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CS/CS/HB 7013 — Special Districts
by State Affairs Committee; Ways & Means Committee; Local Administration, Federal Affairs & Special Districts Subcommittee; and Rep. Persons-Mulicka (CS/SB 1058 by Community Affairs Committee and Senator Hutson)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Community Affairs Committee (CA)
The bill revises numerous provisions relating to special districts. A “special district” is a unit of local government created for a particular purpose, with jurisdiction to operate within a limited geographic boundary. Specifically the bill makes changes by:
- Creating a 12-year consecutive term limit for elected members of governing bodies of most types of independent special districts;
- Providing that boundaries of independent special districts may only be changed by an act of the Legislature, with an exception;
- Repealing provisions that allow special districts to convert to a municipality without legislative approval;
- Adding additional criteria for declaring a special district inactive;
- Revising notice and procedures for proposed declaration of inactive status;
- Authorizing districts that have been declared inactive to expend funds in certain instances;
- Requiring all special districts to adopt goals and objectives, as well as performance measures and standards to determine if those goals and objectives are being achieved;
- Requiring independent special fire control districts to report certain information to the Division of the State Fire Marshal;
- Reducing the maximum ad valorem millage rate that may be levied by a mosquito control district from 10 mills to one mill, with one exception;
- Requiring mosquito control districts to meet certain conditions required to participate in state programs; and
- Prohibiting the creation of new safe neighborhood improvement districts and requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a performance review of existing safe neighborhood improvement districts.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, these provisions take effect July 1, 2024.
Vote: Senate 40-0; House 112-1