County Term Limits Across the State

This Session, the Senate has presented legislation (CS/CS/SB 1110) that would create an 8 year term limit on county commissioners, regardless of any provision within a county charter. The revised term limits will retroactively apply to terms of office beginning on or after November 8, 2022, except that more restrictive term limits already imposed by county charter are not extended. The House companion, does not include term limit language of county commissioners, only school board members. This week, the House bill (HB 477) was placed on the agenda in Senate Rules on Monday, April 24th. 

The Florida Constitution provides that 5-7 members will be elected to four-year staggered terms. Neither the Florida Constitution nor Florida Statutes provide term limits for county commissioners. However, a charter county has the authority to set their own term limits, 11 counties in Florida imposed term limits within their county charter.  

In charter counties, voters have the power to set term limits. Back in 2012, the Florida Supreme Court upheld term limits for Broward County Commissioners. In William Telli v. Broward, the court which held that a voter-approved limit for members of the county commission does not violate the Florida Constitution.