8 Ways To Save During Florida’s Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday
It’s that time of year! Time to turn this to the best summer ever during Florida’s Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday. There will be 8 ways to save money on sales-tax free items for the month of July. One of the best parts about this deal is being able to get into all our favorite theme parks tax free. But you should know that the sales tax holiday does not apply to any items sold within a theme park.
“The Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday is a great opportunity for consumers to save money on admissions and outdoor supplies while they enjoy all Florida has to offer this summer.” Jim Zingale, executive director of the Florida Department of Revenue, said in a statement. For more info on the tax holiday can be found here.
Here’s What Qualifies During Florida’s Freedom Month Sales Tax Holiday:
Boating and water activity supplies
- Goggles and snorkels ($25 or less)
- Pool toys, inflatable chairs, pool floats, recreational pool tubes ($35 or less)
- Safety flares ($50 or less)
- Coolers, life jackets, paddles, oars ($75 or less)
- Inflatable water tubes and floats, wakeboards, kneeboards, water skis ($150 or less)
- Paddleboards, surfboards ($300 or less)
- Canoes, kayaks ($500 or less)
Fishing supplies
- Bait and tackle ($5 or less for individual items, $10 or less for multiple items)
- Tackle boxes ($30 or less)
- Reels, rods ($75 or less)
Camping Supplies
- Flashlights, camping lanterns ($30 or less)
- Sleeping bags, camping chairs, camping stoves ($50 or less)
- Tents ($200 or less)
Electric scooters
- Vehicles with two or fewer wheels, no seat, have electric motor, less than 75 pounds, less than two feet wide, and a maximum speed of less than 35 mph ($500 or less)
Outdoor supplies
- Sunscreen, insect repellant ($15 or less)
- Water bottles ($30 or less)
- Bicycle helmets, hydration packs ($50 or less) (Helmets marketed for youth are always exempt)
- Sunglasses (non-prescription) ($100 or less) (prescription glasses are always exempt)
- Binoculars ($200 or less)
- Outdoor grills ($250 or less)
- Bicycles ($500 or less)
Residential pool supplies
- Covers, filters, lights, nets, individial residential pool and spa replacement parts ($100 or less)
- Residential pool and spa chemicals purchased by an individual ($150 or less)
Admissions to events or performances scheduled before Dec. 31, 2024
- Live music events
- Live sporting events
- Movies to be shown in a movie theater
- Ballets
- Plays
- Fairs
- Festivals
- Cultural events
- Private and membership clubs providing physical fitness facilities
- Museums, including annual passes
- State parks, including annual passes
- Season tickets for ballets, plays, music events, and musical theater performances
19 New Florida Laws Going Into Effect July 1, 2024
Grow Those Veggies
A new law says that homeowners associations can’t stop you from growing your own fruits and vegetables… as long as they aren’t visible from the front of your property or from a neighbor or community golf course.
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Jury Duty During Pregnancy
If you have given birth within six months before your reporting date for jury duty, you can ask to be excused. “Excusal from Jury Service; Requires that woman who has recently given birth be excused from certain jury service under specified conditions.”
(Photo by Diana Bagnoli/Getty Images)
"Gotcha" Parking
No surprises anymore. Parking areas must post their rates and rules near the entrance. Plus you’re given a 15 minute “grace period.” Parking area owners also can’t sell your personal info. “Motor Vehicle Parking on Private Property; Provides requirements for signage & invoices for parking facilities; authorizes entities to regulate such signage; prohibits late fees before certain period; requires such invoices to include dispute & appeal method; requires grace period before parking charges may be incurred; prohibits personal information from being sold, offered for sale, or transferred for sale by such owners or operators.”
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Air Conditioning
A warranty will now begin on the date your A/C company installed your unit. “Building Construction Regulations and System Warranties; Provides specified effective date for provisions relating to HVAC manufacturer’s warranty transfers; prohibits HVAC manufacturer’s warranties from being conditioned upon product registration; provides effective date for certain HVAC systems & components warranties under specified circumstance; provides required information for warranty & product registration cards & forms; prohibits HVAC systems & components warranties from being conditioned upon product registration.”
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Working in the heat
Lawmakers can not protect workers from heat exposure. Companies will be allowed to set their own policies. The state will only be allowed to regulate heat working conditions for its own employees. “Employment Regulations; Prohibiting political subdivisions from maintaining a minimum wage other than a state or federal minimum wage; prohibiting political subdivisions from controlling, affecting, or awarding preferences based on the wages or employment benefits of entities doing business with the political subdivision; revising and providing applicability; etc.”
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Wine Bottles
Wine bottles can be bigger now. There will be exceptions now to the law that prohibits the sale of wine containers over 1 gallon. Wine can be sold up to 15 liters. “Individual Wine Containers; Revises exception to maximum allowable capacity for individual container of wine sold in this state.”
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Driving Without a License
It’ll now be a second degree misdemeanor if you drive without a license in Florida. It’ll be a first degree misdemeanor the senc time. If you’re caught doing it a 3rd time, you get 10 days in jail.
“Driving Without a Valid Driver License; Revises penalties for offense of driving without valid driver license; requires specified minimum jail sentence for third or subsequent conviction of such offense.”
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Dead Bodies
Well this is a strange one. If you see a dead body, you must report it. Otherwise you could face a first degree misdemeanor. But if they find you’re trying to hide the death, that could be a 3rd degree misdemeanor. From the state, “Duties and Prohibited Acts Associated with Death; Authorizes report regarding specified deaths & circumstances to be made to law enforcement agency in addition to medical examiner; increases criminal penalty for failing or refusing to report death or for refusing to make available certain information with intent to conceal death or alter evidence & circumstances surrounding death; increases criminal penalty for willfully touching, removing, or disturbing body without order from office of district medical examiner with intent to conceal death or alter evidence & circumstances surrounding death.”
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Squatters
Law enforcment can be now called to remove squatters. The loophole will be for those who were a former renter with a legal dispute. “Property Rights; Authorizes property owners or authorized agents to request assistance from sheriff for immediately removing unauthorized occupants from residential dwelling under certain conditions; requires specified complaint; provides requirements for sheriff; authorizes arrest of unauthorized occupant; provides that sheriff is not liable to any party for loss, destruction, or damage; provides that property owner or agent is not liable to any party for loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal property unless it was wrongfully removed; prohibits unlawfully detaining, or occupying or trespassing upon, residential dwelling intentionally & causing at least specified amount of damage; provides criminal penalties for any person who knowingly & willfully presents false document purporting to be valid lease agreement, deed, or other instrument conveying real property rights; prohibits listing or advertising for sale, or renting or leasing, residential real property.”
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Condo Owners
The “My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program” will help condo owners make necessary repairs to prepare for Florida’s wild storms. Associations can also apply for grants. “My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program; Establishes My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program within DFS; provides requirements for DFS, wind certification entities, hurricane mitigation inspectors & inspections, inspection & grant applications, mitigation grant eligibility, grant matching & maximum grant amounts, mitigation projects & use of grant funds, contracts, & annual report.”
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Strippers
Adult entertainment venues must now post signs with a phone number to prevent human trafficking. Performers will need to be 21 or older to work in an “adult entertainment establishment.”
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Alligators on Fire?
A new fire station will go up on Alligator Alley. But otherwise, the state has set limits on the amount of fuel tax revenues and other driving fees that can be spend on projects. “Transportation; limiting the amount of certain revenues in the State Transportation Trust Fund which the Department of Transportation may annually commit to public transit projects; revising provisions relating to a traffic and revenue study provided by a private entity; requiring the department to notify the Division of Bond Finance before entering into an interim or comprehensive agreement; etc.”
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Skin Cancer
We love our sunshine in Florida. This new bill makes it law to require the state gropu health insurance plan to cover the costs of an annual check for skin cancer. “Coverage for Skin Cancer Screenings; Requires DMS to require contracted state group health insurance plans to provide coverage & payment for annual skin cancer screenings performed by specified persons without imposing any cost-sharing requirement; specifies requirement for & restriction on payments for such screenings.”
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Massages
No sexual activity is to take place at a massage parlor. The Florida Department of Health will suspend a license if any worker is arrested for crimes like prostitution, human trafficking or kidnapping. “Health Care Practitioners and Massage Therapy; Requires DOH to report specified data; authorizes DOH to suspend license of certain health care practitioners & massage establishments in certain circumstances; revises advertising requirements for massage therapists & massage establishments; prohibits establishments from sheltering or harboring, or being used as sleeping quarters for any person; requires DOH investigators to request government identification from all employees while in massage establishment; specifies additional documents person operating massage establishment must present, upon request, to DOH investigators & law enforcement officers; requires DOH to notify federal immigration office if specified persons fail to provide government identification; revises definition of “unlicensed massage establishment”.
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Teen Workers
Some of the restrictions that were placed on 16 and 17 year olds will be removed. They’ll be able to work more hours on a given day. But they can’t work more than 30 hours in a week when they have school unless they have their permission from their parents. According to the state, “Employment; Removing certain employment restrictions for minors 16 and 17 years of age; revising the age at which certain employment restrictions apply; providing for the waiver of a specified restriction by specified persons; restricting the amount of continuous hours certain minors may work without a break for a minimum specified time period; authorizing the department to grant a waiver of the restrictions imposed under the act; providing penalties, etc.”
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Taxes
No more $10 processing fee to the tax collector if you make a partial payment of your current year taxes. “Tax Collections and Sales; Removes specified processing fee; revises information to be included in certain report; revises calculation of interest for canceled tax deed applications.”
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Homeowners Associations
It’ll be required now for HOAs to make available to you a copy (either physical or digital) of their rules by October 1. They’ll have to give you an updated version when any updates are made. According to the state, “Provision Of Homeowners’ Association Rules and Covenants; Requires association to provide copies of association’s rules & covenants to every member before specified date, & every new member thereafter; requires association to provide members with copy of updated rules & covenants; authorizes association to adopt rules relating to standards & manner in which such copies are distributed; authorizes association to post complete copy of association’s rules & covenants, or direct link thereto, on homepage of association’s website; requires association to provide specified notice to its members.”
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Insulin
A big one for those with diabetes. If at the pharmacy, the pharmacist can’t find your prescription for a refill, they can give you an emergency refill. But there’s a limit. They can only do this 3 times in a row in a given year. “Emergency Refills of Insulin and Insulin-related Supplies or Equipment; Authorizes emergency refill of insulin & insulin-related supplies or equipment a specified number of times per year.”
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