Florida’s State Constitution & Amendments Proposed by the Constitutional Revision Commission (“CRC”)

Once every twenty years the Florida Constitution provides for the creation of a thirty-seven member revision commission (hereinafter referred to as the “CRC”) which is appointed for the specific purpose of reviewing the Florida Constitution and proposing changes to be considered for voter consideration.

As such, the CRC has been uniquely vested with the duty to examine the Constitution of the State of Florida, as revised in 1968 and subsequently amended, hold public hearings, and file with the Secretary of State its proposed changes, if any.

Florida Constitution Article XI, Section 2

In relevant part, Article XI, Section 2, of the Florida Constitution, provides for the appointment and creation of the CRC as follows:

SECTION 2. Revision commission.—

(a) Within thirty days before the convening of the 2017 regular session of the legislature, and each twentieth year thereafter, there shall be established a constitution revision commission composed of the following thirty-seven members:

(1) the attorney general of the state;

(2) fifteen members selected by the governor;

(3) nine members selected by the speaker of the house of representatives and nine members selected by the president of the senate; and

(4) three members selected by the chief justice of the supreme court of Florida with the advice of the justices.

 (b) The governor shall designate one member of the commission as its chair. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

(c)  Each constitution revision commission shall convene at the call of its chair, adopt its rules of procedure, examine the constitution of the state, hold public hearings, and, not later than one hundred eighty days prior to the next general election, file with the custodian of state records its proposal, if any, of a revision of this constitution or any part of it.

The CRC has made an electronic copy of its Final Public Meeting dates publicly available by clicking here.

So What’s the Legal Scoop?

An illustration of the importance that Florida’s unique CRC process has had thus far on our government and public policy is that more than 40 percent of the substantive changes originally proposed by the 1977-1978 CRC are now codified into Florida law.

Accordingly, everyone potentially interested or directly impacted by the proposed 2017-2018 CRC amendments finally approved over the next couple months, are strongly encouraged to participate in any remaining public hearings and to keep a close eye on the final proposed amendments which should appear on the final 2018 ballots for voter approval.

 

Photo Courtesy of FutUndBeidl under Flickr Creative Commons License