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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to soil and water conservation 2
districts; dissolving specified soil and water 3
conservation districts and transferring district 4
assets and liabilities to the Department of 5
Agriculture and Consumer Services; dissolving 6
specified soil and wate r conservation districts and 7
transferring district assets and liabilities to 8
specified counties; amending s. 582.01, F.S.; 9
providing and revising definitions; amending s. 10
582.055, F.S.; requiring the department provide travel 11
expenses for soil and water co nservation district 12
board members; amending s. 582.06, F.S.; revising 13
provisions for the establishment, composition, 14
membership, organization, and responsibilities of the 15
Soil and Water Conservation Council; amending s. 16
582.10, F.S.; establishing regional soil and water 17
conservation districts beginning on a specified date; 18
amending s. 582.16, F.S.; providing for the transfer 19
of certain contractual obligations for real property 20
interests equipment, vehicles, other personal 21
property, and records; providing an exception; 22
amending s. 582.18, F.S.; providing for the 23
appointment of district supervisors; creating s. 24
582.181, F.S.; providing for soil and water 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
conservation district governing boards; amending s. 26
582.19, F.S.; revising provisions for the 27
qualifications and tenure of soil and water 28
conservation district supervisors; amending s. 29
582.195, F.S.; revising provisions for mandatory 30
meeting of soil and water conservation district 31
supervisors; creating s. 582.196, F.S.; authorizing 32
certain compensation for soil and water conservation 33
district board supervisors; amending s. 582.20, F.S.; 34
revising the powers of soil and water conservation 35
district supervisors; amending s. 582.295, F.S.; 36
providing for the reassignment of assets of certain 37
dissolved soil and water c onservation districts; 38
amending s. 582.30, F.S.; revising provisions to 39
changes made by the act; repealing s. 582.11, F.S., 40
relating to hearings regarding the creation of soil 41
and water conservation districts; repealing ss. 42
582.12, 582.13, and 582.14, F.S. , relating to 43
referendums for the creation of soil and water 44
conservation districts; repealing s. 582.15, F.S., 45
relating to the organization of soil and water 46
conservation districts; providing an effective date. 47
48
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 49
50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Section 1. The following soil and water conservation 51
districts are dissolved and all assets and liabilities of each 52
district are transferred to the Florida Department of 53
Agriculture and Consumer Services: 54
(1) Alachua Soil and Wate r Conservation District. 55
(2) Bradford Soil and Water Conservation District. 56
(3) Brevard Soil and Water Conservation District. 57
(4) Broward Soil and Water Conservation District. 58
(5) Charlotte Soil and Water Conservation District. 59
(6) Chipola River Soil and Water Conservation District. 60
(7) Clay Soil and Water Conservation District. 61
(8) Choctawhatchee River Soil and Water Conservation 62
District. 63
(9) Collier Soil and Water Conservation District. 64
(10) Dixie Soil and Water Conservation District. 65
(11) Duval Soil and Water Conservation District. 66
(12) Escambia Soil and Water Conservation District. 67
(13) Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District. 68
(14) Gadsden Soil and Water Conservation District. 69
(15) Gilchrist Soil and Water Conservation District. 70
(16) Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District. 71
(17) Hardee Soil and Water Conservation District. 72
(18) Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District. 73
(19) Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District. 74
(20) Holmes Creek Soil and Water Conservation District. 75
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(21) Indian River Soil and Water Conservation District. 76
(22) Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District. 77
(23) Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. 78
(24) Lafayette Soil and Water Conservation Distric t. 79
(25) Lake Soil and Water Conservation District. 80
(26) Leon Soil and Water Conservation District. 81
(27) Levy Soil and Water Conservation District. 82
(28) Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District. 83
(29) Marion Soil and Water Conservation Di strict. 84
(30) Nassau Soil and Water Conservation District. 85
(31) Okeechobee Soil and Water Conservation District. 86
(32) Orange Hill Soil and Water Conservation District. 87
(33) Orange Soil and Water Conservation District. 88
(34) Osceola Soil and Water Conservation District. 89
(35) Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District. 90
(36) Peace River Soil and Water Conservation District. 91
(37) Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District. 92
(38) Santa Fe Soil and Water Conservation District. 93
(39) Sarasota Soil and Water Conservation District. 94
(40) Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District. 95
(41) South Dade Soil and Water Conservation District. 96
(42) St. Johns Soil and Water Conservation District. 97
(43) St. Lucie Soil and Water Conservation District. 98
(44) Sumter Soil and Water Conservation District. 99
(45) Suwannee County Conservation District. 100
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(46) Tupelo Soil and Water Conservation District. 101
(47) Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District. 102
(48) Wakulla Soil and Water Conservation District. 103
(49) Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation District. 104
Section 2. (1) The Baker Soil and Water Conservation 105
District is dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the 106
district are transferred to Baker County. 107
(2) The Blackwater Soil an d Water Conservation 108
District is dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the 109
district are transferred to Santa Rosa County. 110
(3) The Glades Soil and Water Conservation District is 111
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 112
transferred to Glades County. 113
(4) The Hendry Soil and Water Conservation District is 114
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 115
transferred to Hendry County. 116
(5) The Madison Soil and Water Conservation District is 117
dissolved and the assets and l iabilities of the district are 118
transferred to Madison County. 119
(6) The Martin Soil and Water Conservation District is 120
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 121
transferred to Martin County. 122
(7) The Polk Soil and Water Conservation Dis trict is 123
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 124
transferred to Polk County. 125
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(8) The Taylor Soil and Water Conservation District is 126
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 127
transferred to Taylor County. 128
(9) The Union Soil and Water Conservation District is 129
dissolved and the assets and liabilities of the district are 130
transferred to Union County. 131
Section 3. Section 582.01, Florida Statutes, is amended to 132
read: 133
582.01 Definitions. —As used in this chapter, the term: 134
(1) "Agriculture" means the science and art of production 135
of plants and animals useful to humans, including to a variable 136
extent the preparation of these products for human use and their 137
disposal by marketing or otherwise, and includes aquaculture, 138
horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, forestry, dairy, 139
livestock, poultry, bees, and any and all forms of farm products 140
and farm production. For the purposes of marketing and 141
promotional activities, the term includes seafood. 142
(2) "Agricultural operat ions" or "agricultural purposes" 143
means the following activities: 144
(a) Raising, growing, harvesting, or storing of crops, 145
including, but not limited to, soil preparation and crop 146
production services such as plowing, fertilizing, seed bed 147
preparation, planting, cultivating, and crop protecting 148
services. 149
(b) Feeding, breeding, or managing livestock, equine, or 150
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poultry. 151
(c) Producing or storing feed for use in the production of 152
livestock, including, but not limited to, cattle, calves, swine, 153
hogs, goats, sheep, equine, and rabbits, or for use in the 154
production of poultry, including, but not limited to, chickens, 155
hens, ratites, and turkeys. 156
(d) Producing plants, trees, fowl, equine, or other 157
animals. 158
(e) Producing aquacultural, horticultural, viticultura l, 159
silvicultural, grass sod, dairy, livestock, poultry, egg, and 160
apiarian products. 161
(f) Processing poultry. 162
(g) Post-harvest services on crops with the intent of 163
preparing them for market or further processing, including, but 164
not limited to, crop cleaning, drying, shelling, fumigating, 165
curing, sorting, grading, packing, ginning, canning, pickling, 166
and cooling. 167
(h) Slaughtering poultry and other animals. 168
(i) Manufacturing dairy products. 169
170
The term does not include constructing, installing, alter ing, 171
repairing, dismantling, or demolishing real property structures 172
or fixtures, including, but not limited to, grain bins, 173
irrigation equipment, and fencing. 174
(3)(1) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of 175
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Agriculture. 176
(4)(2) "Council" means the Soil and Water Conservation 177
Council. 178
(5)(3) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture 179
and Consumer Services. 180
(6)(4) "District" or "soil and water conservation 181
district" means a governmental subdivision of this state and a 182
body corporate and politic, organized in accordance with the 183
provisions of this chapter for the purpose, with the powers, and 184
subject to the provisions set forth in this chapter. The term 185
"district" when used in this chapter means and includes a "soil 186
and water conservation district ." All districts organized under 187
this chapter shall be known as soil and water conservation 188
districts and shall have all the powers set out herein. 189
(7)(5) "Due notice," in addition to notice required 190
pursuant to the provisions of chapter 120, means notic e 191
published at least twice, with an interval of at least 7 days 192
between the two publication dates, in a newspaper or other 193
publication of general circulation within the appropriate area. 194
(8)(6) "Land occupier" or "occupier of land" means a 195
person, other than the owner, who possesses any lands lying 196
within a district organized under the provisions of this 197
chapter, whether as lessee, renter, tenant, or otherwise. 198
(9)(7) "Landowner" or "owner of land" means a person who 199
holds legal or equitable title to an y lands lying within a 200
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district organized under the provisions of this chapter. 201
(8) "Qualified elector" means a person qualified to vote 202
in general elections under the constitution and laws of this 203
state. 204
(10)(9) "Supervisor" means a member of the governing body 205
of a district who is appointed elected in accordance with the 206
provisions of this chapter. 207
Section 4. Subsections (4) through (9) of section 582.055, 208
Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5) through 209
(10), respectively, and a new subsection (4) is added to that 210
section to read: 211
582.055 Powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture 212
and Consumer Services; rules. — 213
(4) The department shall provide for travel expenses to 214
members appointed to the soil and water conservation district 215
board. 216
Section 5. Section 582.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to 217
read: 218
582.06 Soil and Water Conservation Council; establishment, 219
composition, membership, organization, and responsibilities 220
powers and duties.— 221
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.-It is declared to be in the best 222
interest of the state that public agencies responsible for and 223
involved in the development and implementation of best 224
management practices, agricultural water quality, and water 225
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supply policy and planning work together to reduce duplication 226
of effort, foster maximum efficient use of existing resources, 227
and advise and assist the agencies involved. 228
(2)(1) COMPOSITION.— 229
(a) The Soil and Water Conservation Council is created 230
adjunct to in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 231
Services to perform the functions conferred upon in this section 232
and shall be composed of 7 members who have been involved in the 233
practice of soil or water conservation, or in the development or 234
implementation of interim me asures or best management practices 235
related thereto, and who have been engaged in agriculture or an 236
occupation related to the agricultural industry for at least 5 237
years at the time of their appointment. 238
(b) Beginning with appointments in the 2024 -2025 fiscal 239
year, the commissioner shall appoint one member at -large from 240
each of the 7 soil and water conservation district regions to 241
serve on the council. The initial appointments shall sunset on 242
the second Wednesday of January All members shall be appointed 243
by the commissioner. 244
(c) Thereafter, members shall serve 4 -year terms or until 245
their successors are duly qualified and appointed. If a vacancy 246
occurs, it shall be filled for the remainder of the term in the 247
manner of an initial appointment. 248
(3) MEMBERSHIP, ORGANIZATION, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. — 249
(a) The following representatives or their authorized 250
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designees shall serve ex officio in an advisory capacity to the 251
Soil and Water Conservation Council: 252
1. The Secretary of Environmental Protection. 253
2. The executive director of the Fish and Wildlife 254
Conservation Commission. 255
3. The associate dean of research of the Florida Medical 256
Entomological Research Laboratory at the University of Florida 257
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 258
4. The state conservationist for the United States 259
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation 260
Service. 261
5. The president of the Florida Farm Bureau. 262
6. Two supervisors nominated by the Association of Florida 263
Conservation Districts, two representatives of Florida 264
environmental groups, and two private citizens who are 265
landowners or producers enrolled in best management practices. 266
7. Such other representatives of state or federal agencies 267
as the council deems desirable. 268
(b) The council shall be chaire d by the commissioner or 269
the commissioner's authorized designee. A majority of the 270
membership of the council shall constitute a quorum for the 271
conduct of business. The chair shall be responsible for 272
recording and distributing to the members a summary of th e 273
proceedings of all council meetings. The council shall meet at 274
least three times each year, or as needed. The council may 275
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designate subcommittees from time to time to assist in carrying 276
out its responsibilities, provided that the Subcommittee on 277
Managed Marshes shall be the first subcommittee appointed by the 278
council. The subcommittee shall continue to provide technical 279
assistance and guidance on basin management action plans and 280
research proposals, taking into account the total maximum daily 281
load reduction implications and natural resource interests. 282
(c) The council shall: 283
1. Develop and implement guidelines and strategies to 284
assist the department to develop agricultural best management 285
practices to improve water quality and water use efficiency 286
while promoting the sustainability of agriculture. 287
2. Develop and update commodity specific best management 288
practices manuals that are adopted by rule. 289
3. Develop and recommend to the department a request for 290
proposal process for research. 291
4. Collaborates with partners in the development, 292
implementation, and evaluation of statewide water policy as it 293
relates to water supply and water quality. 294
5. Identify potential funding sources for research or 295
implementation projects and evaluate and prioritize proposa ls 296
upon request by the funding source. 297
6. Prepare and present reports, as needed, on activities 298
in the state to other governmental organizations, as 299
appropriate. 300
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
7. Accept and review requests for creating or dissolving 301
soil and water conservation distr icts and shall, by a majority 302
vote, recommend, by resolution, to the commissioner that a 303
district be created or dissolved pursuant to the request, or 304
that the request be denied. 305
8. When requested by the Governor, Department of Commerce 306
or a district, the council shall provide a recommendation to the 307
Commissioner whether to remove a supervisor for neglect of duty 308
or malfeasance in office only after notice, hearing, and 309
thorough review. 310
(2) POWERS AND DUTIES; MEETINGS; PROCEDURES; RECORDS. — 311
(a) The meetings, powers and duties, procedures, and 312
recordkeeping of the Soil and Water Conservation Council shall 313
be conducted pursuant to s. 570.232. 314
(b) The council shall accept and review requests for 315
creating or dissolving soil and water conservation districts and 316
shall, by a majority vote, recommend, by resolution, to the 317
commissioner that a district be created or dissolved pursuant to 318
the request, or that the request be denied. 319
(c) When requested by the Governor or a district, the 320
council shall provide a re commendation to the Governor whether 321
to remove a supervisor for neglect of duty or malfeasance in 322
office only after notice, hearing, and thorough review. 323
Section 6. Section 582.10, Florida Statutes, is amended to 324
read: 325
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582.10 Creation of soil and wat er conservation districts. — 326
(1) At 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2024, the state shall be 327
divided into the following 7 regional soil and water 328
conservation districts Any 10 percent of owners of land lying 329
within the limits of the territory proposed to be organized into 330
a district may file a petition with the Department of 331
Agriculture and Consumer Services, asking that a soil and water 332
conservation district be organized to function in the territory 333
described in the petition. Such petition shall set forth : 334
(a) West Emerald Coast Soil and Water Conservation 335
District The proposed name of said district . 336
(b) East Emerald Coast Soil and Water Conservation 337
District That there is need, in the interest of the public 338
health, safety, and welfare, for a soil and wat er conservation 339
district to function in the territory described in the petition . 340
(c) North Central Soil and Water Conservation District A 341
description of the territory proposed to be organized as a 342
district, which description shall not be required to be g iven by 343
metes and bounds or by legal subdivisions, but shall be deemed 344
sufficient if generally accurate . 345
(d) Northeast Soil and Water Conservation District A 346
request that the department duly define the boundaries for such 347
district; that a referendum be h eld within the territory so 348
defined on the question of the creation of a soil and water 349
conservation district in such territory; and that the department 350
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
determine that such a district be created . 351
(e) West Central Soil and Water Conservation District. 352
(f) East Central Soil and Water Conservation District. 353
(g) Southwest Florida Soil and Water Conservation 354
District. 355
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other special or 356
general act to the contrary, the boundaries of the respective 357
districts named in subsection (1) shall include the areas within 358
the following boundaries: 359
(a) The counties of Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, 360
Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Washington shall 361
constitute the West Emerald Coast Soil and Water Conservation 362
District. 363
(b) The counties of Franklin, Gadsden, Hamilton, 364
Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla shall 365
constitute the East Emerald Coast Soil and Water Conservation 366
District. 367
(c) The counties of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, 368
Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Union shall 369
constitute the North Central Soil and Water Conservation 370
District. 371
(d) The counties of Citrus, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Levy, 372
Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia shall constitute 373
the Northeast Soil and Water Conservation District. 374
(e) The counties of Desoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, 375
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Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota shall 376
constitute the West Central Soil and Water Conservation 377
District. 378
(d) The counties of Brevard, Indian River, Lake, Martin, 379
Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, St. Lucie, and Sumter 380
shall constitute the East Central Soil and Water Conservation 381
District. 382
(e) The counties of Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, 383
Glades, Hendry, Lee, Monroe, and Palm Beach and shall constitute 384
the Southwest Florida Soil and Water Conservation District Where 385
more than one petition is filed covering parts of the same 386
territory the department may consolidate all or any petitions . 387
Section 7. Section 582.16, Florida St atutes, is amended to 388
read: 389
582.16 Change of district boundaries. —Upon the change of 390
boundaries of the respective districts under s. 582.10(2)(a) -391
(e), all contractual obligations with respect to an area being 392
transferred to another district shall be assu med by the district 393
receiving such area; all real property interests owned by a 394
district within an area to be transferred shall be conveyed to 395
the district receiving such area; and all equipment, vehicles, 396
other personal property, and records owned, locate d, and used by 397
a district solely within an area being transferred shall be 398
delivered to the district receiving such area. However, if an 399
area is transferred from a district with a contractual 400
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obligation to the United States for the operation and 401
maintenance of works within such area, then the deliveries and 402
conveyances required in this section shall be deferred until the 403
United States has approved the assumption of the contractual 404
obligations by the receiving district Requests for increasing or 405
reducing the boundaries of an existing district may be filed 406
with the department, and the department shall follow the 407
proceedings provided in this chapter to create a district . 408
Section 8. Section 582.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to 409
read: 410
582.18 Appointment Election of supervisors of each 411
district.— 412
(1) The governing board of each soil and water 413
conservation district shall be composed of at least one member 414
from a minimum of 7 counties within a district who resides 415
within the district. Members of the governi ng boards shall be 416
appointed by the commissioner, subject to confirmation by the 417
council at the next regular quarterly meeting following the 418
appointment. Refusal or failure of the council to confirm an 419
appointment creates a vacancy in the district to which the 420
appointment was made. The term of office for a governing board 421
member is 4 years and begins on March 2 of the year in which the 422
appointment is made and terminates on March 1 of the fourth 423
calendar year of the term or may continue until a successor is 424
appointed, but not longer than 180 days. Terms of office of 425
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governing board members shall be staggered to help maintain 426
consistency and continuity in the exercise of governing board 427
duties and to minimize disruption in district operations The 428
election of supervisors for each soil and water conservation 429
district shall be held every 2 years, with one supervisor 430
elected from each of the five numbered subdivisions created by 431
the department pursuant to s. 582.15(4). The elections shall be 432
held at the time of the general election provided for by s. 433
100.041. The office of the supervisor of a soil and water 434
conservation district is a nonpartisan office, and candidates 435
for such office are prohibited from campaigning or qualifying 436
for election based on party affiliati on. 437
(a) Each candidate for supervisor for such district must 438
qualify as directed by chapter 99. 439
(b) Each nominee who collects or expends campaign 440
contributions shall conduct her or his campaign for supervisor 441
of a soil and water conservation district i n accordance with the 442
provisions of chapter 106. Candidates who neither receive 443
contributions nor make expenditures, other than expenditures for 444
verification of signatures on petitions, are exempt from the 445
provisions of chapter 106 requiring establishment of bank 446
accounts and appointment of a campaign treasurer, but shall file 447
periodic reports as required by s. 106.07. 448
(c) The names of all nominees on behalf of whom such 449
nominating petitions have been filed shall appear upon ballots 450
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in accordance with the general election laws. All qualified 451
electors residing within the district shall be eligible to vote 452
in such election. The candidates who receive the largest number 453
of the votes cast from each group of candidates in such election 454
shall be the elected supe rvisors from such group for such 455
district. In the case of a newly created district participating 456
in a regular election for the first time, candidates shall be 457
elected from district subdivisions 1, 3, and 5 for terms of 4 458
years, and candidates shall be elec ted from district 459
subdivisions 2 and 4 for initial terms of 2 years. Each 460
candidate elected shall assume office on the first Tuesday after 461
the first Monday in January following the election. 462
(2) Beginning on July 1, 2024, the commissioner shall 463
appoint a supervisor from a minimum of 7 counties within the 464
soil and water conservation district regions to serve on the 465
governing board for each year the commissioner is in office. 466
Such initial appointments shall sunset on the second Wednesday 467
of January. Thereafter, members shall serve 4 -year terms or 468
until their successors are duly qualified and appointed. A 469
vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the term in the 470
manner of an initial appointment After the issuance of a 471
certificate of organization of a soil and water conservation 472
district by the Department of State, or in the event of a 473
vacancy resulting from death, resignation, removal, or 474
otherwise, each vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the 475
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remaining supervisors of the district until the next regul ar 476
election. 477
Section 9. Section 582.181, Florida Statutes, is created 478
to read: 479
582.181 District governing boards. — 480
(1) The governing board of each soil and water 481
conservation district shall be composed of seven members who 482
reside within the distric t with not more than one supervisor 483
from each county within a district. 484
(2) Members of the governing boards shall be appointed by 485
the commissioner, subject to confirmation by the council at the 486
next regular quarterly meeting following the appointment. 487
Refusal or failure of the council to confirm an appointment 488
creates a vacancy in the district to which the appointment was 489
made. 490
(3) Beginning on July 1, 2024, the commissioner shall 491
appoint a supervisor from each county within the soil and water 492
conservation district regions to serve on the governing board 493
for each year the commissioner is in office. Such initial 494
appointments shall sunset on the second Wednesday of January. 495
Thereafter, members shall serve 4 -year terms or until their 496
successors are duly qua lified and appointed. A vacancy shall be 497
filled for the remainder of the term in the manner of an initial 498
appointment. 499
(3) The term of office for a governing board member is 4 500
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years and begins on March 2 of the year in which the appointment 501
is made and terminates on March 1 of the fourth calendar year of 502
the term or may continue until a successor is appointed, but not 503
longer than 180 days. Terms of office of governing board members 504
shall be staggered to help maintain consistency and continuity 505
in the exercise of governing board duties and to minimize 506
disruption in district operations. 507
Section 10. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 582.19, 508
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 509
582.19 Qualifications and tenure of supervisors. — 510
(1) The governing body of the district shall consist of 511
seven five supervisors, appointed elected as provided in s. 512
582.18. 513
(a) To qualify to serve on the governing body of a 514
district, a supervisor must be an eligible voter who resides in 515
the district and who: 516
1. Is actively engaged in, or retired after 10 years of 517
being engaged in, agricultural operations agriculture as defined 518
in s. 570.02; 519
2. Is employed for a minimum of 5 years by an agricultural 520
producer who; or 521
3. owns, leases, or is actively employed on land 522
classified as agricultural under s. 193.461. 523
(b) At the time of qualifying, a nominee candidate for 524
supervisor shall submit an affirmation in substantially the 525
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following form: 526
State of Florida 527
County of .... 528
Statement of Nominee Candidate for Supervisor of 529
Soil and Water Conservation District 530
I, ...(name of nominee candidate)..., a nominee candidate 531
for Supervisor of Soil and Water Conservation District, meet the 532
qualifications pursuant to s. 582.19(1), Florida Statutes, to 533
serve on the governing body of the Soil and Water Conservation 534
District. 535
...(Signature of candidate)... 536
...(Address)... 537
Sworn to and subscribed before me this .... day of 538
........, ...(year)..., at .... County, Florida. 539
(2) The supervisors shall designate a chair and may, from 540
time to time, change such designation by majority vote. The term 541
of office of each supervisor shall be 4 years , except that two 542
supervisors shall be elected to serve for initial terms of 2 543
years, respectively, from the date of their election as provided 544
in this chapter. A supervisor shall hold office until her or his 545
successor has been appointed elected and qualified. The 546
selection of successors to fill an unexpired term shall be in 547
accordance with s. 582.18(1) s. 582.18(2). Selection for a full 548
term in a newly created district shall be by election of the 549
qualified electors of the district. A majority of the 550
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supervisors shall constitute a quorum and the concurrence of a 551
majority of the supervisors in any matter within their duties 552
shall be required for its determination. A supervisor shall 553
receive no compensation for her or his services, but she or he 554
shall, with approval of the supervisors of the district, be 555
reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. 556
Section 11. Section 582.195 , Florida Statutes, is amended 557
to read: 558
582.195 Mandatory meeting of supervisors. —All seven five 559
supervisors of the governing body of each district shall meet at 560
least quarterly once per calendar year in a public meeting 561
pursuant to s. 286.011. 562
Section 12. Section 582.196, Florida Statutes, is created 563
to read: 564
582.196 Supervisor compensation. —Supervisors of a soil and 565
water conservation district board may receive compensation for 566
per diem and travel expenses authorized pursuant to s. 112.061, 567
not to exceed $1,000 for each supervisor during any one year, 568
for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties 569
under this chapter as provided in s. 112.061. 570
Section 13. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsection 571
(11) of section 582.20, Flo rida Statutes, are amended to read: 572
582.20 Powers of districts and supervisors. —A soil and 573
water conservation district organized under the provisions of 574
this chapter shall constitute a governmental subdivision of this 575
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state, and a public body corporate a nd politic, exercising 576
public powers, and such district and the supervisors thereof 577
shall have the following powers, in addition to others granted 578
in other sections of this chapter: 579
(2) To conduct agricultural best management practices 580
demonstration projects and projects for the conservation, 581
protection, and restoration of soil and water resources: 582
(b) Within another district's boundaries, subject to the 583
approval of the commissioner, the council, and the approval of 584
other districts district's approval; 585
(11) To request that the commissioner Governor remove a 586
supervisor for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office by 587
adoption of a resolution at a public meeting. If the district 588
believes there is a need for a review of the request, the 589
district may request that the council, by resolution, review its 590
request to the commissioner Governor and provide the 591
commissioner Governor with a recommendation. 592
593
Any provision with respect to the acquisition, operation, or 594
disposition of property by public bodies of this s tate does not 595
apply to a district organized under this chapter unless 596
specifically so stated by the Legislature. The property and 597
property rights of every kind and nature acquired by any 598
district organized under the provisions of this chapter are 599
exempt from state, county, and other taxation. 600
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Section 14. Subsection (1) of section 582.295, Florida 601
Statutes, is amended to read: 602
582.295 Automatic dissolution of districts. — 603
(1) If the governing body of a district fails to meet as 604
required under s. 582.1 95, the district shall be automatically 605
dissolved as of January 1 of the year immediately following the 606
year in which the governing body failed to meet. All assets and 607
liabilities of the district shall be transferred to the 608
Department of Agriculture and Co nsumer Services. The department 609
will reassign assets to another Soil and Water Conservation 610
District for similar work. 611
Section 15. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection 612
(5) of section 582.30, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 613
582.30 Discontinuance of districts; referendum; 614
commissioner's authority. — 615
(1) Any time after 5 years from the organization of a 616
district under the provisions of this chapter, any 10 percent of 617
owners of land lying within the boundaries of such district may 618
file a petition with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer 619
Services requesting praying that the operations of the district 620
be terminated and the existence of the district discontinued. 621
The department may conduct such public meetings and public 622
hearings upon petition as may be necessary to assist it in the 623
consideration thereof. Within 60 days after such a petition has 624
been received by the department it shall give due notice of the 625
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holding of a referendum, and shall supervise such referendum, 626
and issue appropriate regulations governing the conduct thereof, 627
the question to be submitted by ballots upon which the words 628
"For terminating the existence of the ...(Name of the soil and 629
water conservation district to be here inserted)..." and 630
"Against terminating the e xistence of the ...(Name of the soil 631
and water conservation district to be here inserted)..." shall 632
appear with a square before each proposition and a direction to 633
insert an X mark in the square before one or the other of said 634
propositions as the voter may favor or oppose discontinuance of 635
such district. All owners of lands lying within the boundaries 636
of the district shall be eligible to vote in such referendum. 637
Only such landowners shall be eligible to vote. No informalities 638
in the conduct of such referend um or in any matters relating 639
thereto shall invalidate said referendum or the result thereof 640
if notice thereof shall have been given substantially as herein 641
provided and said referendum shall have been fairly conducted. 642
(5) 643
(b) If the commissioner issues a certificate determining 644
that the continued operation of a district is not 645
administratively practicable and feasible under the provisions 646
of this chapter, the department shall file the original 647
certificate with the Departme nt of State and shall provide a 648
copy of the certificate to the supervisors of the district at 649
the district's principal office designated under s. 650
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582.15(1)(c). 651
Section 16. Section 582.11, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 652
Section 17. Section 582.12, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 653
Section 18. Section 582.13, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 654
Section 19. Section 582.14, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 655
Section 20. Section 582.15, Florida Statutes, is repealed. 656
Section 21. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 657