| Official Ballot Summary:
(Click here for a PDF of
the full text.) |
| Proposes an amendment to Section 5 of Article XI of the State Constitution to require that any proposed amendment to or revision of the State Constitution, whether proposed by the Legislature, by initiative, or by any other method, must be approved by at least 60 percent of the voters of the state voting on the measure, rather than by a simple majority. This proposed amendment would not change the current requirement that a proposed constitutional amendment imposing a new state tax or fee be approved by at least 2/3 of the voters of the state voting in the election in which such an amendment is considered. |
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| Amendment Type: |
| Legislative/Joint Resolution, this amendment was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature during the 2005 Legislative Session. It was required to pass both the Senate and House by a 60% vote to be eligible for the ballot. |
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| Sponsor: |
Florida Legislature
HJR 1723 (2005 Session)
Sponsor: Judiciary Committee |
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| Known Proponents: |
• Florida Association of Realtors
• Florida Chamber of Commerce
• Florida Farm Bureau
• Florida Institute of CPAs
• Floridians for Better Transportation
• ProtectOurConstitution.org
(For a complete list of partners, visit their website.) |
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| Known Opponents: |
• ACORN
• AFL-CIO
• Christian Family Coalition
• Common Cause
• Florida Family Action, Inc.
• Florida Policy Roundtable
• Humane Society of the United States
• SaveVotersVoice.org
(For a complete list of this coalition, visit their website.)
• TrusttheVoters.org
(For a complete list of supporters, visit their website.) |
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| Were Paid Signature Gatherers Used to Place This on the Ballot? |
| N/A - Amendment was placed on the ballot via the Legislature. It was required to pass both the Senate and House by a 60% vote. |
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| Arguments: |
| FOR |
| Florida’s Constitution is the easiest to amend
in our nation. In recent years, ballot initiatives have become a vehicle for
well-financed special interest groups to protect their interests via the state’s
most sacred document. By implementing a higher threshold for approval of
constitutional amendments, it broadens consensus because a higher percentage of
Florida's electorate will be required to pass the initiative. |
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| AGAINST |
| When issues are not passed through the
Legislature, the ballot initiative process is critical to ensuring the peoples'
voices are still heard. The citizen initiative process remains a vital check on
government when, for whatever reasons, the government refuses to act. Requiring
a higher percentage of the electorate could diminish an initiative's chances of
being approved. |
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| What Your Vote Means: |
| YES |
| If approved by voters, Amendment #3 would
increase the number of votes needed to approve ballot initiatives from 50% +1 to
60% of those voting on the measure. |
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| NO |
| If Amendment #3 is not approved by voters, the
current requirement of 50% +1 approval would remain in place. |
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| Financial Impact: |
| There is not a direct financial impact on state
or local government. NOTE: The Financial Impact
Estimating Conference is not required to adopt and prepare official financial
impact statements to accompany proposed constitutional amendments which are
placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. |
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