The Constitution of the State of Florida

The Constitution of the State of Florida

The Constitution of the State of Florida

The Constitution of the State of Florida

Constitution Of The State Of Florida

As Revised In 1968 And Subsequently Amended

The Constitution of the State of Florida as revised in 1968 consisted of certain revised articles as proposed by three joint resolutions which were adopted during the special session of June 24-July 3, 1968, and ratified by the electorate on November 5, 1968, together with one article carried forward from the Constitution of 1885, as amended. The articles proposed in House Joint Resolution 1-2X constituted the entire revised constitution with the exception of Articles V, VI, and VIII. Senate Joint Resolution 4-2X proposed Article VI, relating to suffrage and elections. Senate Joint Resolution 5-2X proposed a new Article VIII, relating to local government. Article V, relating to the judiciary, was carried forward from the Constitution of 1885, as amended.

Sections composing the 1968 revision have no history notes. Subsequent changes are indicated by notes appended to the affected sections. The indexes appearing at the beginning of each article, notes appearing at the end of various sections, and section and subsection headings are added editorially and are not to be considered as part of the constitution.
Preamble

Article I - Declaration of Rights

Section 1. Political Power
Section 2. Basic rights
Section 3. Religious Freedom
Section 4. Freedom of speech and press
Section 5. Right to Assemble
Section 6. Right to Work
Section 7. Military Power
Section 8. Right to Bear Arms
Section 9. Due Process
Section 10. Prohibited Laws
Section 11. Imprisonment for debt
Section 12. Searches and Seizures
Section 13. Habeas Corpus
Section 14. Pretrial Release and Detention
Section 15. Prosecution for crime; offenses committed by children
Section 16. Rights of Accused and of Victims
Section 17. Excessive Punishments
Section 18. Administrative Penalties
Section 19. Costs
Section 20. Treason
Section 21. Access to Courts
Section 22. Trial by Jury
Section 23. Right of Privacy
Section 24. Access to Public Records and Meetings
Section 25. Taxpayers' Bill of Rights
Section 26. Claimant's right to fair compensation

Article II - General Provisions

Section 1. State Boundaries
Section 2. Seat of Government
Section 3. Branches of Government
Section 4. State Seal and Flag
Section 5. Public Officers
Section 6. Enemy Attack
Section 7. Natural Resources and Scenic Beauty
Section 8. Ethics in Government
Section 9. English is the Official Language of Florida

Article III - Legislature

Section 1. Composition
Section 2. Members; Officers
Section 3. Sessions of the Legislature
Section 4. Quorum and procedure
Section 5. Investigations; witnesses
Section 6. Laws
Section 7. Passage of Bills
Section 8. Executive Approval and Veto
Section 9. Effective Date of Laws
Section 10. Special laws
Section 11. Prohibited Special Laws
Section 12. Appropriation Bills
Section 13. Term of Office
Section 14. Civil Service System
Section 15. Terms and qualifications of legislators
Section 16. Legislative Apportionment
Section 17. Impeachment
Section 18. Conflict of Interest
Section 19. State Budgeting, Planning and Appropriations Processes

Article IV - Executive

Section 1. Governor
Section 2. Lieutenant Governor
Section 3. Succession to office of governor; acting governor
Section 4. Cabinet
Section 5. Election of governor, lieutenant governor and cabinet members; qualifications; terms.
Section 6. Executive Departments
Section 7. Suspensions; filling office during suspensions
Section 8. Clemency
Section 9. Fish and wildlife conservation commission
Section 10. Attorney General
Section 11. Department of Veterans Affairs
Section 12. Department of Elderly Affairs
Section 13. Revenue Shortfalls

Article V - Judiciary

Section 1. Courts
Section 2. Administration; practice and procedure
Section 3. Supreme court
Section 4. District courts of appeal
Section 5. Circuit courts
Section 6. County Courts
Section 7. Specialized Divisions
Section 8. Eligibility
Section 9. Determination of number of judges
Section 10. Retention; Election and Terms
Section 11. Vacancies
Section 12. Discipline; removal and retirement
Section 13. Prohibited Activities
Section 14. Funding
Section 15. Attorneys; admission and discipline
Section 16. Clerks of the circuit courts
Section 17. State Attorneys
Section 18. Public Defenders
Section 19. Judicial officers as conservators of the peace
Section 20. Schedule to Article V

Article VI - Suffrage and Elections

Section 1. Regulation of elections
Section 2. Electors
Section 3. Oath
Section 4. Disqualifications
Section 5. Primary, general, and special elections
Section 6. Municipal and district elections
Section 7. Campaign spending limits and funding of campaigns for elective state-wide office

Article VII - Finance and Taxation

Section 1. Taxation; appropriations; state expenses; state revenue limitation
Section 2. Taxes; rate
Section 3. Taxes; exemptions
Section 4. Taxation; assessments
Section 5. Estate, inheritance and income taxes
Section 6. Homestead exemptions
Section 7. Allocation of pari-mutuel taxes
Section 8. Aid to local governments
Section 9. Local taxes
Section 10. Pledging credit
Section 11. State bonds; revenue bonds
Section 12. Local bonds
Section 13. Relief from illegal taxes
Section 14. Bonds for pollution control and abatement and other water facilities
Section 15. Revenue bonds for scholarship loans
Section 16. Bonds for housing and related facilities
Section 17. Bonds for acquiring transportation right-of-way or for constructing bridges
Section 18. Laws requiring counties or municipalities to spend funds or limiting their ability to raise revenue or receive state tax revenue

Article VIII - Local Government

Section 1. Counties
Section 2. Municipalities
Section 3. Consolidation
Section 4. Transfer of powers
Section 5. Local Option
Section 6. Schedule to Article VIII

Article IX - Education

Section 1. Public education
Section 2. State board of education
Section 3. Terms of appointive board members
Section 4. School districts; school boards
Section 5. Superintendent of schools
Section 6. State school fund
Section 7. State University System

Article X - Miscellaneous

Section 1. Amendments to United States Constitution.
Section 2. Militia
Section 3. Vacancy in office
Section 4. Homestead; exemptions
Section 5. Coverture and property
Section 6. Eminent domain
Section 7. Lotteries
Section 8. Census
Section 9. Repeal of criminal statutes
Section 10. Felony; definition
Section 11. Sovereignty lands
Section 12. Rules of construction
Section 13. Suits against the state
Section 14. State retirement systems benefit changes
Section 15. State operated lotteries
Section 16. Limiting marine net fishing
Section 17. Everglades Trust Fund
Section 18. Disposition of conservation lands
Section 19. High speed ground transportation system
Section 20. Workplaces without tobacco smoke
Section 21. Limiting cruel and inhumane confinement of pigs during pregnancy
Section 22. Parental notice of termination of a minor's pregnancy
Section 23. Slot machines
Section 24. Florida minimum wage
Section 25. Patients' right to know about adverse medical incidents
Section 26. Prohibition of medical license after repeated medical malpractice
Section 27. Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Education And Prevention Program

Article XI - Amendments

Section 1. Proposal by legislature
Section 2. Revision commission
Section 3. Initiative
Section 4. Constitutional convention
Section 5. Amendment or revision election
Section 6. Taxation and budget reform commission
Section 7. Tax or fee limitation

Article XII - Schedule

Section 1. Constitution of 1885 superseded
Section 2. Property taxes; millages
Section 3. Officers to continue in office
Section 4. State commissioner of education
Section 5. Superintendent of schools
Section 6. Laws preserved
Section 7. Rights reserved
Section 8. Public debts recognized
Section 9. Bonds
Section 10. Preservation of existing government
Section 11. Deletion of obsolete schedule items
Section 12. Senators
Section 13. Legislative apportionment
Section 14. Representatives; terms
Section 15. Special district taxes
Section 16. Reorganization
Section 17. Conflicting provisions
Section 18. Bonds for housing and related facilities
Section 19. Renewable energy source property
Section 20. Access to public records
Section 21. State revenue limitation
Section 22. Historic property exemption and assessment
Section 23. Fish and wildlife conservation commission
Section 24. Executive branch reform
Section 25. Schedule to Article V amendment
Section 26. Increased homestead exemption
Section 27. Property tax exemptions and limitations on property tax assessments
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