Bill Text: FL S1682 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Florida Senate Bill 1682 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Legislature

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [S1682 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-S1682-Introduced.html

       Florida Senate - 2011                                    SB 1682
       
       
       
       By Senator Rich
       
       
       
       
       34-01375A-11                                          20111682__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Legislature; amending s. 1 of
    3         chapter 2010-91, Laws of Florida; requiring the
    4         Legislature to enact the maps of the state legislative
    5         and congressional districts by a specified date in the
    6         year 2012; providing an effective date.
    7  
    8         WHEREAS, the data and software to draw maps for the purpose
    9  of reapportionment are available to all members of the
   10  Legislature and the public, and
   11         WHEREAS, Florida’s schedule for apportioning legislative
   12  districts is one of the latest in the nation and was created
   13  before many of the advances in computing which allow maps to be
   14  drawn nearly instantaneously, and
   15         WHEREAS, it could take months for federal and state
   16  agencies and the courts to approve all maps generated by the
   17  Legislature, and
   18         WHEREAS, if the present timeline remains intact, the best
   19  case is that the citizens of the state will know their
   20  legislative districts only days before candidates are required
   21  to qualify, and
   22         WHEREAS, the citizens of this state have the right to seek
   23  public office and have a reasonable time to qualify and run
   24  competitive races, and
   25         WHEREAS, the citizens of this state should have the benefit
   26  of an orderly election cycle that allows sufficient time to
   27  review and decide on the candidate of their choice, NOW,
   28  THEREFORE,
   29  
   30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   31  
   32         Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 2010-91, Laws of Florida,
   33  is amended to read:
   34         Section 1. (1) In accordance with subsection (b) of Section
   35  3 of Article III of the State Constitution and in lieu of the
   36  date fixed therein, the 2012 Regular Session of the Legislature
   37  shall convene on January 10, 2012.
   38         (2) By January 15, 2012, the Legislature shall enact the
   39  maps for the state legislative and congressional districts which
   40  are in accordance with the State Constitution and the United
   41  States Constitution.
   42         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.