The bill amends section 171.0413 of the Florida Statutes to establish new requirements for municipalities proposing to annex state-owned lands. Specifically, it mandates that municipalities must notify each member of the legislative delegation of the county in writing or by email when the advertisement for the first public hearing regarding the annexation is published. Additionally, the language in the bill changes the phrasing from "shall" to "must" in several instances, emphasizing the mandatory nature of these requirements. The bill also specifies that before the annexation ordinance becomes effective, a referendum must be held, and if approved, the ordinance will take effect 10 days after the referendum.

Furthermore, the bill reenacts sections 101.6102 and 171.042 to incorporate the amendments made to section 171.0413. These sections relate to mail ballot elections for municipal annexation referendums and outline prerequisites for annexation, including the requirement for a feasibility study to be prepared by the municipality. The feasibility study must detail plans for providing urban services to the area being annexed and must be filed with the county commissioners at least 15 days before commencing annexation procedures. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 275 Filed: 171.0413
H 275 c1: 171.0413