Fla. Stat. § 189.01
Short title
This chapter may be cited as the “Uniform Special District Accountability Act.”
Florida Statutes Chapter 189 — UNIFORM SPECIAL DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 189 · 55 active provisions
Fla. Stat. § 189.011
Statement of legislative purpose and intent
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature through the adoption of this chapter to provide general provisions for the definition, creation, and operation of special districts. It is the specific intent of the Legislature that dependent special districts shall be created at the prerogative of the counties and municipalitie…
Fla. Stat. § 189.012
Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term:(1) “Department” means the Department of Commerce.(2) “Dependent special district” means a special district that meets at least one of the following criteria:(a) The membership of its governing body is identical to that of the governing body of a single county or a single municipality.…
Fla. Stat. § 189.013
Special districts; creation, dissolution, and reporting requirements
All special districts, regardless of the existence of other, more specific provisions of applicable law, shall comply with the creation, dissolution, and reporting requirements set forth in this chapter.
Fla. Stat. § 189.014
Designation of registered office and agent
(1) Within 30 days after the first meeting of its governing body, each special district in the state shall designate a registered office and a registered agent and file such information with the local governing authority or authorities and with the department. The registered agent shall be an agent of the district upon…
Fla. Stat. § 189.015
Meetings; notice; required reports
(1) The governing body of each special district shall file quarterly, semiannually, or annually a schedule of its regular meetings with the local governing authority or authorities. The schedule shall include the date, time, and location of each scheduled meeting. The schedule shall be published quarterly, semiannually…
Fla. Stat. § 189.016
Reports; budgets; audits
(1) When a new special district is created, the district must forward to the department, within 30 days after the adoption of the special act, rule, ordinance, resolution, or other document that provides for the creation of the district, a copy of the document and a written statement that includes a reference to the st…
Fla. Stat. § 189.017
Rulemaking authority
The department may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this chapter.
Fla. Stat. § 189.018
Fee schedule; Grants and Donations Trust Fund
The department, by rule, shall establish a schedule of fees to pay one-half of the costs incurred by the department in administering this act, except that the fee may not exceed $175 per district per year. The fees collected under this section shall be deposited in the Grants and Donations Trust Fund administered by th…
Fla. Stat. § 189.019
Codification
(1) Each district, by December 1, 2004, shall submit to the Legislature a draft codified charter, at its expense, so that its special acts may be codified into a single act for reenactment by the Legislature, if there is more than one special act for the district. The Legislature may adopt a schedule for individual dis…
Fla. Stat. § 189.02
Dependent special districts
(1) A charter for the creation of a dependent special district created after September 30, 1989, shall be adopted only by ordinance of a county or municipal governing body having jurisdiction over the area affected.(2) A county is authorized to create dependent special districts within the boundary lines of the county,…
Fla. Stat. § 189.021
Refund of certain special assessments
If a dependent special district has levied assessments for an improvement or specialized function for which it was created; no bonds have been issued against which the special assessments are pledged; and the county or municipality which created the special district determines that the demand for the improvement or fun…
Fla. Stat. § 189.022
Status statement
The charter of a newly created dependent special district shall contain, and where practical and feasible, the charter of an existing dependent special district shall be amended to contain, a reference to the status of the special district as dependent. When necessary, the status statement shall be amended to conform t…
Fla. Stat. § 189.03
Statement of legislative purpose and intent; independent special districts
(1) The Legislature finds that:(a) There is a need for uniform, focused, and fair procedures in state law to provide a reasonable alternative for the establishment, powers, operation, and duration of independent special districts.(b) It is in the public interest that any independent special district created pursuant to…
Fla. Stat. § 189.031
Legislative intent for the creation of independent special districts; special act prohibitions; model elements and other requirements; local general-purpose government/Governor and Cabinet creation authorizations
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.—It is the intent of the Legislature that, after September 30, 1989, at a minimum, the requirements of subsection (3) must be satisfied when an independent special district is created.(2) SPECIAL ACTS PROHIBITED.—Pursuant to s. 11(a)(21), Art. III of the State Constitution, the Legislature hereby…
Fla. Stat. § 189.0311
Independent special districts; charter requirements
(1) Notwithstanding any general law, special act, or ordinance of a local government to the contrary, any independent special district charter enacted after September 30, 1989, shall contain the information required by s. 189.031(3). Recognizing that the exclusive charter for a community development district is the sta…
Fla. Stat. § 189.0312
Independent special districts; term of office
(1) A member elected by the qualified electors of the district to the governing body of an independent special district may not serve for more than 12 consecutive years, unless the district’s charter provides for more restrictive terms of office. Service of a term of office that commenced before November 5, 2024, does…
Fla. Stat. § 189.0313
Independent special districts; boundaries; exception
Notwithstanding any special law or general law of local application to the contrary, the boundaries of an independent special district shall only be changed by general law or special act. This section does not apply to a community development district established pursuant to chapter 190.
Fla. Stat. § 189.033
Independent special district services in disproportionally affected county; rate reduction for providers providing economic benefits
If the governing body of an independent special district that provides water, wastewater, and sanitation services in a disproportionally affected county determines that a new user or the expansion of an existing user of one or more of its utility systems will provide a significant benefit to the community in terms of i…
Fla. Stat. § 189.04
Elections; general requirements and procedures
(1) If a dependent special district has an elected governing body, elections shall be conducted by the supervisor of elections of the county wherein the district is located in accordance with the Florida Election Code, chapters 97-106.(2)(a) Any independent special district located entirely in a single county may provi…
Fla. Stat. § 189.041
Elections; special requirements and procedures for districts with governing bodies elected on a one-acre/one-vote basis
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section:(a) “Qualified elector” means any person at least 18 years of age who is a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident of Florida, and a freeholder or freeholder’s spouse and resident of the district who registers with the supervisor of elections of a county within which…
Fla. Stat. § 189.042
Special district bond referenda
Where required by the State Constitution or general law, special district bond referenda shall be conducted according to ss. 100.211 and 100.221. The provisions of this section shall not apply to community development districts established pursuant to chapter 190.
Fla. Stat. § 189.05
Collection of non-ad valorem assessments
Community development districts may and other special districts shall provide for the collection of annual non-ad valorem assessments in accordance with chapter 197 or monthly non-ad valorem assessments in accordance with chapter 170.
Fla. Stat. § 189.051
Bond issuance
If a referendum is not required, the district shall ensure that, at the time of the closing, the bonds met at least one of the following criteria:(1) The bonds were rated in one of the highest four ratings by a nationally recognized rating service;(2) The bonds were privately placed with or otherwise sold to accredited…
Fla. Stat. § 189.052
Assessments levied on facilities regulated under chapter 513
When an independent or dependent special district levies an assessment on a facility regulated under chapter 513, the assessment may not be based on the assertion that the facility is comprised of residential units. Instead, facilities regulated under chapter 513 shall be assessed in the same manner as a hotel, motel,…
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