Manatee Tiger Bay Club Luncheon: Constitution Revision Commission

Why voters should care about the
Constitution Revision Commission

A recent survey by the Florida Bar Association showed that 9 out of 10 Floridians are unaware of the Constitution Revision Commission. The commission convenes once every 20 years to examine the Florida Constitution and propose changes for voter consideration.

The 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission adjourned on May 11 and placed eight proposed constitutional amendments on the General Election ballot for voter consideration. At least 60 percent of the vote is required to pass a constitutional amendment in Florida.

The 37-member CRC is composed of the Attorney General, 15 appointees from the Governor, nine appointees from the Florida Senate President, nine appointees from the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and three appointees from the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.
The commission meets for approximately one year, traveling the State of Florida to hold public meetings, identifying issues, performing research and possibly recommending changes to the Constitution.

This coming November, Florida voters will be asked to weigh in on eight proposals. Those eight measures contain 20 potential changes to the state Constitution, including a proposed ban on coastal oil drilling, higher ethics standards for public officials, expanded rights for crime victims, term limits for school board members, a ban on greyhound racing and a prohibition on vaping in workplaces.

Six of the measures group multiple changes in single ballot items, while two measures, dealing with ethics and dog racing, are single-subject items.

The eight proposals will join five measures already on the general-election ballot, meaning voters will face 13 proposed constitutional amendments when they go to the polls. It will be the most presented to voters since 1998.

Speakers:

Robert Martineau, J.D.
Distinguished Research  Professor of Law Emeritus
University of Cincinnati

Representative Wengay "Newt" Newton
State Representative Florida House
District 70