Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will call a special session to implement Amendment 3 and restrict local budget workarounds.

The governor told reporters at a press conference in the state Capitol on Wednesday, Nov. 4, that he would work with the Florida Legislature on timing but that the session would happen before his second term ends in early January, the Miami Herald reported. As we reported Nov. 4, the amendment could cut Key Biscayne's annual property tax revenue by up to $2.2 million once fully phased in.

The session would set the schedule for the exemption increases and restrict local governments from offsetting the cuts. DeSantis said the goal included "limiting local governments from just doing an end run around the amendment and taxing them in other ways," according to the Herald.

No Village of Key Biscayne official's response to the proposed restrictions appears in public records as of publication.

What Amendment 3 does

Voters approved Amendment 3 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with 62% support. That cleared the 60% threshold required to amend the state constitution, according to the Herald. The measure raises the homestead property tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and then to $250,000 in 2028. School district levies are carved out.

The amendment could save Florida taxpayers roughly $11.8 billion a year in local property taxes by fiscal year 2031–32, according to a statement from Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez. In Miami-Dade, unofficial returns showed about 488,756 votes in favor, roughly 65.6% of votes cast on the measure locally, Fernandez's office said.

Local workarounds under fire

Fernandez, who publicly supported Amendment 3, called on local governments to respect the amendment's purpose when preparing future budgets. He said he would oppose efforts to recoup lost revenue through higher rates or new fees, according to his statement.

School funding formula in play

During a summer special session, the Legislature carved school districts out of the larger exemption when it placed Amendment 3 on the ballot. But DeSantis hinted Wednesday that lawmakers would revisit the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), the state's K-12 funding formula, next year after he leaves office, the Herald reported.

DeSantis said a rewrite could "provide strong funding for schools … relief for homeowners," according to the Herald.

Governor-elect Byron Donalds told the News Service of Florida the week before the election that he planned to change how the FEFP funds public schools to give districts more spending flexibility, the Herald reported.

Opposition didn't stop passage

Amendment 3 drew opposition during the election season from firefighters, police, emergency medical technicians, local government officials and top Republican leaders. They argued the tax cut would be too drastic for rural counties to absorb without hitting essential services, according to the Herald.

DeSantis, who toured the state for more than a year promoting the measure, credited its popularity for driving enough Republican turnout to keep the Cabinet in GOP control.

No specific date for the special session has been set. DeSantis said only that it would occur before his term ends in early January.