Senate Joint Resolution 278

The Sponsor: Senator Mack Bernard

• Name: Senator Mack Bernard (Democrat)

• District: Senate District 24

• Region: Palm Beach County (covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, and surrounding areas).

• Political Context: This is part of Senator Bernard’s package of bills aimed at housing affordability. While most tax cuts benefit long-term owners, this proposal is specifically designed to help new buyers enter the market without being crushed by an immediate tax reset.

The Proposal: What is SJR 278?

Official Title: Limitation on the Assessed Value of New Homestead Property

The Core Mechanism: SJR 278 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit how much the assessed value can “jump” when a homestead property is sold and a new homestead is established.

• The Restriction: The new assessed value cannot exceed 150% of the previous year’s assessed value.

• The Condition: This cap only applies if the property’s previous assessed value was less than $500,000.

How the Math Works:

• Scenario: You buy a starter home from a long-time owner.

  • Market Value (Purchase Price): $600,000

  • Seller’s Assessed Value (Capped): $200,000

• Current Law: Your new taxable value resets to $600,000. Your taxes triple.

• Proposed Law (SJR 278): Your new taxable value is capped at 150% of the seller’s $200,000.

  • $200,000 x 1.5 = $300,000.

• Result: You pay taxes on $300,000 instead of $600,000. This saves you thousands of dollars in your first year of ownership.

Effective Date: If passed and approved by voters, it would likely take effect January 1, 2027.

Does This Eliminate Property Taxes Completely?

No. It acts as a “shock absorber” for new buyers.

• Partial Reset: The taxes still go up (by 50%), but they don’t go up all the way to market value immediately.

• Targeted Relief: By limiting this to homes previously assessed under $500,000, the bill focuses on workforce housing and starter homes, preventing wealthy buyers of multi-million dollar mansions from using this loophole.

• School Taxes: As with most proposals, this exemption applies to non-school levies.

The “Law Enforcement Protection” Clause

Crucial Difference: Unlike the House proposals (HJR 201, etc.), the current text and summaries of SJR 278 do not explicitly highlight a mandate prohibiting reductions in law enforcement funding.

• Implication: This suggests the Senate version allows local governments more flexibility in how they manage the revenue loss, rather than locking police budgets in the constitution.

Key Takeaways for Voters

• Solving the “Welcome Stranger” Problem: This is the only proposal that directly helps buyers. Every other proposal focuses on people who already own their homes.

• Encourages Inventory Sales: Long-time owners are often afraid to sell because they know the buyer won’t be able to afford the new taxes. By lowering that barrier, this could help more starter homes come onto the market.

• Inequality: Critics might argue this prolongs the tax inequality between neighbors, as new buyers would still be paying less than their “fair share” based on true market value compared to neighbors who bought under the old rules.

Legislative Status (Current)

• Filed: October 23, 2025

• Committees: Referred to Finance and Tax, Appropriations, and Rules.

• Latest Action: On November 17, 2025, the bill was officially referred to its three committees and is awaiting its first hearing.

Sources & Further Reading

• Florida Senate – SJR 278 Official Bill Text: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/278

• Senator Mack Bernard – Official Biography: https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/S24