189.412 Special District Information Program; duties and responsibilities.

189.412 Special District Information Program; duties and responsibilities.

The Special District Information Program of the Department of Community Affairs is created and has the following special duties:

   (1) The collection and maintenance of special district noncompliance status reports from the Department of Management Services, the Department of Financial Services, the Division of Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration, and the Auditor General for the reporting required in ss. 112.63, 218.32, 218.38, and 218.39. The noncompliance reports must list those special districts that did not comply with the statutory reporting requirements.

   (2) The maintenance of a master list of independent and dependent special districts which shall be available on the department’s website.

   (3) The publishing and updating of a “Florida Special District Handbook” that contains, at a minimum:

   (a) A section that specifies definitions of special districts and status distinctions in the statutes.

   (b) A section or sections that specify current statutory provisions for special district creation, implementation, modification, dissolution, and operating procedures.

   (c) A section that summarizes the reporting requirements applicable to all types of special districts as provided in ss. 189.417 and 189.418.

   (4) When feasible, securing and maintaining access to special district information collected by all state agencies in existing or newly created state computer systems.

   (5) The facilitation of coordination and communication among state agencies regarding special district information.

   (6) The conduct of studies relevant to special districts.

   (7) The provision of assistance related to and appropriate in the performance of requirements specified in this chapter, including assisting with an annual conference sponsored by the Florida Association of Special Districts or its successor.

   (8) Providing assistance to local general-purpose governments and certain state agencies in collecting delinquent reports or information, helping special districts comply with reporting requirements, declaring special districts inactive when appropriate, and, when directed by the Legislative Auditing Committee, initiating enforcement provisions as provided in ss. 189.4044, 189.419, and 189.421.

History. s. 18, ch. 89-169; s. 15, ch. 90-502; s. 79, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 15, ch. 95-154; ss. 3, 17, ch. 95-272; ss. 11, 12, ch. 96-324; s. 15, ch. 97-255; s. 3, ch. 97-287; s. 69, ch. 99-255; s. 32, ch. 99-378; s. 45, ch. 2001-266; s. 25, ch. 2002-1; s. 168, ch. 2003-261; s. 18, ch. 2004-305; s. 48, ch. 2010-102.