Florida Senate - 2017                                    SJR 134
       
       
        
       By Senator Artiles
       
       40-00231-17                                            2017134__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 1
    3         of Article VIII and the creation of a new section in
    4         Article XII of the State Constitution to remove
    5         authority for a county charter to provide for choosing
    6         certain county officers in a manner other than
    7         election, prohibit a special law to provide for
    8         choosing a sheriff in a manner other than election,
    9         authorize the abolition of any county office if its
   10         duties are transferred to another office by special
   11         law approved by county voters, and remove authority
   12         for a county charter to transfer certain duties of the
   13         clerk of the circuit court to another officer.
   14          
   15  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         That the following amendment to Section 1 of Article VIII
   18  and the creation of a new section in Article XII of the State
   19  Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
   20  electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
   21  general election or at an earlier special election specifically
   22  authorized by law for that purpose:
   23                            ARTICLE VIII                           
   24                          LOCAL GOVERNMENT                         
   25         SECTION 1. Counties.—
   26         (a) POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. The state shall be divided by
   27  law into political subdivisions called counties. Counties may be
   28  created, abolished or changed by law, with provision for payment
   29  or apportionment of the public debt.
   30         (b) COUNTY FUNDS. The care, custody and method of
   31  disbursing county funds shall be provided by general law.
   32         (c) GOVERNMENT. Pursuant to general or special law, a
   33  county government may be established by charter which shall be
   34  adopted, amended or repealed only upon vote of the electors of
   35  the county in a special election called for that purpose.
   36         (d) COUNTY OFFICERS. There shall be elected by the electors
   37  of each county, for terms of four years, a sheriff, a tax
   38  collector, a property appraiser, a supervisor of elections, and
   39  a clerk of the circuit court; except, when provided by county
   40  charter or special law approved by vote of the electors of the
   41  county, any county officer may be chosen in another manner
   42  therein specified, except the sheriff, or any county office may
   43  be abolished when all the duties of the office prescribed by
   44  general law are transferred to another office as provided by
   45  special law approved by vote of the electors of the county. When
   46  not otherwise provided by county charter or special law approved
   47  by vote of the electors, the clerk of the circuit court shall be
   48  ex officio clerk of the board of county commissioners, auditor,
   49  recorder, and custodian of all county funds. Notwithstanding
   50  section 6(e) of this article, this subsection provides the
   51  exclusive manner for the selection, length of terms, abolition
   52  of office, and transfer of duties of the sheriff, tax collector,
   53  property appraiser, supervisor of elections, and clerk of the
   54  circuit court in each county.
   55         (e) COMMISSIONERS. Except when otherwise provided by county
   56  charter, the governing body of each county shall be a board of
   57  county commissioners composed of five or seven members serving
   58  staggered terms of four years. After each decennial census the
   59  board of county commissioners shall divide the county into
   60  districts of contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
   61  as practicable. One commissioner residing in each district shall
   62  be elected as provided by law.
   63         (f) NON-CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties not operating under
   64  county charters shall have such power of self-government as is
   65  provided by general or special law. The board of county
   66  commissioners of a county not operating under a charter may
   67  enact, in a manner prescribed by general law, county ordinances
   68  not inconsistent with general or special law, but an ordinance
   69  in conflict with a municipal ordinance shall not be effective
   70  within the municipality to the extent of such conflict.
   71         (g) CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties operating under county
   72  charters shall have all powers of local self-government not
   73  inconsistent with general law, or with special law approved by
   74  vote of the electors. The governing body of a county operating
   75  under a charter may enact county ordinances not inconsistent
   76  with general law. The charter shall provide which shall prevail
   77  in the event of conflict between county and municipal
   78  ordinances.
   79         (h) TAXES; LIMITATION. Property situate within
   80  municipalities shall not be subject to taxation for services
   81  rendered by the county exclusively for the benefit of the
   82  property or residents in unincorporated areas.
   83         (i) COUNTY ORDINANCES. Each county ordinance shall be filed
   84  with the custodian of state records and shall become effective
   85  at such time thereafter as is provided by general law.
   86         (j) VIOLATION OF ORDINANCES. Persons violating county
   87  ordinances shall be prosecuted and punished as provided by law.
   88         (k) COUNTY SEAT. In every county there shall be a county
   89  seat at which shall be located the principal offices and
   90  permanent records of all county officers. The county seat may
   91  not be moved except as provided by general law. Branch offices
   92  for the conduct of county business may be established elsewhere
   93  in the county by resolution of the governing body of the county
   94  in the manner prescribed by law. No instrument shall be deemed
   95  recorded until filed at the county seat, or a branch office
   96  designated by the governing body of the county for the recording
   97  of instruments, according to law.
   98                             ARTICLE XII                           
   99                              SCHEDULE                             
  100         Selection and duties of county officers.—The amendment to
  101  Section 1 of Article VIII, which removes the authority for a
  102  county charter to provide for choosing certain county officers
  103  in a manner other than election, prohibits a special law to
  104  provide for choosing a sheriff in a manner other than election,
  105  authorizes the abolition of any county office if its duties are
  106  transferred to another office by special law approved by county
  107  voters, and removes authority for a county charter to transfer
  108  certain ex officio duties of the clerk of the circuit court to
  109  another officer, takes effect January 5, 2021.
  110         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
  111  placed on the ballot:
  112                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
  113                       ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 1                     
  114                             ARTICLE XII                           
  115         SELECTION AND DUTIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS.—Removes authority
  116  for a county charter to provide for choosing certain county
  117  officers other than by election; prohibits a special law to
  118  provide for choosing a sheriff other than by election;
  119  authorizes abolition of any county office and transfer of duties
  120  only by approval of county voters; and removes authority for a
  121  county charter to transfer certain duties of the clerk of the
  122  circuit court. The amendment takes effect January 5, 2021, if
  123  approved.
  124         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
  125  placed on the ballot if a court declares the preceding statement
  126  defective and the decision of the court is not reversed:
  127                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
  128                       ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 1                     
  129                             ARTICLE XII                           
  130         SELECTION AND DUTIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS.—Proposing an
  131  amendment to the State Constitution, applicable to all counties,
  132  to remove authority for a county charter to provide for choosing
  133  certain county officers in a manner other than by election and
  134  prohibits a special law approved by county voters to provide for
  135  choosing a sheriff in a manner other than by election. The
  136  amendment authorizes the abolition of any county office if its
  137  duties are transferred to another office by special law approved
  138  by county voters. The amendment also removes authority for a
  139  county charter to transfer to another officer the duties of the
  140  clerk of the circuit court to serve as ex officio clerk of the
  141  board of county commissioners, auditor, recorder, and custodian
  142  of all county funds. The amendment takes effect January 5, 2021,
  143  if approved.