Fla. Stat. § 154.331
Each county may establish a dependent special district pursuant to the provisions of chapter 125 or, by ordinance, create an independent special district as defined in s. 200.001(8)(e) to provide funding for indigent and other health and mental health care services throughout the county in accordance with this section. The county governing body shall obtain approval, by a majority vote of the electors, to establish the district with authority to annually levy ad valorem taxes which shall not exceed the maximum millage rate authorized by this section. Any independent health or mental health care special district created by this section shall be required to levy and fix millage subject to the provisions of s. 200.065 Once approved by the electorate, the independent health or mental health care special district shall not be required to seek approval of the electorate in future years to levy the previously approved millage.
(2) (a) Each district health or mental health care board may, subject to the limitations placed on the district by the governing body of the county at the time the independent special district was created and approved by the electorate, have any or all of the following powers or functions:
1. To provide and maintain in the county such health or mental health care clinics as the board determines are needed for the general welfare of the county.
2. To provide for the health or mental health care of indigents and to provide such other health or mental health-related services for indigents, including the purchase of institutional services from any private or publicly owned medical facility, as the board determines are needed for the general welfare of the county.
3. To allocate and provide funds for other agencies or facilities in the county which provide health or mental health benefits or health or mental health services that improve the general welfare of indigents and other county residents.
4. To collect information and statistical data that will be helpful to the board and the county in deciding the health or mental health care needs in the county.
5. To consult and coordinate with other agencies dedicated to health or mental health care to the end that the overlapping of services will be prevented.
6. To govern, operate, administer, and fund, or any combination thereof, any county-owned or county-operated medical or mental health facility which is a major provider of charitable health or mental health care services for low-income persons.
7. To assume funding for the county's share of state or federal indigent health or mental health care programs which require financial participation by the county.
8. To lease or buy such real property and personal property and to construct such buildings as are needed to execute the foregoing powers or functions; however, such purchases may not be made or construction done unless paid for with cash on hand or secured by funds deposited in financial institutions. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize an independent health or mental health care special district to issue bonds of any nature, nor shall it have the power to require the imposition of any bond by the governing body of the county.
9. To employ, pay, and provide benefits for any part-time or full-time personnel needed to execute the foregoing powers and functions.
(b) Each district health or mental health care board shall:
1. Organize immediately after the members are appointed to elect one of its members as chair and one of its members as vice chair, and elect other officers as deemed necessary by the board.
2. Make and adopt bylaws and rules and regulations for the board's guidance, operation, governance, and maintenance, provided such rules and regulations are not inconsistent with federal or state laws or ordinances of the county.
(c) All tax moneys collected under this section, as soon after the collection thereof as is reasonably practicable, must be paid directly to the district health or mental health care board by the tax collector of the county, or by the clerk of the circuit court if the clerk collects delinquent taxes.
1. The moneys so received by the district health or mental health care board must be deposited in financial institutions with separate and distinguishable accounts established specifically for the district and may be withdrawn only by checks signed by the chair of the district health or mental health care board and countersigned by either one other member of the district health or mental health care board or by a chief executive officer who is so authorized by the board.
2. Upon entering the duties of office, the chair and the other member of the district health or mental health care board or chief executive officer who signs its checks shall each give a surety bond in the sum of $1,000, which bond must be conditioned that each of them shall faithfully discharge the duties of office. The premium on said bond may be paid by the special district as part of the expense of the board. No other member of the district health or mental health care board may be required to give bond or other security.
3. No funds of the district may be expended except by check as aforesaid, except expenditures from a petty cash account, which may not at any time exceed $25. All expenditures from petty cash must be recorded on the books and records of the district. No funds of the district, excepting expenditures from petty cash, may be expended without prior approval of the board, in addition to the budgeting thereof.
(d) Within 10 days after the expiration of each quarter-annual period, the district health or mental health care board shall cause to be prepared and filed with the county governing body a financial report, which includes:
1. The total expenditures of the board for the quarter-annual period;
2. The total receipts of the board during the quarter-annual period; and
3. A statement of the funds the board has on hand or deposited with financial institutions at the end of the quarter-annual period.
History.--s. 3, ch. 87-92; s. 17, ch. 88-294; s. 2, ch. 90-175; s. 875, ch. 95-147; s. 40, ch. 2001-266.