Term limits for School Board, County Commission finally moving in House over local objections

A House bill that could let voters decide on statewide term limits for people on School Boards and County Commissions cleared its first committee over the objections of people who could be affected by the push.

Rep. Michelle Salzman’s measure (HJR 679) seeks an amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would impose hard restrictions.

The measure, which advanced by a party-line 12-5 vote, proposes setting eight-year term limits for County Commissions and School Boards with 60% of the popular vote, though terms of office that started before the 2022 General Election would be off the clock under the current language, which avoids retroactivity.

The sponsor said enough voters are on board with the idea to pass the measure.

“Currently over 75% of Floridians live in charter counties who have already voted for term limits and 55% of Floridians live in districts that have already implemented them and 82% of Americans want term limits at every level of government. This bill gives Floridians what they want,” Salzman said.

Local leaders argued strenuously against the bill.

Pasco County Commission Chair Kathryn Starkey said a term limit bill restricted veteran local pols from being leaders nationwide.

“You’re really going to hurt Florida on a national level,” she predicted.

Terry Burroughs of the Florida Association of Counties said it was tough to get people to run in smaller counties.

“I come from a county of 41,000 people. We spent a year and a half with four Commissioners,” said Burroughs, who is a commissioner from Okeechobee County.

We couldn’t get anyone to run, couldn’t get the Governor to appoint anybody. But we finally got an individual who decided that he wanted to run. Nobody runs against him, so he’s in there. Now, that sounds like a simple process, but for years, we went without representation from that particular district.”

Hardee County Commissioner Russell Melendy said the choice should be with locals, noting that three new Commissioners have been elected in the last two elections.

“I urge you not to rob the local voter of their choice,” Melendy said.

Members of both parties raised objections about the proposal.

Rep. Chad Johnson, a Republican, warned of “unintended consequences” of this being on the ballot and in the Constitution.

“If this doesn’t change, I have to look my fellow Commissioners and my constituents back home on a bill that I voted in committee hoping that it would change, and it doesn’t, I still have to stand by that,” said Johnson, a former County Commissioner.

Rep. Anne Gerwig said she regretted committing to support the bill and hoped for changes.

“I told you I would support this today and I will, but it will make me think twice before I answer so quickly again,” the Wellington Republican said.

“There are repercussions in this that I think I didn’t contemplate before this. And one thing that you do when you term limit elected officials is you empower the staff that remains and does the work. And sometimes the elected official really has the desires of their residents above all else.”

Salzman said in close that not one of her constituents defended term limits, reinforcing her confidence in the current language. And the Republican objectors joined the caucus in affirming the proposal.

The proposal is moving in the Senate.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia’s measure (SJR 802) advanced through its first committee this week.

Both bills have two stops ahead.