Florida HB 4049: Bay County North Bay Water Quality Improvement Program

Bill Text

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

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An act relating to the office of general counsel of 2
the City of Jacksonville, Duval County; amending 3
chapter 92-341, Laws of Florida, as amended; 4
authorizing the Duval County School Board to employ a 5
general counsel, who shall be independent of the 6
office of general counsel of the City of Jacksonville; 7
providing that certain legal services continue to be 8
provided through the office of general counsel of the 9
city; providing an effective date. 10
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
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Section 1. Section 7.01 of Article 7 of chapter 92-341, 14
Laws of Florida, as amended by City of Jacksonville Ordinance 15
No. 2014-723-E, is amended to read: 16
ARTICLE 7 17
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OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL 19
Part 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 20
Section 7.01. Office established; general responsibility. 21
There is established an office of the City of Jacksonville 22
to be known as the office of general counsel, which shall have 23
the responsibility for furnishing legal services to the city and 24
its independent agencies, except that the council may create an 25

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HB 4049 2026 Legislature

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

office of legislative counsel within the legislative branch 26
whose purpose shall be to advise and assist the council and its 27
committees and members in the achievement of a clear, faithful 28
and coherent expression of legislative policies and to perform 29
such other related duties for the council as the council may by 30
ordinance direct. For purposes of utilization of central 31
services by the city and its independent agencies, the services 32
of the office of general counsel shall be deemed to be central 33
services or services of the central service department, as the 34
case may be. The general counsel shall provide to any member of 35
the Duval County legislative delegation who resides in Duval 36
County upon request an opinion on any matter relative to the 37
government of the City of Jacksonville or any of its independent 38
agencies. 39
The General Counsel may employ, supervise and terminate 40
assistant counsels to assist with the efficient provision of 41
legal services for the City's independent agencies. The General 42
Counsel may authorize the independent agencies to engage outside 43
counsel upon certification by the General Counsel of compliance 44
with the Charter and with the agency's authority and a written 45
finding of necessity by the General Counsel. The General Counsel 46
may authorize the City to engage outside private counsel upon 47
written certification by the General Counsel of its necessity, 48
and such engagement shall be in accordance with procedures set 49
forth by the City Council. 50

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HB 4049 2026 Legislature

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in the 51
general and permanent ordinances and charter and related laws of 52
the City of Jacksonville, the Duval County School Board may 53
employ its own general counsel, who shall be independent of the 54
office of general counsel of the City of Jacksonville but shall 55
be subject to the opinion, binding or otherwise, of the general 56
counsel of the City of Jacksonville in accordance with section 57
7.202. This provision shall apply only to the selection and 58
employment of a general counsel for the Duval County School 59
Board. All other legal services to the Duval County School Board 60
and the Duval County Public Schools, as determined and assigned 61
by the general counsel to the Duval County School Board, 62
including, but not limited to, representation of the Duval 63
County School Board and the Duval County Public Schools in 64
litigation and contract preparation, shall continue to be 65
provided through the office of general counsel of the City of 66
Jacksonville, and the attorneys who provide such services shall 67
be subject solely to the supervision of the general counsel of 68
the City of Jacksonville. 69
Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 70