Advocacy

For more than 40 years, we have worked together to protect citizens and provide them with convenience and safety as they access state services. We use our united voices to influence policy alongside our legislators, Cabinet members, and Governor to meet the changing needs of our local communities.

With customer services as our first priority, we work to find efficiencies, leverage technology and create partnerships to protect citizens and provide the best way for them to accomplish their goals. Sometimes this means securing policies to protect against online fraudulence or opening new access points for citizens to choose how they want to process their licenses.

We know Florida families’ lives require flexibility, ease, and a friendly face, and our united network of Tax Collectors work to serve them every day.

Legislative Successes

• 2022 – HB223|SB754 (Rep. Maney/Sen. Gainer):  This legislation changes the date of mobile home renewals for individuals from December to the owner’s birthday creating operational efficiencies for Tax Collector Offices and added convenience for mobile home owners.
• 2019 – HB87 (Rep. Ponder/Sen. Baxley):  This legislation is a good, common sense example of efficient government service provision.  Heavy truck owners, trucks in the weight range of 5,001 to 7,999 lbs. (i.e., Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram, Chevy Silverado) will now renew their vehicle registrations during their birth month instead of December, allowing drivers to register all of their vehicles at the same time.  This legislation also allows Tax Collectors to utilize an electronic record of death file maintained by the Department of Health, in lieu of a death certificate, for a title transfer from a deceased co-owner.  By utilizing the electronic records of death file, citizens will no longer have to leave the Tax Collectors office to obtain a death certificate from another government office in order to accomplish a transfer of title.
• 2018 – HB187 (Rep. Mariano/Sen. Book):  This legislation helps citizens in the state of Florida by ensuring that Tax Collectors have the resources they need to provide driver license testing services.  Tax Collectors take pride in delivering state services at the local level and are committed to serving the citizens with a central focus on outstanding customer service.  This fee-redirect legislation resulted in no adverse impact to General Revenue (GR) and no increase in fees to Florida citizens.
• 2016 – SB772 (Rep. Richter): This law allowed Tax Collectors to print and deliver CW license renewals. This led to the most convenient license renewal process. Citizens can now walk into and out of an office with a license in hand.
• 2015 – SB200 (Sen. Latvala/Rep. Eagle): This fraud protection legislation was brought to the attention of Florida legislators as Tax Collectors learned that citizens were being defrauded by online criminals. Before this legislation, criminals would set up fake websites and lure unsuspecting Floridians into thinking they paid their taxes, when in fact they would be taken advantage of. This legislation now protects taxpayers from online fraud and public records manipulation.
• 2014 – HB523 (Sen. Simpson/Rep. Grant): This law created better access and convenience to Floridians to gain their CW license. Before this ground-breaking legislation, citizens would be required to drive many miles to existing state regional offices to gain the necessary pieces to procure a CW license. By working with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tax Collectors opened up their network of community offices to allow citizens to access everything they needed for a CW license all in one local place.
• 2011 – SB 487 (Sen. Thrasher): This extensive bill modernized tax collection for the benefit of taxpayers. The measure enhanced due process, created efficiencies in adding items like e-government (e.g. electronic tax notices and payment), and got rid of antiquated provisions of law.