The Florida Legislature has prioritized small business issues during the past few sessions, and although the 2024 session was tamer, Florida is still a great place to own and operate a small business.

In June, Florida’s small businesses saw their commercial rent tax drop from 4.5% to 2% – a major win for Main Street. When lawmakers return for the 2025 session, NFIB will strongly advocate for the elimination of this onerous tax altogether.

Other small business wins from the 2024 session include:

• HB 7073 – a tax package that contains a cut to homeowners insurance premium taxes and a few sales tax holidays – this also included the business rent tax cut.

• HB 433 – legislation that bans local governments from enacting predictive scheduling ordinances, among other provisions reducing regulations on small businesses.

• HB 583 – legislation removes arbitrary sizing restrictions on wine containers.

• HB 549 – legislation increases criminal penalties for organized retail theft.

The 2025 legislative session will begin in Tallahassee on March 4, 2025, following several weeks of legislative committee hearings in January and February.

While many pro-small business candidates were elected in November, Florida now has several open seats due to appointments to the Trump Administration. So far, Florida has one open U.S. Senate seat, two Congressional seats, one state Senate seat, two State House seats, and one State Cabinet post of Chief Financial Officer.

NFIB’s Florida PAC and FedPAC will monitor and engage in the special elections – stay tuned!

TAKE ACTION: Want to help decide what policy positions NFIB will take next year? Submit your member ballot TODAY and be the Voice of Small Business in Florida.

To vote, visit www.NFIB.com/VoteMyBallot, login with your email and password, select “My Ballots and Surveys,” and complete your state ballot today.