A proposal by Apollo Beach Republican Rep. Michael Owen to ask Hillsborough County voters whether to elect their school Superintendent cleared its final House committee, sending the measure to the House floor.
The House State Affairs Committee voted 20-5 to advance HB 4027. The legislation does not itself change how the Superintendent is selected. Instead, it authorizes a countywide referendum during the 2026 General Election asking voters whether the Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent should be elected in a partisan race beginning in 2028.
Owen told committee members the referendum would allow parents to decide who oversees the county’s public school system.
“If approved, Hillsborough will join the majority of counties, as the 39th county, which will allow the parents to decide who the CEO of their child’s education should be,” Owen said.
The State Affairs hearing featured no public testimony, marking a quieter final stop compared to earlier committee hearings. The committee’s vote followed that familiar divide, with most Republicans supporting the measure and Democrats opposing it.
The bill previously advanced through the Education Administration Subcommittee, where it drew extensive public opposition from residents who warned an elected Superintendent would inject partisan politics into the role.
Supporters of the proposal have previously argued that education policy is already political and that voter accountability would strengthen public oversight of the district.
HB 4027 now heads to the House floor. If it ultimately clears the Legislature and becomes law, Hillsborough County voters would still have the final say during the General Election.
