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SB 1986 — Water Management Districts
by Budget Committee
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Budget Committee (BC)
The bill provides for the following:
- Authorizes the Legislature to set the maximum millage rate for each district.
- Removes a provision requiring that the maximum property tax revenue for water management districts revert to the amount authorized for the prior year if the Legislature does not set the amount.
- Removes the maximum revenue limitation for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
- Creates s. 373.535, F.S., to require each water management district to submit a preliminary budget by January 15 for legislative review, requires the preliminary budget to include certain information, and authorizes the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to submit comments regarding the preliminary budget to the district by March 1. Requires each district to respond to the comments no later than March 15.
- Provides for the preliminary budget reviewed by the Legislature to be the basis for developing each district’s tentative budget for the next fiscal year.
- Provides criteria for the Legislative Budget Commission (LBC) to use in approving the tentative budget of a district and authorizes the LBC to reject certain district budget proposals.
- Requires a district to submit for review a description of any significant changes made from the preliminary budget to the tentative budget.
- Requires that a five-year water resource development work program describe the district’s implementation strategy and funding plan for water resource, water supply, and alternative water supply development components of each approved regional water supply plan.
- Authorizes the governing board of a water management district to provide group insurance for its employees and the employees of another water management district.
- Allows each water management district to own, acquire, develop, construct, operate, and manage a public information system, and exempts local government review or approval of such public information system.
- Revises the definitions of the terms “regularly established position” and “temporary position” for purposes of district positions within the state retirement system, effective October 1, 2012.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect upon becoming a law except as otherwise expressly provided in the bill.
Vote: Senate 34-6; House 117-0