2020 Florida Amendment Voter Guide

Introduction:

This guide is designed to inform the voter on the 2020 Amendments to the Florida Constitution.  The voter is always ultimately responsible for their vote.  I do not take responsibility for anyone’s vote; we will all answer individually for our choices.  With that in mind, be sure that you VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE!

As a general rule, I am opposed to Constitutional Amendments, unless it is a truly Constitutional issue.  Our Constitution is supposed to be the Supreme Law of the State, establishing guidelines for government, fundamental rights belonging to Floridians, and principles by which we are to govern.  Statutes, on the other hand, are supposed to be the instrument we use to enact laws through legislation in our Republican form of government.  Florida has gotten very lazy about these distinctions.

I had hoped we had learned about cluttering up our Constitution when we passed the “pregnant pig” and the “super train” amendments.  With those two examples in mind, I would like those who view this guide to keep in mind a few things:

When you vote YES and pass a Constitutional Amendment you are creating an established RIGHT to something which includes the appropriate government protections and assignments. 

These rights must be provided under equal access of the law to all citizens of the state, without discrimination.

If you do not agree with part of an Amendment you should vote No.

If you cаn’t understand any part of the Amendment, then you should vote No.

If you vote YES on a Constitutional Amendment, the only way to fix that amendment is through another Constitutional Amendment which requires a 60% vote in favor of that change.

• Amendment 1, Citizen Requirement for Voting Initiative (2020):

This Amendment would change the wording of Article VI section 2 of the Florida Constitution as follows:

This is a Constitutional issue. The Amendment doesn’t really change the meaning of the text but is intended to clarify that Only US Citizens who are 18 years of age or older, permanent residents of Florida, and registered to vote will be qualified to vote in the State of Florida.

A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 1 would: Change the wording of Article VI section 2 in an effort to ensure that only permanent residents of Florida who are citizens under the Uniform Rule of Naturalization as established by the US Constitution are qualified to vote in State & Federal elections in the State of Florida.

• Amendment 2, $15 Minimum Wage Initiative (2020):

This Amendment will change the wording of section Article X section 24 of the Florida Constitution as follows:

Amendment 2 would increase the state minimum wage from $8.56 in 2020 to $15.00 in 2026 by yearly increments:

$10.00 on September 30, 2021;

$11.00 on September 30, 2022;

$12.00 on September 30, 2023;

$13.00 on September 30, 2024;

$14.00 on September 30, 2025; and

$15.00 on September 30, 2026

This is not a Constitutional issue.  It does not concern fundamental rights of Floridians. It deals with the minutiae of various benefits, the details of which are apt to change frequently due to external variables.  The taxpayers pay the legislature to pass such measures. This type of “legislation” should have NEVER become a Constitutional Amendment

This issue should be returned to the Florida Legislature and removed from the Florida Constitution.

A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 2 would: Make it a Constitutional RIGHT to be paid a minimum of $15/hour by the year 2026.

• Amendment 3, Top-Two Open Primaries for State Offices Initiative (2020):

This amendment would ADD a section to the Florida Constitution as follows:

This is a Constitutional issue. This Amendment would change the way primary and general elections are conducted in Florida for the executive offices: Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Chief Financial Officer.  Florida elections for these officers would stop being closed primary elections and become top-two open primaries.

CURRENTLY IN FLORIDA:

Primary elections are funded with the tax dollars of every Floridian, yet only registered members of political parties are allowed to vote. There are currently at least 17 states that have open primaries for some or all offices.

First, this Amendment creates an OPEN PRIMARY so every executive candidate is on the same ballot and every registered voter is permitted to vote in the primary regardless of the political affiliation.

Secondly, it establishes a “top-two” voting system for primaries.  “Top-Two” voting means that the top two vote recipients would move forward to the General Election regardless of party affiliation.

If approved by 60% of the voters, the top-two primary system would begin in 2024.

A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 3 will do ALL the Following:

Establish Florida as an Open Primary State where all registered taxpayers may participate in the primary election they are paying for.  Currently all taxpayers pay for the Primary but only those registered to the political parties can vote in the Primary.

Establish that the top two vote recipients from the Open Primary will move on to the General Election, regardless of party affiliation; the candidates in the General Election will be those chosen by the majority of voters instead of only members of the political parties.

• Amendment 4, Require Constitutional Amendments to be Passed Twice Initiative (2020):

This amendment would amend Article XI sections 5 and 7 of the Florida Constitution by adding text as follows:

This a Constitutional issue because it involves the process of amending the Florida Constitution.

Currently, the Florida Constitution can be amended by a single ballot initiative when 60% of the voters approve the initiative.  This amendment to the Florida Constitution would require any future amendments to approved by 60% of the voters through two consecutive elections instead of one.

Arguments

Proponents:

 Since 1968 the Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times.  In 2018 alone the Constitution was amended 11 times.  Included in the 140 Amendments are Constitutional Amendments for:

• a bullet train that nearly bankrupted the State before it was repealed by a subsequent amendment.
• constitutionally established rights for pregnant pigs
• an amendment to stop gambling on dog racing that will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars and put hundreds of dogs in jeopardy of being euthanized.
• dozens of issues that should be handled by our Legislature instead of cluttering up our Constitution.

According to proponents for this Amendment, requiring two subsequent ballot approvals would reduce the number of “whimsical” and costly constitutional amendments.

Opponents:

The ability of the voters of Florida to amend their Constitution via ballot initiative is an important tool that should not be made “twice as hard” and “twice as costly” to utilize.  The opponents argue that Constitutional Amendments will not reduce in number, but this amendment will establish that only wealthy groups will be able to afford the cost of a ballot initiative twice.

A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 4 will require every Amendment to the Florida Constitution to pass by 60% of the votes in two subsequent elections.

• Amendment 5, Extend “Save Our Homes” Portability Period Amendment (2020):

This amendment would amend Article VII section 4 and ADD a new section to Article XII of the Florida Constitution by adding text as follows:

This is a legislative issue and should not be in the Florida Constitution. It does not concern fundamental rights of Floridians. It deals with the minutiae of various benefits, the details of which are apt to change frequently. The taxpayers pay the legislature to pass such measures.

A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 5 will extending the period during which a person may transfer Save Our Homes (Constitutional Amendment, 1992) benefits to a new homestead property from two years to three years.  Currently, if a person moves to a new home, they have two years to transfer their “Save Our Homes” benefit to have the new home assessed “at less than just value.” The amendment would increase that time to three years rather than two.

• Amendment 6, Homestead Property Tax Discount for Spouses of Deceased Veterans Amendment (2020):

This amendment would amend Article XII section 6 of the Florida Constitution by adding text as follows:

This is a legislative issue and should not be in the Florida Constitution. It does not concern fundamental rights of Floridians. It deals with the minutiae of various benefits, the details of which are apt to change frequently. The taxpayers pay the legislature to pass such measures.

The section has already been amended 12 times since 1980. Thus, it exemplifies the very argument against legislation through Constitutional amendments.  If the original provisions had been passed through the appropriate channels of legislation, a simple amendment to the statute could have been easily passed while the legislature was in session. Instead, Floridians will incur the cost of employing our legislators to (not) do their job, AND the cost of amending the Constitution over and over.

 A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 6 will allow a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran.  The discount would be in effect until the spouse remarries, sells, or otherwise disposes of the property. If the spouse sells the property and does not remarry, the spouse’s new primary residence may receive a homestead tax discount not exceeding the dollar amount from the most recent ad valorem tax roll. The amendment would take effect January 1, 2021.

How KrisAnne Hall would vote:

©2020 KrisAnne Hall www.KrisAnneHall.com