Bill > H0123

Introduced Session

An act relating to special districts; abolishing certain soil and water conservation districts in this state; transferring the assets and liabilities of such districts to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; amending s. 171.093, F.S.; prohibiting municipalities from assuming certain services in annexed areas; providing that a fire control district remains the provider of specified services in the annexed area; requiring that the district's geographical boundaries continue to include the annexed area; authorizing the district to continue certain levies and assessments; amending s. 189.03, F.S.; revising the legislative purpose and intent for independent special districts; creating s. 189.0331, F.S.; defining the terms "district lands or water areas" and "outdoor recreational purposes"; providing that an independent special district that grants the public access to district lands or water areas for outdoor recreational purposes owes no duty of care to perform specified actions; providing that an independent special district is not responsible for injury to persons or property caused by an act or omission of such person upon such lands or water areas; providing applicability; providing that hb123-00 specified protections, immunities, and limitations of liability apply regardless of whether a person or claimant was engaged in an outdoor recreational purpose at the time of an accident or occurrence; providing certain protection to the owner of private land if an independent special district secures an easement or other access right through such private land to district lands or water areas that the independent special district makes available to the public for outdoor recreational purposes; providing that independent special districts are not relieved of certain liability; amending s. 189.053, F.S.; providing that a special district may purchase commodities and contractual services from the purchasing agreements of this state under certain circumstances; amending s. 189.0695, F.S.; removing a provision requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct performance reviews of independent fire control districts according to a specified schedule; requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a performance review of certain independent special districts by a specified date; removing provisions requiring the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability hb123-00 to submit the final report of performance reviews for certain districts according to a specified schedule; creating s. 189.0699, F.S.; providing that an independent special district may require, by resolution, criminal history screening for certain persons; providing requirements for such resolution; providing construction; amending s. 582.19, F.S.; revising the qualifications of a supervisor of a soil and water conservation district; requiring the Commission on Ethics to investigate whether certain supervisors meet eligibility criteria; amending s. 582.20, F.S.; removing provisions subjecting certain powers of a soil and water conservation district to another district's approval; requiring the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to monitor specified soil and water conservation districts and ensure that each district is winding up administrative and fiscal matters in a timely manner and using certain practices; reenacting s. 189.074(11), F.S., relating to voluntary merger of independent special districts, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 171.093, F.S., in a reference thereto; providing effective dates.

AI Summary

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Toby Overdorf (R)*, 

1st Reading (Original Filed Version) (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document