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Committee advances two Hillsborough County referendums — elected superintendent and nine single-member districts
Summary
The subcommittee reported HB 4027 and HB 4029 favorably. HB 4027 would place a referendum on the 2026 ballot to let Hillsborough County voters decide whether the superintendent should be elected rather than appointed; HB 4029 would ask voters to change the county commission to nine single-member districts. Members questioned apportionment and qualifications before votes.
Representative Owen presented two local referendums for Hillsborough County. On HB 4027 he said the measure would “change the school superintendent position from appointed by the school board to elected by the qualified voters” and that, if approved, the referendum would appear on the 2026 general-election ballot.
Members asked about qualifications for an elected superintendent and how districts would be drawn if the charter changes. Representative Gantt asked whether voters would receive information about qualifications; Owen said school boards can set qualifications and that an elected superintendent would become a constitutional office with minimum requirements consistent with constitutional offices. Representative Harris asked whether apportionment would be subject to voter approval; Owen responded that apportionment would occur after the 2026 election (in 2027) and that the county commission would redraw the maps pursuant to the charter.
Representative Owen also presented HB 4029 to amend the Hillsborough County charter to move from a mix of single-member and at-large commissioners to nine single-member districts. Owen said the change would mirror similarly sized counties and argued the change was intended to improve representation in a large county.
Both referendums were reported favorably: HB 4027 passed the committee by recorded vote (14 ayes, 2 nays) and HB 4029 was reported favorably (recorded as 13 ayes, 2 nays). Sponsors said the measures would return to local voters as referendums and that county-level apportionment procedures would follow the charter if voters approve.
