Regina Hill: What happens after elected official, city commissioner is arrested in Florida?

ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill was arrested on Thursday on charges of elderly exploitation and fraud. 

She was booked into the Orange County Jail on these charges, where she remains held on $40,000 bond. 

WHO IS REGINA HILL?: What to know about arrested Orlando Commissioner

What happens when an elected official is arrested in Florida? Here's what to know:

Regina Hill was arrested in Orange County on March 28, 2024. (Photo: Orange County Corrections Department)

Regina Hill may have been arrested, but she has not been suspended from office yet. That power lies with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, pursuant to Florida Statute 112.51. But there are stipulations. 

The statute reads, in part:

"Whenever any elected or appointed municipal official is arrested for a felony or for a misdemeanor related to the duties of office or is indicted or informed against for the commission of a federal felony or misdemeanor or state felony or misdemeanor, the Governor has the power to suspend such municipal official from office."

If DeSantis suspends Hill from Office, the City of Orlando will work with the Supervisor of Elections to hold a special election to temporarily fill the District 5 City Commission seat. 

At a press conference on Thursday, DeSantis briefly touched on Hill's arrest. 

He said Hill's suspension – or the suspension of any municipal elected official – only goes under his purview if they are indicted by a grand jury. A grand jury filed an indictment on Wednesday. 

If there was no indictment, then DeSantis said his power of suspension wouldn't reach – it only reaches county-wide elected officials. 

"We would not do anything prior to that (indictment)," DeSantis said about the possibility of suspending Hill.  

DeSantis added that the state of Florida is riddled with rich elders who can be targets for exploitation, and there are penalties in place for those who violate that. 

Hill took office in 2013. District 5 includes downtown Orlando and the communities of Parramore, Rock Lake, Malibu, Clear Lake, Ivey Lane, Lake Sunset, the Willows, the Mercy Drive Corridor, Timber Sounds, Lake Mann Homes, Demetrius Homes, Timberleaf and Metro West.