STORAGE NAME: h4037b.SAC
DATE: 4/15/2025
1
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 4037
TITLE: Downtown Development Authority of City of Fort
Lauderdale, Broward County
SPONSOR(S): LaMarca
COMPANION BILL: None
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Intergovernmental Affairs
17 Y, 0 N
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill removes the December 31, 2030, expiration date of the Downtown Development Authority of the City of
Fort Lauderdale (DDA). Instead, the bill provides that upon dissolution of the DDA pursuant to law, any assets of
the DDA will be transferred to the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
None.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill removes the December 31, 2030, expiration date for the Downtown Development Authority of the City of
Fort Lauderdale (DDA). Instead, the bill provides that upon the dissolution of the DDA pursuant to law, all assets of
the DDA will be transferred to the City of Fort Lauderdale. (Section 1)
The bill provides an effective date of upon becoming a law. (Section 2)
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Downtown Development Authority
The Downtown Development Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale (DDA) was established by special act of the
Legislature in 1965.
1 The DDA serves several functions in the community, including economic development,
maintaining important partnerships with governmental entities and the private sector, and overall strengthening
the sense of community in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
2 The DDA is governed by a seven-member board appointed
to staggered four-year terms by the Fort Lauderdale City Commission.
3 Board members must reside or have their
principal place of business within the city.
4 Each board member must also be a landowner, leasehold tenant
required to pay taxes by the terms of the lease, or an officer, director, or managing agent of a corporation owning
or leasing land within the DDA.
5
1
Ch. 65-1541, Laws of Fla. The district charter was re-codified in 2005. Ch. 2005-346, Laws of Fla.
2
DDA, What We Do (last visited Apr. 15, 2025).
3
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(5), Laws of Fla.
4
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(6)(1), Laws of Fla.
5
Id. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
2
The DDA charter defines “downtown” as including all lands in a defined area that are not used for residential
purposes.
6 The determination of whether a property is being used as a residence is made by the Director of the
DDA.
7
The Director of the DDA is also responsible for preparing the DDA’s annual budget.
8 The annual budget must
conform to the fiscal year of the city and contain the information required of city departments in their respective
budgets.
9 The budget is submitted to the Board of the DDA for approval.
10 After approval, a copy of the budget is
submitted to the city with a statement of the necessary millage to fund services, as determined by the Board.
11
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission is authorized to levy an ad valorem tax of up to 1 mill to finance the
operations of the DDA.
12 The funds generated by this tax are held by the city for use by the DDA.
13 The City
Commission may collect reasonable pro rata share of the funds for the cost of handling and auditing.
14
The DDA’s total operating budget in the current fiscal year is $20.7 million, which includes $15.2 million in
reserves.
15 The DDA levies a base ad valorem tax of 0.6368 mills, as well as debt service millage of 0.4065 mills, for
a total millage of 1.0433 mills. At the conclusion of the most recent fiscal year, the DDA’s total assets exceeded its
liabilities by $8,672,283.
16
The DDA’s original charter provided the district would sunset on December 31, 1970.
17 In 1969, the charter was re-
codified and the sunset date was extended to December 31, 2010.
18 In 2005, the sunset date was again extended to
the current expiration date of December 31, 2030.
19
Local Bill Forms
The Florida Constitution prohibits the passage of any special act unless a notice of intention to seek enactment of
the bill has been published as provided by general law or the act is conditioned to take effect only upon approval
by referendum vote of the electors in the area affected.
20 A legal advertisement of the proposed bill must be placed
in a newspaper of general circulation or published on a publicly accessible website
21 at least 30 days prior to the
introduction of the bill in the House or Senate.
22 The bill was noticed in the Sun-Sentinel on January 19, 2025.
The House local bill policy requires a completed and signed Local Bill Certification Form and Economic Impact
Statement be filed with the Clerk of the House at the time the local bill is filed or as soon thereafter as possible.
23
The following forms have been submitted for this bill:
Local Bill Certification Form
Economic Impact Statement
6
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(1)(5) and 3(2), Laws of Fla.
7
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(1)(5)(b), Laws of Fla.
8
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(11), Laws of Fla.
9
Id.
10
Id.
11
Id.
12
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(12), Laws of Fla.
13
Id.
14
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(13), Laws of Fla.
15
DDA, Adopted FY 2024-2025 Budget (last visited Apr. 15, 2025).
16
Florida Auditor General, Downtown Development Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Basic Financial Statement
for the Year Ended September 30, 2024 (last visited Apr. 15, 2025).
17
Ch. 65-1541, s. 15, Laws of Fla.
18
Ch. 69-1056, s. 1(14), Laws of Fla.
19
Ch. 2005-346, s. 3(15), Laws of Fla.
20
Art. III, s. 10, Fla. Const.
21
S. 50.0311(2), F.S.
22
S. 11.02, F.S. If there is no newspaper circulated throughout or published in the county and no publicly accessible website
has been designated, notice must be posted for at least 30 days in at least three public places in the county, one of which must
be at the courthouse.
23
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, Local Bill Policies and Procedures Manual, p. 11 (last visited Apr. 15, 2025). JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
3
BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Intergovernmental Affairs
Subcommittee
17 Y, 0 N 4/9/2025 Darden Kilpatrick
State Affairs Committee Williamson Kilpatrick