A proposal by Apollo Beach Republican Rep. Michael Owen that could reshape the structure of Hillsborough County government cleared its second House committee stop.
If approved, HB 4029 would place a charter amendment on the November 2026 ballot asking voters whether to expand the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners from seven to nine members, with a future expansion to 11 Commissioners once the county reaches a population of at least 2.5 million.
The proposal would also convert all Commission seats to single-member districts — replacing the current mix of district-based and countywide elections — and revise voting thresholds for key county actions.
The bill does not directly enact those changes if approved by the Legislature. Instead, it requires approval by a majority of Hillsborough County voters through a countywide referendum conducted during the 2026 General Election.
Owen kept his remarks to members of the House Government Operations Subcommittee brief on Thursday, but previously told Florida Politics that the county’s current governance model no longer reflects Hillsborough’s size or population distribution. Owen argues that countywide elections concentrate political power in Tampa’s urban core while diluting representation for suburban and rural communities.
Under the bill, district boundaries would be redrawn following the most recent federal census but terms would remain staggered to maintain continuity on the Commission during the restructure.
HB 4029 also increases the number of affirmative votes required for the Commission to enact ordinances and resolutions, appoint or remove the County Administrator, County Attorney and internal auditor, and propose amendments to the county charter. Several of those actions would require approval by a “majority plus one” vote of the full Commission rather than a simple majority.
The bill further amends provisions in the Hillsborough County Charter governing the Charter Review Board, altering how members are appointed. It also updates the process for citizen-initiated charter amendments, including signature distribution requirements and verification timelines.
If approved by voters, the charter changes would take effect following certification of the referendum results, with implementation tied to election cycles and census data. HB 4029 now moves to its third and final committee stop in the House State Affairs Committee. The bill currently does not have a sponsor in the Senate.
