(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Annual tax credit amount” means, for any state fiscal year, the sum of the amount of tax credits approved under paragraph (5)(b), including tax credits to be taken under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057, which are approved for taxpayers whose taxable years begin on or after January 1 of the calendar year preceding the start of the applicable state fiscal year.
(b) “Division” means the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
(c) “Eligible charitable organization” means an organization designated by the Department of Children and Families to be eligible to receive funding under this section.
(d) “Eligible contribution” means a monetary contribution from a taxpayer, subject to the restrictions provided in this section, to an eligible charitable organization. The taxpayer making the contribution may not designate a specific child assisted by the eligible charitable organization as the beneficiary of the contribution.
(e) “Tax credit cap amount” means the maximum annual tax credit amount that the Department of Revenue may approve for a state fiscal year.
(2) STRONG FAMILIES TAX CREDITS; ELIGIBILITY.—
(a) The Department of Children and Families shall designate as an eligible charitable organization an organization that meets all of the following requirements:
1. Is exempt from federal income taxation under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
2. Is a Florida entity formed under chapter 605, chapter 607, or chapter 617 and whose principal office is located in this state.
3. Provides direct services for at-risk families that do not have an open dependency case.
4. Provides services to:
a. Prevent child abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation;
b. Assist fathers in learning and improving parenting skills or to engage absent fathers in being more engaged in their children’s lives;
c. Assist families with children who have a chronic illness or a physical, intellectual, developmental, or emotional disability; or
d. Provide workforce development services to families of children eligible for a federal free or reduced-price meals program.
5. Provides to the Department of Children and Families accurate information, including, at a minimum, a description of the services provided by the organization which are eligible for funding under this section; the total number of individuals served through those services during the last calendar year and the number served during the last calendar year using funding under this section; basic financial information regarding the organization and services eligible for funding under this section; outcomes for such services; and contact information for the organization.
6. Annually submits a statement, signed under penalty of perjury by a current officer of the organization, that the organization meets all criteria to qualify as an eligible charitable organization, has fulfilled responsibilities under this section for the previous fiscal year if the organization received any funding through this credit during the previous year, and intends to fulfill its responsibilities during the upcoming year.
7. Provides any documentation requested by the Department of Children and Families to verify eligibility as an eligible charitable organization or compliance with this section.
(b) The Department of Children and Families may not designate as an eligible charitable organization an organization that:
1. Provides abortions or pays for or provides coverage for abortions; or
2. Has received more than 50 percent of its total annual revenue, not including revenue received pursuant to a contract under s. 409.1464, from a federal, state, or local governmental agency, either directly or via a contractor of such an agency, in the prior fiscal year.
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELIGIBLE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.—An eligible charitable organization that receives a contribution under this section must do all of the following:
(a) Apply for admittance into the Department of Law Enforcement’s Volunteer and Employee Criminal History System and, if accepted, conduct background screening on all volunteers and staff working directly with children in any program funded under this section pursuant to s. 943.0542. Background screening shall use level 2 screening standards pursuant to s. 435.04 and additionally include, but need not be limited to, a check of the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
(b) Expend 100 percent of any contributions received under this section for direct services to state residents for the purposes specified in subparagraph (2)(a)3.
(c) Annually submit to the Department of Children and Families:
1. An audit of the eligible charitable organization conducted by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States, government auditing standards, and rules adopted by the Auditor General. The audit report must include a report on financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The audit report must be provided to the Department of Children and Families within 180 days after completion of the eligible charitable organization’s fiscal year; and
2. A copy of the eligible charitable organization’s most recent federal Internal Revenue Service Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax form (Form 990).
(d) Notify the Department of Children and Families within 5 business days after the eligible charitable organization ceases to meet eligibility requirements or fails to fulfill its responsibilities under this section.
(e) Upon receipt of a contribution, provide the taxpayer that made the contribution with a certificate of contribution. A certificate of contribution must include the taxpayer’s name and, if available, its federal employer identification number, the amount contributed, the date of contribution, and the name of the eligible charitable organization.
(4) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.—The Department of Children and Families shall do all of the following:
(a) Annually redesignate eligible charitable organizations that have complied with all requirements of this section.
(b) Remove the designation of organizations that fail to meet all requirements of this section. An organization that has had its designation removed by the department may reapply for designation as an eligible charitable organization, and the department shall redesignate such organization, if it meets the requirements of this section and demonstrates through its application that all factors leading to its removal as an eligible charitable organization have been sufficiently addressed.
(c) Publish information about the tax credit program and eligible charitable organizations on a Department of Children and Families website. The website must, at a minimum, provide all of the following:
1. The requirements and process for becoming designated or redesignated as an eligible charitable organization.
2. A list of the eligible charitable organizations that are currently designated by the department and the information provided under subparagraph (2)(a)4. regarding each eligible charitable organization.
3. The process for a taxpayer to select an eligible charitable organization as the recipient of funding through a tax credit.
(d) Compel the return of funds that are provided to an eligible charitable organization that fails to comply with the requirements of this section. Eligible charitable organizations that are subject to return of funds are ineligible to receive funding under this section for a period of 10 years after final agency action to compel the return of funding.
2(5) STRONG FAMILIES TAX CREDITS; APPLICATIONS, TRANSFERS, AND LIMITATIONS.—
3(a) Beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025, the tax credit cap amount is $40 million in each state fiscal year.
(b) A taxpayer may submit an application to the Department of Revenue for a tax credit or credits to be taken under one or more of s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057, beginning at 9 a.m. on the first day of the calendar year that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
1. The taxpayer shall specify in the application each tax for which the taxpayer requests a credit and the applicable taxable year for a credit under s. 220.1877 or s. 624.51057 or the applicable state fiscal year for a credit under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, or s. 561.1213. For purposes of s. 220.1877, a taxpayer may apply for a credit to be used for a prior taxable year before the date the taxpayer is required to file a return for that year pursuant to s. 220.222. For purposes of s. 624.51057, a taxpayer may apply for a credit to be used for a prior taxable year before the date the taxpayer is required to file a return for that prior taxable year pursuant to ss. 624.509 and 624.5092. The application must specify the eligible charitable organization to which the proposed contribution will be made. The Department of Revenue shall approve tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis and must obtain the division’s approval before approving a tax credit under s. 561.1213.
2. Within 10 days after approving or denying an application, the Department of Revenue shall provide a copy of its approval or denial letter to the eligible charitable organization specified by the taxpayer in the application.
(c) If a tax credit approved under paragraph (b) is not fully used within the specified state fiscal year for credits under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, or s. 561.1213 or against taxes due for the specified taxable year for credits under s. 220.1877 or s. 624.51057 because of insufficient tax liability on the part of the taxpayer, the unused amount must be carried forward for a period not to exceed 10 years. For purposes of s. 220.1877, a credit carried forward may be used in a subsequent year after applying the other credits and unused carryovers in the order provided in s. 220.02(8).
(d) A taxpayer may not convey, transfer, or assign an approved tax credit or a carryforward tax credit to another entity unless all of the assets of the taxpayer are conveyed, assigned, or transferred in the same transaction. However, a tax credit under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057 may be conveyed, transferred, or assigned between members of an affiliated group of corporations if the type of tax credit under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057 remains the same. A taxpayer shall notify the Department of Revenue of its intent to convey, transfer, or assign a tax credit to another member within an affiliated group of corporations. The amount conveyed, transferred, or assigned is available to another member of the affiliated group of corporations upon approval by the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue shall obtain the division’s approval before approving a conveyance, transfer, or assignment of a tax credit under s. 561.1213.
(e) Within any state fiscal year, a taxpayer may rescind all or part of a tax credit approved under paragraph (b). The amount rescinded shall become available for that state fiscal year to another eligible taxpayer as approved by the Department of Revenue if the taxpayer receives notice from the Department of Revenue that the rescindment has been accepted by the Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue must obtain the division’s approval before accepting the rescindment of a tax credit under s. 561.1213. Any amount rescinded under this paragraph must become available to an eligible taxpayer on a first-come, first-served basis based on tax credit applications received after the date the rescindment is accepted by the Department of Revenue.
(f) Within 10 days after approving or denying the conveyance, transfer, or assignment of a tax credit under paragraph (d), or the rescindment of a tax credit under paragraph (e), the Department of Revenue shall provide a copy of its approval or denial letter to the eligible charitable organization specified by the taxpayer. The Department of Revenue shall also include the eligible charitable organization specified by the taxpayer on all letters or correspondence of acknowledgment for tax credits under s. 212.1834.
(g) For purposes of calculating the underpayment of estimated corporate income taxes under s. 220.34 and tax installment payments for taxes on insurance premiums or assessments under s. 624.5092, the final amount due is the amount after credits earned under s. 220.1877 or s. 624.51057 for contributions to eligible charitable organizations are deducted.
1. For purposes of determining if a penalty or interest under s. 220.34(2)(d)1. will be imposed for underpayment of estimated corporate income tax, a taxpayer may, after earning a credit under s. 220.1877, reduce any estimated payment in that taxable year by the amount of the credit.
2. For purposes of determining if a penalty under s. 624.5092 will be imposed, an insurer, after earning a credit under s. 624.51057 for a taxable year, may reduce any installment payment for such taxable year of 27 percent of the amount of the net tax due as reported on the return for the preceding year under s. 624.5092(2)(b) by the amount of the credit.
(6) PRESERVATION OF CREDIT.—If any provision or portion of this section, s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057 or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional by any court or is otherwise declared invalid, the unconstitutionality or invalidity shall not affect any credit earned under s. 211.0253, s. 212.1834, s. 220.1877, s. 561.1213, or s. 624.51057 by any taxpayer with respect to any contribution paid to an eligible charitable organization before the date of a determination of unconstitutionality or invalidity. The credit shall be allowed at such time and in such a manner as if a determination of unconstitutionality or invalidity had not been made, provided that nothing in this subsection by itself or in combination with any other provision of law may result in the allowance of any credit to any taxpayer in excess of one dollar of credit for each dollar paid to an eligible charitable organization.
(7) ADMINISTRATION; RULES.—
(a) The Department of Revenue, the division, and the Department of Children and Families may develop a cooperative agreement to assist in the administration of this section, as needed.
(b) The Department of Revenue may adopt rules necessary to administer this section and ss. 211.0253, 212.1834, 220.1877, 561.1213, and 624.51057, including rules establishing application forms, procedures governing the approval of tax credits and carryforward tax credits under subsection (5), and procedures to be followed by taxpayers when claiming approved tax credits on their returns.
(c) The division may adopt rules necessary to administer its responsibilities under this section and s. 561.1213.
(d) The Department of Children and Families may adopt rules necessary to administer this section, including, but not limited to, rules establishing application forms for organizations seeking designation as eligible charitable organizations under this act.
(e) Notwithstanding any provision of s. 213.053 to the contrary, sharing information with the division related to this tax credit is considered the conduct of the Department of Revenue’s official duties as contemplated in s. 213.053(8)(c), and the Department of Revenue and the division are specifically authorized to share information as needed to administer this program.
History.—s. 38, ch. 2021-31; s. 41, ch. 2022-4; s. 33, ch. 2022-97; s. 38, ch. 2023-157; s. 45, ch. 2024-158.
1Note.—Section 53, ch. 2021-31, provides that “[t]he Florida Institute for Child Welfare shall analyze the use of funding provided by the tax credit authorized under s. 402.62, Florida Statutes, as created by this act, and submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 31, 2025. The report must, at a minimum, include the total funding amount and categorize the funding by type of program, describe the programs that were funded, and assess the outcomes that were achieved using the funding.”
2Note.—Section 46, ch. 2024-158, provides that “[f]or the $20 million in additional credit under s. 402.62, Florida Statutes, available for fiscal year 2024-2025 pursuant to changes made by this act, a taxpayer may submit an application to the Department of Revenue beginning at 9 a.m. on July 1, 2024.”
3Note.—Section 41, ch. 2022-97, provides that “[t]he Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed met, to adopt emergency rules under s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing changes related to the Strong Families tax credit program and the New Worlds Reading Initiative tax credit program made by this act. Notwithstanding any other law, emergency rules adopted under this section are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.”
