Bill Text: FL S1504 | 2011 | Regular Session | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Initiative Petitions

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [S1504 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-S1504-Comm_Sub.html
       Florida Senate - 2011                             CS for SB 1504
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Rules; and Senator Simmons
       
       
       
       
       595-03419-11                                          20111504c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to initiative petitions; amending s.
    3         100.371, F.S.; limiting the validity of a signed
    4         initiative petition to 30 months; creating s. 100.372,
    5         F.S.; providing definitions; specifying qualifications
    6         for a person to act as a paid petition circulator;
    7         prohibiting a petition circulator from receiving
    8         compensation based on the number of signatures
    9         obtained on an initiative petition; requiring the
   10         initiative petition forms used by a paid petition
   11         circulator to identify the name of the paid petition
   12         circulator; requiring a person seeking employment with
   13         an initiative sponsor as a paid petition circulator to
   14         sign an affidavit stating that the person has not been
   15         convicted of, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to,
   16         a criminal offense involving fraud, forgery, or
   17         identity theft in any jurisdiction within a certain
   18         period; subjecting a petition circulator or an
   19         initiative sponsor to criminal penalties for violating
   20         specified restrictions or requirements; prohibiting an
   21         initiative sponsor from compensating a petition
   22         circulator based on the number of signatures obtained
   23         on an initiative petition; authorizing the Department
   24         of State to adopt rules; amending s. 101.161, F.S.;
   25         specifying a deadline to commence a legal challenge to
   26         an amendment proposed by the Legislature to the State
   27         Constitution; requiring the Attorney General to revise
   28         the wording of the ballot title and ballot summary for
   29         an amendment to the State Constitution proposed by the
   30         Legislature if the wording is found by a court to be
   31         inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise defective and the
   32         decision of the court is not reversed; requiring the
   33         Department of State to furnish a designating number
   34         and the revised ballot title and ballot summary to the
   35         supervisors of elections for placement on the ballot;
   36         providing that a defect in a ballot title or ballot
   37         summary embodied in the joint resolution is not
   38         grounds to remove the proposed amendment from the
   39         ballot; making technical and grammatical changes;
   40         amending s. 104.185, F.S.; subjecting a person to
   41         criminal penalties for altering a signed initiative
   42         petition without the knowledge and consent of the
   43         person who signed the initiative petition; amending
   44         ss. 15.21, 16.061, and 1011.73, F.S.; replacing the
   45         term “substance” with “ballot summary” to conform to
   46         changes made by the act; providing for severability;
   47         providing an effective date.
   48  
   49  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   50  
   51         Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 100.371, Florida
   52  Statutes, is amended to read:
   53         100.371 Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot.—
   54         (3) An initiative petition form circulated for signature
   55  may not be bundled with or attached to any other petition. Each
   56  signature must shall be dated when made and shall be valid for a
   57  period of 30 months 4 years following such date, provided all
   58  other requirements of law are met. The sponsor shall submit
   59  signed and dated forms to the appropriate supervisor of
   60  elections for verification as to the number of registered
   61  electors whose valid signatures appear thereon. The supervisor
   62  shall promptly verify the signatures within 30 days after of
   63  receipt of the petition forms and payment of the fee required by
   64  s. 99.097. The supervisor shall promptly record, in the manner
   65  prescribed by the Secretary of State, the date each form is
   66  received by the supervisor, and the date the signature on the
   67  form is verified as valid. The supervisor may verify that the
   68  signature on a form is valid only if:
   69         (a) The form contains the original signature of the
   70  purported elector.
   71         (b) The purported elector has accurately recorded on the
   72  form the date on which he or she signed the form.
   73         (c) The form accurately sets forth the purported elector’s
   74  name, street address, county, and voter registration number or
   75  date of birth.
   76         (d) The purported elector is, at the time he or she signs
   77  the form, a duly qualified and registered elector authorized to
   78  vote in the county in which his or her signature is submitted.
   79  
   80  The supervisor shall retain the signature forms for at least 1
   81  year following the election in which the issue appeared on the
   82  ballot or until the Division of Elections notifies the
   83  supervisors of elections that the committee which circulated the
   84  petition is no longer seeking to obtain ballot position.
   85         Section 2. Section 100.372, Florida Statutes, is created to
   86  read:
   87         100.372 Regulation of initiative petition circulators.—
   88         (1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
   89         (a) “Initiative sponsor” means the political committee
   90  registered pursuant to s. 106.03 which has submitted the text of
   91  a proposed amendment to the State Constitution to the Secretary
   92  of State.
   93         (b) “Petition circulator” means a person who, in the
   94  context of direct, face-to-face conversation, presents an
   95  initiative petition form to another person for their possible
   96  signature.
   97         (c) “Paid petition circulator” means a petition circulator
   98  who, directly or indirectly, receives compensation for acting as
   99  a petition circulator.
  100         (2) QUALIFICATIONS OF PAID PETITION CIRCULATORS.—
  101         (a) A paid petition circulator must be at least 18 years of
  102  age and eligible to register to vote in this state pursuant to
  103  s. 97.041.
  104         (b) A person may not act as a paid petition circulator for
  105  a period of 5 years following the date of a conviction of, or a
  106  plea of nolo contendere to, a criminal offense involving fraud,
  107  forgery, or identity theft in any jurisdiction.
  108         (c) A person must carry identification while acting as a
  109  paid petition circulator.
  110         (3) COMPENSATION OF PETITION CIRCULATORS.—A petition
  111  circulator may not receive compensation that is, directly or
  112  indirectly, based on the number of signatures he or she obtains
  113  on an initiative petition.
  114         (4) INITIATIVE PETITION FORMS.—Every initiative petition
  115  form presented by a paid petition circulator to obtain another
  116  person’s signature must legibly identify the name of the paid
  117  petition circulator.
  118         (5) RESPONSIBILITIES OF INITIATIVE SPONSORS.—
  119         (a) The sponsor of an initiative may not, directly or
  120  indirectly, employ a person as a paid petition circulator unless
  121  the person has signed an affidavit stating that the person has
  122  not been convicted of, or entered a plea of nolo contendere to,
  123  a criminal offense involving fraud, forgery, or identity theft
  124  in any jurisdiction in the preceding 5 years.
  125         (b) The sponsor of an initiative must maintain the names,
  126  addresses, and affidavits of paid petition circulators for at
  127  least 4 years.
  128         (c) The sponsor of an initiative may not, directly or
  129  indirectly, compensate a petition circulator based on the number
  130  of signatures the petition circulator obtains on an initiative
  131  petition.
  132         (6) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—A person who violates this section
  133  commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as
  134  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  135         (7) RULEMAKING.—The Department of State may adopt rules to
  136  administer this section.
  137         Section 3. Section 101.161, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  138  read:
  139         101.161 Referenda; ballots.—
  140         (1)(a) Whenever a constitutional amendment or other public
  141  measure is submitted to a the vote of the electors, the ballot
  142  shall contain a ballot summary and ballot title for the people,
  143  the substance of such amendment or other public measure. The
  144  ballot summary shall provide an explanatory statement of the
  145  chief purpose of the measure shall be printed in clear and
  146  unambiguous language. The ballot summary on the ballot after the
  147  list of candidates, followed by the word “yes” and also by the
  148  word “no,” and shall be styled in such a manner that a “yes”
  149  vote will indicate approval of the proposal and a “no” vote will
  150  indicate rejection. The ballot title shall be a caption by which
  151  the measure is commonly known.
  152         (b) The ballot title and ballot summary for an wording of
  153  the substance of the amendment or other public measure and the
  154  ballot title to appear on the ballot shall be embodied in the
  155  joint resolution, constitutional revision commission proposal,
  156  constitutional convention proposal, taxation and budget reform
  157  commission proposal, or enabling resolution or ordinance.
  158         (c)A ballot title may not exceed 15 words. Except for
  159  ballot summaries for amendments and ballot language proposed by
  160  joint resolution, the ballot summary for an substance of the
  161  amendment or other public measure may not exceed shall be an
  162  explanatory statement, not exceeding 75 words in length, of the
  163  chief purpose of the measure. In addition, for every amendment
  164  proposed by initiative, the ballot shall include, following the
  165  ballot summary, a separate financial impact statement concerning
  166  the measure prepared by the Financial Impact Estimating
  167  Conference in accordance with s. 100.371(5).
  168         (d) Any action for a judicial determination that the ballot
  169  title or ballot summary embodied in a joint resolution is
  170  inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise defective must be commenced
  171  within 30 days after the joint resolution is filed with the
  172  Secretary of State or at least 150 days before the election at
  173  which the amendment will appear on the ballot, whichever occurs
  174  later. The court, including any appellate court, shall accord
  175  the case priority over other pending cases and render a decision
  176  as expeditiously as possible. If the court determines that the
  177  ballot title or ballot summary embodied in the joint resolution
  178  is defective and further appeals are declined, abandoned, or
  179  exhausted, the Attorney General shall promptly prepare a revised
  180  ballot title and ballot summary to correct the deficiencies
  181  identified by the court, and the Department of State shall
  182  furnish a designating number and the revised ballot title and
  183  ballot summary to the supervisors of elections for placement on
  184  the ballot. The court shall have continuing jurisdiction to
  185  correct any revisions by the Attorney General which are alleged
  186  to be inaccurate, misleading, or defective. A defect in the
  187  ballot title or ballot summary embodied in the joint resolution
  188  is not grounds to remove the proposed amendment from the ballot.
  189  The ballot title shall consist of a caption, not exceeding 15
  190  words in length, by which the measure is commonly referred to or
  191  spoken of.
  192         (2)(a) The substance and ballot title and ballot summary of
  193  a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative shall be
  194  prepared by the sponsor and approved by the Secretary of State
  195  in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to s. 120.54.
  196         (b) For every amendment proposed by initiative, the ballot
  197  shall include, following the ballot summary, a separate
  198  financial impact statement concerning the measure prepared by
  199  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference in accordance with s.
  200  100.371(5).
  201         (3)(a) The Department of State shall give each proposed
  202  constitutional amendment a designating number for convenient
  203  reference. This number designation shall appear on the ballot.
  204  Designating numbers shall be assigned in the order of filing or
  205  certification and in accordance with rules adopted by the
  206  Department of State. The Department of State shall furnish the
  207  designating number, the ballot title, and the ballot summary
  208  substance of each amendment to the supervisor of elections of
  209  each county in which such amendment is to be voted on.
  210         (b) A proposed constitutional amendment or other public
  211  measure submitted to a vote of the electors shall be placed on
  212  the ballot after the list of candidates, followed by the word
  213  “yes” and also by the word “no.” A “yes” vote will indicate
  214  approval of the proposal and a “no” vote will indicate
  215  rejection.
  216         (4)(3)(a) For any general election in which the Secretary
  217  of State, for any circuit, or the supervisor of elections, for
  218  any county, has certified the ballot position for an initiative
  219  to change the method of selection of judges, the ballot for any
  220  circuit must contain the statement in paragraph (b) or paragraph
  221  (c) and the ballot for any county must contain the statement in
  222  paragraph (d) or paragraph (e).
  223         (b) In any circuit where the initiative is to change the
  224  selection of circuit court judges to selection by merit
  225  selection and retention, the ballot shall state: “Shall the
  226  method of selecting circuit court judges in the ...(number of
  227  the circuit)... judicial circuit be changed from election by a
  228  vote of the people to selection by the judicial nominating
  229  commission and appointment by the Governor with subsequent terms
  230  determined by a retention vote of the people?” This statement
  231  must be followed by the word “yes” and also by the word “no.”
  232         (c) In any circuit where the initiative is to change the
  233  selection of circuit court judges to election by the voters, the
  234  ballot shall state: “Shall the method of selecting circuit court
  235  judges in the ...(number of the circuit)... judicial circuit be
  236  changed from selection by the judicial nominating commission and
  237  appointment by the Governor with subsequent terms determined by
  238  a retention vote of the people to election by a vote of the
  239  people?” This statement must be followed by the word “yes” and
  240  also by the word “no.”
  241         (d) In any county where the initiative is to change the
  242  selection of county court judges to merit selection and
  243  retention, the ballot shall state: “Shall the method of
  244  selecting county court judges in ...(name of county)... be
  245  changed from election by a vote of the people to selection by
  246  the judicial nominating commission and appointment by the
  247  Governor with subsequent terms determined by a retention vote of
  248  the people?” This statement must be followed by the word “yes”
  249  and also by the word “no.”
  250         (e) In any county where the initiative is to change the
  251  selection of county court judges to election by the voters, the
  252  ballot shall state: “Shall the method of selecting county court
  253  judges in ...(name of the county)... be changed from selection
  254  by the judicial nominating commission and appointment by the
  255  Governor with subsequent terms determined by a retention vote of
  256  the people to election by a vote of the people?” This statement
  257  must be followed by the word “yes” and also by the word “no.”
  258         Section 4. Section 104.185, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  259  read:
  260         104.185 Offenses relating to petitions; knowingly signing
  261  more than once; signing another person’s name or a fictitious
  262  name.—
  263         (1) A person who knowingly signs a petition or petitions
  264  for a candidate, a minor political party, or an issue more than
  265  one time commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable
  266  as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  267         (2) A person who signs another person’s name or a
  268  fictitious name to any petition to secure ballot position for a
  269  candidate, a minor political party, or an issue commits a
  270  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
  271  775.082 or s. 775.083.
  272         (3) A person who alters an initiative petition that has
  273  been signed by another person, without the other person’s
  274  knowledge or consent, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
  275  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  276         Section 5. Subsection (2) of section 15.21, Florida
  277  Statutes, is amended to read:
  278         15.21 Initiative petitions; s. 3, Art. XI, State
  279  Constitution.—The Secretary of State shall immediately submit an
  280  initiative petition to the Attorney General and to the Financial
  281  Impact Estimating Conference if the sponsor has:
  282         (2) Submitted the ballot title, ballot summary substance,
  283  and text of the proposed revision or amendment to the Secretary
  284  of State pursuant to ss. 100.371 and 101.161; and
  285         Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 16.061, Florida
  286  Statutes, is amended to read:
  287         16.061 Initiative petitions.—
  288         (1) The Attorney General shall, within 30 days after
  289  receipt of a proposed revision or amendment to the State
  290  Constitution by initiative petition from the Secretary of State,
  291  petition the Supreme Court, requesting an advisory opinion
  292  regarding the compliance of the text of the proposed amendment
  293  or revision with s. 3, Art. XI of the State Constitution and the
  294  compliance of the proposed ballot title and ballot summary
  295  substance with s. 101.161. The petition may enumerate any
  296  specific factual issues that the Attorney General believes would
  297  require a judicial determination.
  298         Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
  299  1011.73, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  300         1011.73 District millage elections.—
  301         (4) FORM OF BALLOT.—
  302         (b) The district school board shall provide the wording of
  303  the substance of the measure and the ballot title and the ballot
  304  summary in the resolution calling for the election. The wording
  305  of the ballot must conform to the provisions of s. 101.161.
  306         Section 8. If any provision of this act or its application
  307  to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity
  308  does not affect other provisions or applications of the act
  309  which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
  310  application, and to this end the provisions of this act are
  311  severable.
  312         Section 9. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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