STORAGE NAME: h4051.IAS
DATE: 3/24/2025
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 4051
TITLE: Pasco County Mosquito Control District, Pasco
County
SPONSOR(S): Yeager
COMPANION BILL: None
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Intergovernmental Affairs
Government Operations
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill amends the charter of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District to convert the district’s board from being
elected at-large to single-member districts and establishes a term limit of two four-year terms.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The Economic Impact Statement for the bill projects $5,000 in expenses related to transitioning to board elected
from single-member districts.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill amends the charter of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District, a mosquito control district established
in 1951 and codified in 2005, to:
Establish boundary lines for each seat on the district’s board of commissioners (board);
Convert the district’s board from being elected at-large to single-member districts;
Require members of the board to be residents and electors in the district they represent; and
Establish a term limit of two four-year terms. (Section 1)
The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2025. (Section 2)
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The Economic Impact Statement for the bill projects $5,000 in expenses related to transitioning to board elected
from single-member districts.
RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Special Districts
A “special district” is a unit of local government created for a particular purpose, with jurisdiction to operate within
a limited geographic boundary.
1 Special districts are created by general law, special act, local ordinance, or rule of
1
See Halifax Hospital Medical Center v. State of Fla., et al., 278 So. 3d 545, 547 (Fla. 2019). JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
2
the Governor and Cabinet.
2 A special district has only those powers expressly provided by, or reasonably implied
from, the authority provided in the district’s charter. Special districts provide specific municipal services in
addition to, or in place of, those provided by a municipality or county.
3 Special districts are funded through the
imposition of ad valorem taxes, fees, or charges on the users of those services as authorized by law.
4
Special districts may be classified as dependent or independent based on their relationship with local general-
purpose governments. A special district is classified as “dependent” if the governing body of a single county or
municipality:
Serves as governing body of the district;
Appoints the governing body of the district;
May remove members of the district’s governing body at-will during their unexpired terms; or
Approves or can veto the budget of the district.
5
A district is classified as “independent” if it does not meet any of the above criteria or is located in more than one
county, unless the district lies entirely within the boundaries of a single municipality.
6
Special districts are governed generally by the Uniform Special District Accountability Act (USDAA).
7 The USDAA
centralizes provisions governing special districts and applies to the formation,
8 governance,
9 administration,
10
supervision,
11 merger,
12 and dissolution
13 of special districts, unless otherwise expressly provided in law.
14 The
USDAA requires notice and publication of tentative budgets and final budgets.
15 Certain budget amendments are
allowed up to 60 days following the end of the fiscal year.
16
Special districts do not possess “home rule” powers and may impose only those taxes, assessments, or fees
authorized by special or general law. The special act creating an independent special district may provide for
funding from a variety of sources while prohibiting others. For example, ad valorem tax authority is not mandatory
for a special district.
17
Term Limits
Members of a special district governing body who are elected by the qualified electors of the district may not serve
for more than 12 consecutive years, unless the district's charter provides more restrictive requirements.
18 Terms
of office that commenced before November 5, 2024, do not count toward this limitation and the limitation does not
2
See ss. 189.02(1), 189.031(3), and. 190.005(1), F.S. See generally s. 189.012(6), F.S.
3
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, Local Government Formation Manual, p. 56 (last visited Mar. 23, 2025).
4
The method of financing a district must be stated in its charter. Ss. 189.02(4)(g) and 189.031(3), F.S. Independent special
districts may be authorized to impose ad valorem taxes as well as non-ad valorem special assessments in the special acts
comprising their charters. See, e.g., ch. 2023-335, s. 1(6), Laws of Fla. (East River Ranch Stewardship District). See also, e.g., ss.
190.021 (community development districts), 191.009 (independent fire control districts), 197.3631 (non-ad valorem
assessments), 298.305 (water control districts), and 388.221, F.S. (mosquito control), See also ch. 2004-397, s. 3(27), Laws of
Fla. (South Broward Hospital District).
5
S. 189.012(2), F.S.
6
S. 189.012(3), F.S.
7
S. 189.01, F.S., but see ch. 190, F.S. (community development districts), ch. 191, F.S. (independent special fire control
districts), ch. 298, F.S. (water control districts), ch. 388, F.S. (mosquito control districts), and ch. 582, F.S. (soil and water
conservation districts).
8
See ss. 189.02 (creation of dependent special districts) and 189.031, F.S. (creation of independent special districts).
9
See s. 189.0311, F.S. (charter requirements for independent special districts).
10
See s. 189.019, F.S. (requiring codification of charters incorporating all special acts for the district).
11
See s. 189.0651, F.S. (oversight for special districts created by special act of the Legislature).
12
Ss. 189.071 and 189.074, F.S.
13
Ss. 189.071 and 189.072, F.S.
14
See, e.g., s. 190.004, F.S. (Ch. 190, F.S. as “sole authorization” for creation of community development districts).
15
S. 189.016(4), F.S.
16
S. 189.016(6), F.S.
17
See, e.g., ch. 2006-354, Laws of Fla. (Argyle Fire District may impose special assessments, but has no ad valorem tax
authority).
18
S, 189.0312(1), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
3
apply to community development districts or to any independent special district created by special act whose
charter provides that any additional grant of powers to community development districts also grants the power to
that district.
Mosquito Control Districts
Mosquito control districts (MCDs) are intended to protect health and safety, improve quality of life, promote
economic development, and allow for the enjoyment of natural attractions of the state by reducing the number of
insects that transmit disease within their boundaries.
19 An MCD may contain part or all of a county or
municipality.
20 As of March 21, 2025, there were 18 mosquito control districts: 15 independent districts and three
dependent districts.
21 The creation of new MCDs has been prohibited since July 1, 1980.
22
MCDs work closely with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop a work plan and budget
to meet the needs of the district.
23 In counties without a district, the board of county commissioners may exercise
the rights, powers, and duties authorized by statute for an MCD or may direct the county health department to do
so.
24
MCDs are generally governed by a three-member board of supervisors who are elected to serve a four-year term.
25
Board members are elected at-large in a non-partisan election, with the three candidates receiving the highest
number of votes elected to the board. An MCD board may adopt a resolution increasing the size of the board to five
members or providing for staggered terms of office.
26
Pasco County Mosquito Control District
The Pasco County Mosquito Control District was initially created as the West Pasco County Mosquito Control
District in 1951. The district’s charter was codified in 2005.
27 The district’s boundaries were expanded in 1978,
1981, 1986, 2002, and 2003 and now encompass the entirety of Pasco County.
28 The district’s budget for Fiscal
Year 2024-25 is $23.3 million.
29 The district employs 30 full-time and 10-15 part-time seasonal employees.
30
The district is governed by a three-member board.
31 The board adopted a resolution in 1993 to stagger the terms
of office for board members, with two members elected at the general election in a presidential election year and
one member elected at a general election in a non-presidential election year.
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.
32 A legal advertisement of the proposed bill must be placed
in a newspaper of general circulation or published on a publicly accessible website
33 at least 30 days prior to the
19
Ss. 388.0101 and 388.011(5), F.S.
20
S. 388.021(1), F.S.
21
Florida Dept. of Commerce, Special District Accountability Program, Official List of Special Districts, (last visited Mar. 22,
2025).
22
S. 388.021(2), F.S.
23
See ss. 388.271 and 388.281, F.S.
24
Ss. 388.241 and 388.251, F.S. The county health department must keep the books and make all reports required under ch.
388, F.S., and all purchases, whether by bid or otherwise, must be made in accordance with the procedures allowed by the
board of county commissioners. The health department must also submit to the board of county commissioners itemized
monthly statements of expenses incurred in carrying out the control program in the county.
25
S. 388.101(1), F.S.
26
S. 388.101(2) and (3), F.S.
27
Ch. 2005-322, Laws of Fla.
28
Pasco County Mosquito Control District, History (last visited Mar. 23, 2025); see also ch. 2005-322, s. 2(1)(15), Laws of Fla.
29
Pasco County Mosquito Control District, 2024-2025 DACS-Certified Amended Budget 2004-002 (last visited Mar. 23, 2025)
30
Pasco County Mosquito Control District, History (last visited Mar. 23, 2025).
31
Ch. 2005-322, s. 2(1)(5), Laws of Fla.
32
Art. III, s. 10, Fla. Const.
33
S. 50.0311(2), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
4
introduction of the local bill in the House or Senate.
34 The bill was noticed in the Tampa Bay Times on December 8,
2024.
The House local bill policy requires a completed and signed Local Bill Certification Form and Economic Impact
Statement Form be filed with the Clerk of the House at the time the local bill is filed or as soon thereafter as
possible.
35 Under the policy, a committee or subcommittee may not consider a local bill unless these forms have
been filed. The following forms have been submitted for the bill:
Local Bill Certification Form
Economic Impact Statement Form
BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Intergovernmental Affairs
Subcommittee
Darden Darden
Government Operations
Subcommittee
State Affairs Committee
34
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.
35
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, Local Bill Policies and Procedures Manual, p. 11 (last visited Mar. 23, 2025).