HJR 1979

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing the creation of Section 8 of
3	Article XI of the State Constitution to require
4	constitutional amendments requiring expenditures in excess
5	of $1 per resident each year, based upon the most recent
6	decennial census, to impose taxes, fines, or fees
7	sufficient to fund such required expenditures.
8
9	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	That the creation of Section 8 of Article XI of the State
12	Constitution set forth below is agreed to and shall be submitted
13	to the electors of Florida for approval or rejection at the
14	general election to be held in November 2004:
15	ARTICLE XI
16	AMENDMENTS
17	SECTION 8.  LIMITATION ON AMENDMENTS COSTING IN EXCESS OF
18	ONE DOLLAR PER RESIDENT EACH YEAR BASED UPON THE MOST RECENT
19	DECENNIAL CENSUS.--Each amendment proposed to this Constitution
20	that imposes a cost on state government greater than one dollar
21	per resident per fiscal year, based upon the most recent
22	decennial census, as estimated in a manner provided by general
23	law, shall directly impose additional taxes or fees sufficient
24	to fund the expenditures required by implementation of the
25	amendment, including the cost of levying and collecting such
26	additional taxes or fees. The imposition of such taxes or fees
27	shall not be deemed a violation of the single-subject
28	requirement of Section 3. Each such amendment shall not be
29	effective unless approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of
30	the electors voting on the proposal. No amendment approved after
31	the effective date of this section shall be construed to require
32	expenditures in excess of the taxes or fees imposed by the
33	amendment, but the legislature may by general law revise the
34	taxes and fees so imposed, provided such authority shall not
35	affect the level of expenditures that would otherwise be
36	required by the amendment. The legislature may but need not
37	appropriate funds to implement the purposes of such amendments
38	in amounts greater than the expenditures required under the
39	provisions of this section. A proposed amendment that imposes a
40	cost on state government greater than one dollar per resident
41	per fiscal year, based upon the most recent decennial census,
42	may not provide for an exemption from this section.
43	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the title and substance of the
44	amendment proposed herein shall appear on the ballot as follows:
45	LIMITATIONS ON AMENDMENTS COSTING IN
46	EXCESS OF ONE DOLLAR PER RESIDENT ANNUALLY
47	BASED UPON THE MOST RECENT DECENNIAL CENSUS
48	Proposes the creation of Section 8 of Article XI of the
49	State Constitution to prohibit any amendment to the constitution
50	that requires the expenditure by the state of more than $1 per
51	resident per fiscal year, based upon the most recent decennial
52	census, unless the amendment also imposes additional taxes or
53	fees necessary to fund the implementation of the amendment and
54	the amendment is approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of
55	the electors voting on the proposal. The amendment provides that
56	the imposition of taxes or fees necessary to fund the amendment
57	does not violate the single subject requirement affecting
58	initiative proposals. The amendment provides that no amendment
59	shall be construed to require expenditures in excess of the
60	taxes or fees imposed by the amendment. The amendment would
61	permit the Legislature to revise the taxes or fees by general
62	law without reducing the expenditures that would otherwise be
63	required by the amendment. The amendment expressly authorizes
64	the Legislature to appropriate funds for the purposes of such
65	amendments in amounts greater than expenditures that may be
66	required under the amendment. The amendment further provides
67	that no amendment may exempt itself from the terms of this
68	amendment.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.