DeSantis signs legislation granting sheriffs more independence, budget power

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Friday that will grant more independent rights to sheriffs, including sheriffs in consolidated governments such as Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters.

The bill clarifies that sheriffs, including those in consolidated government, may move approved funds between different sub-categories of their budget without further approval.

Consolidated governments are ones in which the county and municipality consolidate their local governments into one entity. Duval County and Jacksonville is currently the only area in Florida which has such a system.

Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, sponsored the legislation, SB 1704, and Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, filed the House companion, HB 1447.

Waters told Florida’s Voice the lawmakers sponsored the bill for him.

“We have a really good relationship up in Tallahassee with some great folks up there and I’m super pleased that they heard me and were willing to vote and get this thing passed,” Waters said.

Waters said in 2022, this legislation was passed for Florida sheriffs, but the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was not included in it, because of an “oversight.”

“It helps us to be able to do things much more efficiently, a lot quicker than having to go and ask a city council or our mayor, if we can move our money around and what we can purchase when we need to purchase it,” Waters said.