Florida voters asked to scrap one way to amend constitution

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida voters are deciding whether or not to do away with a fee that meets each 20 years to advocate adjustments to the state constitution, the one such panel among the many U.S. states that refers amendments straight to a statewide poll.

Opponents of the Constitution Revision Commission say it has gone past its authentic mandate, lacks accountability and has turn out to be a venue for brand spanking new statewide coverage to be proposed to a gaggle of non permanent officers who — in distinction to the elected Legislature — are unelected appointees.

The fee isn’t the one way to refer state amendments to voters. The Legislature can accomplish that, as can residents by way of initiative petitions.

Still, some citizen teams don’t need to lose the fee, which Common Cause Florida calls “an important pathway Floridians have to change their state’s constitution.” The group is urging voters to reject the measure in voting that began in Florida on Oct. 24 and culminates Nov. 8.

The fee was created within the late Nineteen Sixties and met in 1977-78, 1997-98 and 2017-18. Its critics say it was solely meant to suggest clean-up language or delete out of date provisions, although the constitution provides it broad authority to set its personal guidelines, procedures and agenda.

The governor, Senate president, House speaker — who in some years might be all from the identical political social gathering — appoint 33 of the panel’s members. The Supreme Court chief justice appoints three members, and the lawyer common is an computerized appointee.

Critics say the panel’s membership is politically pushed and consists of unaccountable bureaucrats, political donors and lobbyists.

“It’s run by people who follow no rules and who are not elected,” mentioned Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes, who sponsored the invoice to put the measure on the poll. “What we see is this body who, with one-party control of the Legislature and governor’s mansion, can effectively rewrite the constitution and I think that’s something both Republicans and Democrats should be concerned about.”

In the most recent assembly, the fee positioned seven proposed constitutional amendments on the 2018 poll. Voters authorised all seven. Some lawmakers complained that the fee had bundled totally different topics into single proposed amendments. For instance, one measure banned oil drilling in state waters and likewise barred vaping in locations the place smoking is banned.

In any case, the fee’s beneficial poll points have been overshadowed that 12 months by a residents’ initiative measure to mechanically restore voting rights for many felons who’ve accomplished their sentences, which additionally handed. Republican lawmakers later insisted the law be clarified to require that felons pay all fines, restitution and authorized charges as a part of their sentences to regain their proper to vote.

It’s not the primary time voters have been asked to abolish the fee. In 1980, voters rejected the same poll query, with 56.5% voting no and 43.5% voting sure. That’s when the governor’s workplace and Legislature have been managed by Democrats. They’re now managed by Republicans.

Back in 1980 such poll measures required a easy majority of sure votes to go. However, they now require the next hurdle, with approval by 60% of voters.

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