[NFBF-Tampa] Summary of Florida's Constitutional amendments from the League of Women Voters

[Sherrill O'Brien]

Hello Tampa Chapter members and friends,

 

I'm pleased to pass along to you this summary of Florida's Constitutional
amendments. These amendments will appear on the November election ballot.
The league of Women Voters has made this summary available to all who want
to learn how these amendments  would affect our daily lives. 

There will be two guest speakers from the League coming to help us get a
better understanding of these amendments, Sandy Sroka and Christine Bright.

They will be glad to answer our questions, so having this summary to look
over before we go to the meeting will be a great help.

 

The summary is attached and also pasted below my signature.

 

O'Brien's has assured us we can come into our meeting room as early as
10:30, so we will have an opportunity to chat and get to know one another a
little better. The meeting will begin at 11:00, and Sandy and Christine will
begin their program around 11:10.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday at the Brandon
O'Brien's!

 

Warm regards,

Sherrill

 

Sherrill o'Brien, Secretary

Tampa Bay Chapter

National Federation of the Blind of Florida

 

AmendmentSummary_Sept13.pdf

There are 12 proposed Constitutional Amendments on the ballot 

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. All require 60% to pass. 

As of Sept. 7, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Amendment 8 is off the
ballot. Amendments 7, 9 and 11 have been ordered by a circuit court judge to

be removed. The state has appealed to the Supreme Court. 

Amendment 1: Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption. Would increase
homestead exemption by $25,000 for homes valued at more than $100,000
(proposed

by the State Legislature) 

A vote yes would amount to a loss of tax revenue. 

A vote no would retain the current exemption. 

Supporting Organizations: None at this time. 

Opposing Organizations: League of Women Voters of Florida; Florida Policy
Institute; Florida League of Cities; Progress Florida; Florida Education
Association

 

Amendment 2: Would make permanent a 10% cap on non-homestead assessments
(including second homes and rental apartments) that was set to expire on
Jan.

2019 (State Legislature) 

A vote yes would keep the 10% cap and disallow tax revenue for rising
property values. 

A vote no would end tax limits on non-homestead property and possibly
increase taxes for schools. 

Supporting Organizations: Florida Association of Realtors 

Opposing Organizations; League of Women Voters of Florida; Florida Education
Association 

Amendment 3: Would require a constitutional amendment to approve any new
casino gambling (Citizen Initiative) 

A vote yes would require the voters to approve a citizen initiative to
authorize any casino gambling in Florida. 

A vote no would continue to allow casino gambling to be approved by the
legislature. 

Supporting Organizations: Voters In Charge; Disney Worldwide Services;
Seminole Tribe of Florida; No Casinos, Inc.; League of Women Voters of
Florida.

 

Opposing Organizations: Florida Education Association 

Amendment 4: Would restore the voting rights of former felons (except those
convicted of murder or felony sex offenses) after completing their sentences

(Citizen Initiative) 

A vote yes would grant former felons the right to vote. 

A vote no would continue making former felons wait a minimum of 5 years
before applying to the Governor and Cabinet. 

Supporting Organizations: Florida Rights Restoration Coalition; Floridians
for a Fair Democracy; ACLU of Florida; League of Women Voters of Florida;
Progress

Florida; Florida Policy Institute; Florida National Organization of Women 

Opposing Organizations: Floridians for a Sensible Voting Rights Policy 

Amendment 5: Supermajority vote required to impose, authorize or raise taxes
or fees (State Legislature) 

A vote yes would require a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House. 

A vote no allows the Legislature to continue to approve increases in taxes
and fees with a simple majority, and to bundle tax bills with other measures

 

Supporting Organizations: Florida Tax Watch 

Opposing Organizations: League of Women Voters of Florida; Florida Policy
Institute; Progress Florida; Florida Education Association 

Amendments 6-11 contain multiple parts bundled into single "yes/no"
proposals, by the Constitutional Revision Commission. We will concentrate on
the most

important elements of these amendments. 

Amendment 6: Expands victims' rights, many of which are in state law, while
limiting time for accused to file appeals. Eliminates an existing
constitutional

provision that victims' rights do not interfere with the constitutional
rights of the accused. Raises the retirement age of judges from 70 to 75.
Prohibits

courts and judges from deferring to state agencies interpretation. 

A vote yes would enshrine more victim's rights in the constitution while
eliminating an existing provision for the rights of the accused, raise
mandatory

retirement age for a judge, and force judges to decide if the state agency
correctly interpreted the law. 

A vote no would retain existing victim's rights in the constitution, and not
set a deadline for appeals, keep judges' retirement age at 70, and continue

to allow state agencies' interpretation of state laws. 

Supporting Organization: 24 Florida Sheriffs; Florida Smart Justice 

Opposing Organizations: ACLU of Florida; League of Women Voters of Florida;
Florida Education Association 

Amendment 7: First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits, Public
Colleges and Universities 

Creates a supermajority requirement for universities to impose new or
increase student fees. Enshrine guidelines for state colleges in
Constitution. Mandates

a death benefit for first responders and military killed in the line of
duty. 

A vote yes would force a supermajority vote for university fee increases,
add framework of state colleges in the Constitution, and would require the
State

to pay death benefits to U.S. Military residents or those stationed in
Florida. 

A vote no would continue allowing majority vote for fee increases; exclude a
framework for state colleges in the constitution; continue providing death

benefits for first responders through state law. 

Supporting Organizations: Association of Florida Colleges 

Opposing Organizations: League of Women Voters Florida; Florida Education
Association 

OFF THE BALLOT: Amendment 8: Public Schools. Allow the state Legislature to
set up a state-run system for establishing and operating public schools.
Creates

term limits for all school boards. Creates a constitutional requirement for
civics education in public schools, something already required by state law.

 

A vote yes would establish terms limits for school board members; permit
Legislature to establish state-run public schools; put in the Constitution
mandatory

civics classes. 

A vote no would reject term limits; keep local school boards the sole
authority for approving and supervising public schools; reject a
constitutional mandate

for something that is required by state law. 

Supporting Organizations: U.S. Term Limits 

Opposing Organizations: Florida School Boards Association; League of Women
Voters Florida; Florida Policy Institute; Florida Education Association;
Florida

National Organization of Women 

Amendment 9: Prohibits offshore drilling beneath waters controlled by
Florida. Prohibits use of e-cigarettes (vaping). 

A vote yes would enshrine in Constitution a ban on offshore oil and gas
drilling; signal Florida's opposition to offshore drilling; add vaping
restrictions

to Constitution. 

A vote no would keep a drilling ban out of the Constitution; signal to
federal government that Florida doesn't care about off shore drilling; keep
vaping

out of the Constitution. 

Supporting Organizations: Florida Wildlife Federation; Gulf Restoration
Network; American Cancer Association; Cancer Action Network; League of Women
Voters

Florida; Florida Policy Institute; Progress Florida 

Opposing Organizations: Florida Petroleum Council; Associated Industries of
Florida; Florida Chamber of Commerce; Consumers for Smoke-Free Alternatives

 

Amendment 10: State and Local Government Structure and Operation. Requires
Legislature in even years (election years) to start sessions in January.
Creates

Office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism. Mandates existence of
state Department of Veteran Affairs. Forces all counties to elect and never
abolish

offices of: Sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, Supervisor of
Elections, and Clerk of Circuit Court. 

A vote yes would fix the date of legislative sessions in even years; create
office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism; force the legislature to

always have a Department of Veteran Affairs; force all Florida counties to
elect Constitutional Officers. 

A vote no would continue to allow Legislature to set date for session in
even numbered years; reject mandated Office of Security and
Counterterrorism;

reject mandated Department of Veteran Affairs; allow Florida's charter
counties to continue determining how the duties of the five county offices
will

be arranged. 

Supporting Organizations: None at this time 

Opposing Organizations: Florida League of Women Voters; Florida Education
Association 

Amendment 11: Repeals the state's ability to prohibit non-citizens from
buying, owning, and selling property. Deletes a provision that forces the
state

to prosecute criminal suspects under a law they were charged under, even if
the law is repealed. Deletes obsolete high-speed rail language from the
Constitution.

 

A vote yes would repeal Legislature's right to restrict property rights of
non-citizens; delete requirement to prosecute criminal suspects for laws
that

have been changed since crime was committed; delete language about high
speed rail. 

A vote no would continue to have laws that restricts property rights of
non-citizens; continue to allow criminal suspects to be prosecuted under
repealed

laws; retain high speed rail in Constitution. 

Supporting Organizations: None at this time 

Opposing Organizations: Florida Education Association 

Amendment 12: Expands restrictions on paid lobbying by former public
officers. Creates restrictions on paid lobbying by currently serving public
officers.

Prohibits certain abuses of public office (CRC). 

A vote yes would extend ban on state lobbying by legislators and statewide
elected officials to 6 years after leaving office; prohibit legislators and

statewide elected officials from lobbying federal and local government
agencies while in office; prohibit local elected officials from paid
lobbying of

anyone while in office and their own governing body for 6 years. 

A vote no would keep in place the current 2-year ban. 

Supporting Organizations: Integrity Florida; Common Cause; Florida Policy
Institute 

Opposing Organizations: Florida Education Association 

Amendment 13: Bans all wagering on any type of dog racing, although not
stopping racing (CRC). 

A vote yes would ban all wagering on dog racing by Dec. 31, 2020; result in
a loss of $1 million in taxes. 

A vote no would continue to allow wagering on dog races. 

Supporting Organizations: Gray2K USA; League of Women Voters Florida 

Opposing Organizations: Florida Greyhound Assoc.

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