CRC - 2017                                           CS for P 61
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Local Government; and Commissioner Smith
       
       330-00237-17                                            201761c1
    1                         A proposal to amend                       
    2         Sections 1 and 2 of Article VIII of the State
    3         Constitution to provide that any law enacted by the
    4         Legislature that restricts the home rule powers
    5         granted to counties and municipalities must meet
    6         certain criteria.
    7          
    8  Be It Proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission of
    9  Florida:
   10  
   11         Sections 1 and 2 of Article VIII of the State Constitution
   12  are amended to read:
   13                            ARTICLE VIII                           
   14                          LOCAL GOVERNMENT                         
   15         SECTION 1. Counties.—
   16         (a) POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. The state shall be divided by
   17  law into political subdivisions called counties. Counties may be
   18  created, abolished or changed by law, with provision for payment
   19  or apportionment of the public debt.
   20         (b) COUNTY FUNDS. The care, custody and method of
   21  disbursing county funds shall be provided by general law.
   22         (c) GOVERNMENT. Pursuant to general or special law, a
   23  county government may be established by charter which shall be
   24  adopted, amended or repealed only upon vote of the electors of
   25  the county in a special election called for that purpose.
   26         (d) COUNTY OFFICERS. There shall be elected by the electors
   27  of each county, for terms of four years, a sheriff, a tax
   28  collector, a property appraiser, a supervisor of elections, and
   29  a clerk of the circuit court; except, when provided by county
   30  charter or special law approved by vote of the electors of the
   31  county, any county officer may be chosen in another manner
   32  therein specified, or any county office may be abolished when
   33  all the duties of the office prescribed by general law are
   34  transferred to another office. When not otherwise provided by
   35  county charter or special law approved by vote of the electors,
   36  the clerk of the circuit court shall be ex officio clerk of the
   37  board of county commissioners, auditor, recorder and custodian
   38  of all county funds.
   39         (e) COMMISSIONERS. Except when otherwise provided by county
   40  charter, the governing body of each county shall be a board of
   41  county commissioners composed of five or seven members serving
   42  staggered terms of four years. After each decennial census the
   43  board of county commissioners shall divide the county into
   44  districts of contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
   45  as practicable. One commissioner residing in each district shall
   46  be elected as provided by law.
   47         (f) NON-CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties not operating under
   48  county charters shall have such power of self-government as is
   49  provided by general or special law. The board of county
   50  commissioners of a county not operating under a charter may
   51  enact, in a manner prescribed by general law, county ordinances
   52  not inconsistent with general or special law, but an ordinance
   53  in conflict with a municipal ordinance shall not be effective
   54  within the municipality to the extent of such conflict. A law
   55  enacted by the Legislature which restricts power granted to a
   56  non-charter county must:
   57         (1) State with specificity the statewide necessity
   58  justifying the preemption;
   59         (2) Be no broader than necessary to accomplish the
   60  statewide necessity expressed;
   61         (3) Contain only one preemption of a power granted herein;
   62  and
   63         (4) Relate to one subject.
   64         (g) CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties operating under county
   65  charters shall have all powers of local self-government not
   66  inconsistent with general law, or with special law approved by
   67  vote of the electors. The governing body of a county operating
   68  under a charter may enact county ordinances not inconsistent
   69  with general law. The charter shall provide which shall prevail
   70  in the event of conflict between county and municipal
   71  ordinances. A law enacted by the Legislature which restricts
   72  power granted to a charter county under this subsection must:
   73         (1) State with specificity the statewide necessity
   74  justifying the preemption;
   75         (2) Be no broader than necessary to accomplish the
   76  statewide necessity expressed;
   77         (3) Contain only one preemption of a power granted herein;
   78  and
   79         (4) Relate to one subject.
   80         (h) TAXES; LIMITATION. Property situate within
   81  municipalities shall not be subject to taxation for services
   82  rendered by the county exclusively for the benefit of the
   83  property or residents in unincorporated areas.
   84         (i) COUNTY ORDINANCES. Each county ordinance shall be filed
   85  with the custodian of state records and shall become effective
   86  at such time thereafter as is provided by general law.
   87         (j) VIOLATION OF ORDINANCES. Persons violating county
   88  ordinances shall be prosecuted and punished as provided by law.
   89         (k) COUNTY SEAT. In every county there shall be a county
   90  seat at which shall be located the principal offices and
   91  permanent records of all county officers. The county seat may
   92  not be moved except as provided by general law. Branch offices
   93  for the conduct of county business may be established elsewhere
   94  in the county by resolution of the governing body of the county
   95  in the manner prescribed by law. No instrument shall be deemed
   96  recorded until filed at the county seat, or a branch office
   97  designated by the governing body of the county for the recording
   98  of instruments, according to law.
   99         SECTION 2. Municipalities.—
  100         (a) ESTABLISHMENT. Municipalities may be established or
  101  abolished and their charters amended pursuant to general or
  102  special law. When any municipality is abolished, provision shall
  103  be made for the protection of its creditors.
  104         (b) POWERS. Municipalities shall have governmental,
  105  corporate and proprietary powers to enable them to conduct
  106  municipal government, perform municipal functions and render
  107  municipal services, and may exercise any power for municipal
  108  purposes except as otherwise provided by law. A law enacted by
  109  the legislature which preempts power granted to a municipality
  110  under this subsection must:
  111         (1) State with specificity the statewide necessity
  112  justifying the preemption;
  113         (2) Be no broader than necessary to accomplish the
  114  statewide necessity expressed;
  115         (3) Contain only one preemption of a power granted herein;
  116  and
  117         (4) Relate to one subject.
  118  
  119  Each municipal legislative body shall be elective.
  120         (c) ANNEXATION. Municipal annexation of unincorporated
  121  territory, merger of municipalities, and exercise of extra
  122  territorial powers by municipalities shall be as provided by
  123  general or special law.