Osceola County Home Rule Charter
When counties in Florida were first set up during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they were viewed as arms of State government. Back then, counties were mostly rural and performed a limited number of government functions. They were largely controlled by the State Legislature.
Florida has changed dramatically during the last several decades. More than half of all Florida residents now live outside cities. County governments now provide many municipal-type services in addition to traditional responsibilities. The Florida Constitution was amended in 1968 to extend full powers of home rule to Florida counties whose voters choose to adopt charters. Seventeen of Floridas 67 counties have a charter, including Osceola County. Voters approved the charter form of government in a referendum ballot on October 1, 1992.
A charter is like a "mini-constitution" and defines the powers, duties and structures of county government.
