The Bob Graham Center is pleased to be a member of the Partnership for Revising Florida's Constitution. The mission of the partnership is to educate the public on the importance of the 2017-18 Constitution Revision Commission, engage the public in the revision process and empower Florida citizens to vote on the proposals put forth by the commission. Cover photo of the commission that drafted Florida's 1968 constitution courtesy of Florida Memory.
Background
Florida's constitution provides for the creation of a 37-member revision commission for the purpose of reviewing Florida’s Constitution and proposing changes for voter consideration. The commission travels Florida, identifies issues, performs research and recommends possible changes to the constitution based on what it deems necessary. Voters may choose to reject the proposed amendments. This was the case in 1978 when all eight amendments put forth to Florida voters were denied passage. The last comprehensive review of Florida’s Constitution occurred in 1997-98. That commission presented nine proposed amendments to the constitution, eight of which were adopted by Florida voters.
2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission
Since the 1997-98 commission, Florida has experienced extraordinary population growth. With a population that now exceeds 20 million, Florida is the nation's third most populous state. Such growth has had a tremendous impact on state transportation, education, health care, natural resources, pollution and crime. Treatment of these issues is largely dictated by the state constitution. The commission will host a series of public hearings around the state in order to guarantee that proposed revisions address the citizenry’s needs. Florida voters will have the opportunity to vote on these proposed revisions on the 2018 ballot. This is the first time that commission-referred amendments will require 60 percent approval from Florida voters to pass.
The Composition of the Commission
The commission is made up of 37 members: the Florida Attorney General, 15 members appointed by the Governor, nine members appointed by the Speaker of the Florida House, nine members appointed by the President of the Florida Senate and three members appointed by the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. The Governor also designates a commission chairperson. The people of Florida have a role to play in the appointment process. Individuals are encouraged to contact appointing authorities, as outlined above, to suggest possible commissioners.
