Florida HB537 - Final Sections 51-60
Section 51. Section 106.37, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
Section 52. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 189.405,
Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
189.405 Elections; general requirements and procedures; education programs.--
(2)
(a) Any independent special district located entirely in a single county may provide for the conduct of district elections by the supervisor of elections for that county. Any independent special district that conducts its elections through the office of the supervisor shall make election procedures consistent with the Florida Election Code.
(b) Any independent special district not conducting district elections through the supervisor of elections shall report to the supervisor in a timely manner the purpose, date, authorization, procedures, and results of each election conducted by the district.
(c) A candidate for a position on a governing board of a single-county special district that has its elections conducted by the supervisor of elections shall qualify for the office with the county supervisor of elections in whose jurisdiction the district is located. Elections for governing board members elected by registered electors shall be nonpartisan, except when partisan elections are specified by a district's charter.
Candidates shall qualify as directed by chapter 99. The qualifying fee shall be remitted to the general revenue fund of the qualifying officer to help defray the cost of the election.
(3)
(a) If a multicounty special district has a popularly elected governing board, elections for the purpose of electing members to such board shall conform to the Florida Election Code, chapters 97-106.
(b) With the exception of those districts conducting elections on a one-acre/one-vote basis, qualifying for multicounty special district governing board positions shall be coordinated by the Department of State. Elections for governing board members elected by registered electors shall be nonpartisan, except when partisan elections are specified by a district's charter. Candidates shall qualify as directed by chapter 99. The qualifying fee shall be remitted to the Department of State.
Section 53. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
191.005, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
191.005 District boards of commissioners; membership, officers, meetings.--
(1)
(a) With the exception of districts whose governing boards are appointed collectively by the Governor, the county commission, and any cooperating city within the county, the business affairs of each district shall be conducted and administered by a five-member board. All three-member boards existing on the effective date of this act shall be converted to five-member boards, except those permitted to continue as a three-member board by special act adopted in 1997 or thereafter.
The board shall be elected in nonpartisan elections by the electors of the district. Except as provided in this act, such elections shall be held at the time and in the manner prescribed by law for holding general elections in accordance with s. 189.405(2)(a) and (3), and each member shall be elected for a term of 4 years and serve until the member's successor assumes office. Candidates for the board of a district shall qualify as directed by chapter 99.
Section 54. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
582.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
582.18 Election of supervisors of each district.--
(1) The election of supervisors for each soil and water conservation district shall be held every 2 years. The elections shall be held at the time of the general election provided for by s. 100.041. The office of the supervisor of a soil and water conservation district is a nonpartisan office, and candidates for such office are prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for election based on party affiliation.
(a) Each candidate for supervisor for such district shall qualify as directed by chapter 99.
Section 55. Subsection (1) of section 876.05, Florida
Statutes, is amended to read:
876.05 Public employees; oath.--
(1) All persons who now or hereafter are employed by or who now or hereafter are on the payroll of the state, or any of its departments and agencies, subdivisions, counties, cities, school boards and districts of the free public school system of the state or counties, or institutions of higher learning, and all candidates for public office, except candidates for federal office, are required to take an oath before any person duly authorized to take acknowledgments of instruments for public record in the state in the following form:
I, , a citizen of the State of Florida and of the United States of America, and being employed by or an officer of officer, do hereby solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Florida.
Section 56.
At the time of qualification, all write-in candidates must reside within the district represented by the office sought.
Section 57.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon becoming a law, this act shall take effect January 1, 2008.