch. 96-320; s. 2, ch. 98-219; s. 2, ch. 99-265; s. 41, ch. 2000-210; s. 32, ch. 2001-201; s. 25, ch. 2004-243; s. 4, ch. 2005-282; s. 3, ch. 2006-78; s. 136, ch. 2007-5; s. 36, ch. 2008-153; s. 20, ch. 2010-4; s. 429, ch. 2011-142; s. 77, ch. 2012-96; s. 19, ch. 2014-38; s. 24, ch. 2015-221; s. 77, ch. 2016-10; s. 3, ch. 2016-131; s. 48, ch. 2017-36; s. 51, ch. 2018-118.