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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
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An act relating to the Pace Fire Rescue District, 2
Santa Rosa County; amending chapter 2017 -221, Laws of 3
Florida; repealing the district's authority to levy 4
and collect ad valorem taxes; establishing maximum 5
rates for non-ad valorem assessments; providing an 6
exception to general law relating to the initial levy 7
of non-ad valorem assessments; providing effective 8
dates. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of t he State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Effective October 1, 2024, subsection (1) of 13
section 7 and section 8 of chapter 2017 -221, Laws of Florida, 14
are amended to read: 15
Section 7. Powers; use of district funds. — 16
(1) The district shall have, and the board may exercise, 17
all the powers and duties set forth in chapters 189 and 191, 18
Florida Statutes, as they may be amended from time to time, and 19
shall include fire control, fire prevention, and emergency 20
medical, rescue response and public safety services , except the 21
authority to levy and collect ad valorem taxes . 22
Section 8. Finances. — 23
(1) The powers, functions, and duties of the district 24
regarding ad valorem taxation, bond issuance, other revenue -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
raising capabilities, budget preparation and approval, lien s and 26
foreclosure of liens, use of tax deeds and tax certificates as 27
appropriate for non-ad valorem assessments, and contractual 28
agreements, and the methods for financing the district and for 29
collecting non-ad valorem assessments, fees, or service charges, 30
shall be as set forth in this charter, in chapters 170, 189, 31
191, and 197, Florida Statutes, and in any applicable general or 32
special law except as limited herein. 33
(2) The district shall have the authority to levy and 34
collect ad valorem taxes in accorda nce with s. 191.009, Florida 35
Statutes, and chapter 200, Florida Statutes. The taxes levied 36
and assessed by the district shall be a lien upon the land so 37
assessed along with the county taxes assessed against such land 38
until such assessments and taxes have b een paid, and if the 39
taxes levied by the district become delinquent, such taxes shall 40
be considered a part of the county tax subject to the same 41
penalties, charges, fees, and remedies for enforcement and 42
collection and shall be enforced and collected as pr ovided by 43
general law for the collection of such taxes. The maximum ad 44
valorem millage rate that can be levied in any one year shall be 45
3.75 mills, unless a lower maximum rate is authorized by 46
referendum. 47
(2)(3) The district shall have the authority to l evy non-48
ad valorem assessments. The methods for assessing and collecting 49
non-ad valorem assessments, fees, or service charges shall be as 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
set forth in this charter, chapter 170, Florida Statutes, 51
chapter 189, Florida Statutes, chapter 191, Florida Statutes , 52
and chapter 197, Florida Statutes. 53
(3) The non-ad valorem assessments may be levied up to the 54
following maximum amounts: 55
(a) Two hundred fifty dollars for residential properties 56
up to 1,600 square feet, with an additional $0.1544 per square 57
foot in excess of 1,600 square feet. 58
(b) Thirty dollars and 96 cents for vacant land. 59
(c) Five hundred dollars for commercial properties up to 60
950 square feet, with an additional $0.1544 per square foot in 61
excess of 950 square feet. 62
(d) Thirty dollars and 96 cents for unimproved acreage up 63
to 3 acres, with an additional $10.32 per acre in excess of 3 64
acres Pursuant to s. 191.009, Florida Statutes, the first -time 65
levy of non-ad valorem assessments must be approved by a 66
referendum of the electors of the district . 67
(4) The district shall have the authority to charge and 68
collect impact fees for capital improvements on new construction 69
within the district as prescribed in chapter 191, Florida 70
Statutes, or any other applicable general law. The district 71
shall comply with the requirements in ss. 163.31801 and 72
191.009(4), Florida Statutes, in its collection and use of 73
impact fees. New facilities and equipment shall be as provided 74
for in s. 191.009(4), Florida Statutes. The district is 75
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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
authorized to enter in to agreements regarding the collection of 76
impact fees. 77
(5) The district shall have the authority to issue general 78
obligation bonds, assessment bonds, revenue bonds, notes, bond 79
anticipation notes, and other evidences of indebtedness to 80
finance all or a part of any proposed improvements in accordance 81
with s. 191.012, Florida Statutes, chapter 189, Florida 82
Statutes, and any other applicable general or special law. 83
(6) The board shall annually prepare, consider, and adopt 84
a district budget pursuant to the applicable requirements of 85
chapters 189 and 191, Florida Statutes. The fiscal year shall be 86
from October 1 through September 30. The budget shall state the 87
purpose for which the money is required and the amount necessary 88
to be raised by taxation within the district. Such budget and 89
proposed non-ad valorem assessment millage rate shall be 90
noticed, heard, and adopted in accordance with chapters 189, 91
192, and 200, Florida Statutes. 92
(7) All warrants for the payment of labor, equipment, 93
materials, and other al lowable expenses incurred by the district 94
board in carrying out the provisions of this charter shall be 95
payable on accounts and vouchers approved by the district board. 96
Section 2. Notwithstanding s. 191.009, Florida Statutes, 97
or any other provision of law, the Board of Commissioners of the 98
Pace Fire Rescue District may adopt an initial levy of a non -ad 99
valorem assessment, subject to the rate limitations set forth in 100
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section 1 of this act, by resolution pursuant to s. 191.011, 101
Florida Statutes, adopted b efore July 1, 2024, without the need 102
for a referendum. Future non -ad valorem assessment rates are 103
subject to s. 191.009, Florida Statutes, and other applicable 104
law. 105
Section 3. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 106
act, this act shall take effe ct upon becoming a law. 107