Amendment
Bill No. 1471
Amendment No. 091657
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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1Representative(s) Goodlette and Jennings offered the following:
2
3     Amendment (with title amendment)
4     Remove line(s) 74-659 and insert:
5ballot placement for an issue must be verified by the method
6provided in paragraph (a).
7     (3)(a)  A signature name on a petition, in a which name
8that is not in substantially the same form as a name on the
9voter registration books, shall be counted as a valid signature
10if, after comparing the signature on the petition with the
11signature of the alleged signer as shown on the registration
12books, the supervisor determines that the person signing the
13petition and the person who registered to vote are one and the
14same. In any situation in which this code requires the form of
15the petition to be prescribed by the division, no signature
16shall be counted toward the number of signatures required unless
17it is on a petition form prescribed by the division. A signature
18on a petition may not be counted toward the number of valid
19signatures required for ballot placement unless all relevant
20provisions of this code have been satisfied.
21     (b)  If a voter signs a petition and lists an address other
22than the legal residence where the voter is registered, the
23supervisor shall treat the signature as if the voter had listed
24the address where the voter is registered.
25     (4)(a)  The supervisor shall be paid in advance the sum of
2610 cents for each signature checked or the actual cost of
27checking such signature, whichever is less, by the candidate or,
28in the case of a petition to have an issue placed on the ballot,
29by the person or organization submitting the petition. However,
30if a candidate, person, or organization seeking to have an issue
31placed upon the ballot cannot pay such charges without imposing
32an undue burden on personal resources or upon the resources
33otherwise available to such candidate, person, or organization,
34such candidate, person, or organization shall, upon written
35certification of such inability given under oath to the
36supervisor, be entitled to have the signatures verified at no
37charge. In the event a candidate, person, or organization
38submitting a petition to have an issue placed upon the ballot is
39entitled to have the signatures verified at no charge, the
40supervisor of elections of each county in which the signatures
41are verified at no charge shall submit the total number of such
42signatures checked in the county to the Chief Financial Officer
43no later than December 1 of the general election year, and the
44Chief Financial Officer shall cause such supervisor of elections
45to be reimbursed from the General Revenue Fund in an amount
46equal to 10 cents for each signature name checked or the actual
47cost of checking such signatures, whichever is less. In no event
48shall such reimbursement of costs be deemed or applied as extra
49compensation for the supervisor. Petitions shall be retained by
50the supervisors for a period of 1 year following the election
51for which the petitions were circulated.
52     (b)  A person or organization submitting a petition to
53secure ballot placement for an issue which has filed a
54certification of undue burden may not provide compensation to
55any paid petition circulator, as defined in s. 100.372, unless
56the person or organization first pays all supervisors for each
57signature checked or reimburses the General Revenue Fund for
58such costs. If a person or organization subject to this
59paragraph provides compensation to a paid petition circulator
60before the date the person or organization pays all supervisors
61for each signature checked or reimburses the General Revenue
62Fund for such costs, no signature on a petition circulated by
63the petition circulator before that date may be counted toward
64the number of valid signatures required for ballot placement.
65     (6)(a)  The alleged improper verification of a signature on
66a petition to secure ballot placement for an issue pursuant to
67this code may be contested in the circuit court by a political
68committee or by an elector. The contestant shall file a
69complaint setting forth the basis of the contest, together with
70the fees prescribed in chapter 28, with the clerk of the circuit
71court in the county in which the petition is certified or in
72Leon County if the complaint is directed to petitions certified
73in more than one county.
74     (b)  If the contestant demonstrates by a preponderance of
75the evidence that one or more petitions were improperly
76verified, the signatures appearing on such petitions may not be
77counted toward the number of valid signatures required for
78ballot placement. If an action brought under this subsection is
79resolved after the Secretary of State has issued a certificate
80of ballot position for the issue, but the contestant
81demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that the person
82or organization submitting the petition had obtained
83verification of an insufficient number of valid and verified
84signatures to qualify for ballot placement, the issue shall be
85removed from the ballot or, if such action is impractical, any
86votes cast for or against the issue may not be counted and shall
87be invalidated.
88     (c)  An action under this subsection must be commenced not
89later than 90 days after the Secretary of State issues a
90certificate of ballot position for the issue.
91     Section 3.  Section 100.371, Florida Statutes, as amended
92by section 9 of chapter 2002-281, Laws of Florida, is amended to
93read:
94     100.371  Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot.--
95     (1)  Constitutional amendments proposed by initiative shall
96be placed on the ballot for the general election provided that
97an initiative petition is filed with the Secretary of State by
98February 1 of the year in which the general election is to be
99held occurring in excess of 90 days from the certification of
100ballot position by the Secretary of State.
101     (2)  Such Certification of ballot position shall be issued
102when the Secretary of State has received verification
103certificates from the supervisors of elections indicating that
104the requisite number and distribution of valid petitions bearing
105the signatures of electors have been submitted to and verified
106by the supervisors. Every signature shall be dated by the
107elector when made. Signatures are and shall be valid for a
108period of 4 years following such date, provided all other
109requirements of law are satisfied complied with.
110     (3)  The sponsor of an initiative amendment shall, prior to
111obtaining any signatures, register as a political committee
112pursuant to s. 106.03 and submit the text of the proposed
113amendment to the Secretary of State, with the form on which the
114signatures will be affixed, and shall obtain the approval of the
115Secretary of State of such form. The division Secretary of State
116shall adopt rules pursuant to s. 120.54 prescribing the style
117and requirements of such form. Upon filing with the Secretary of
118State, the text of the proposed amendment and all forms filed in
119connection with this section must, upon request, be made
120available in alternative formats. The contents of a petition
121form shall be limited to those items required by statute or
122rule. A petition form shall be deemed a political advertisement
123as defined in s. 106.011 and, as such, must comply with all
124relevant requirements of chapter 106.
125     (4)  The supervisor of elections shall record the date each
126petition form was received by the supervisor and the date the
127signature on the form was verified as valid. The supervisor
128shall verify that the signature on a petition form is valid only
129if the form complies with all of the following:
130     (a)  The form must contain the original signature of the
131purported elector;
132     (b)  The purported elector must accurately record on the
133form the date on which he or she signed the form;
134     (c)  The form must accurately set forth the purported
135elector's name, street address, county, voter registration
136number or date of birth, and any other information required by
137the division by rule;
138     (d)  The purported elector must be, at the time he or she
139signs the form, a duly qualified and registered elector
140authorized to vote in the county for which his or her signature
141is submitted;
142     (e)  The date the elector signed the form, as recorded by
143the elector, must be no more than 45 days from the date the form
144was received by the supervisor of elections;
145     (f)  The elector must accurately record on the form whether
146the elector was presented with the petition form for his or her
147signature by a petition circulator, as defined in s. 100.372(1);
148and
149     (g)  If the elector was presented with the petition form
150for his or her signature by a petition circulator, the petition
151form must comply with the requirements of s. 100.372.
152     (5)  An elector has the right to submit his or her signed
153form to the sponsor of the initiative amendment, by mail or
154otherwise, at an address listed on the form for this purpose.
155     (6)  Each form must contain the following three notices at
156the top of the form in bold type and in a 16-point or larger
157font, immediately following the title "Constitutional Amendment
158Petition Form":
159
160RIGHT TO MAIL-IN - You have the right to take this
161petition home and study the issue before signing. If
162you choose to sign the petition, you may return it to
163the sponsors of the amendment at the following
164address: ___________________________________.
165
166PAID PETITION CIRCULATOR ? The person presenting this
167petition for your signature may be receiving
168compensation to do so. You have the right to ask for
169this information and the person's rate of compensation
170before you sign the petition.
171
172NATURE OF AMENDMENT ? The merits of the proposed
173change to the Florida Constitution appearing below
174have not been officially reviewed by any court or
175agency of state government.
176
177     (7)(4)  The sponsor shall submit signed and dated forms to
178the appropriate supervisor of elections for verification as to
179the number of registered electors whose valid signatures appear
180thereon. The supervisor shall promptly verify the signatures
181upon payment of the fee required by s. 99.097. Upon completion
182of verification, the supervisor shall execute a certificate
183indicating the total number of signatures checked, the number of
184signatures verified as valid and as being of registered
185electors, and the distribution of such signatures by
186congressional district. This certificate shall be immediately
187transmitted to the Secretary of State. The supervisor shall
188retain the signed signature forms for at least 1 year following
189the election in which the issue appeared on the ballot or until
190the Division of Elections notifies the supervisors of elections
191that the committee which circulated the petition is no longer
192seeking to obtain ballot position.
193     (8)(5)  The Secretary of State shall determine from the
194verification certificates received from supervisors of elections
195the total number of verified valid signatures and the
196distribution of such signatures by congressional districts. Upon
197a determination that the requisite number and distribution of
198valid signatures have been obtained, the secretary shall issue a
199certificate of ballot position for that proposed amendment and
200shall assign a designating number pursuant to s. 101.161. A
201petition shall be deemed to be filed with the Secretary of State
202upon the date of the receipt by the secretary of a certificate
203or certificates from supervisors of elections indicating the
204petition has been signed by the constitutionally required number
205of electors.
206     (9)(6)(a)  Within 45 days after receipt of a proposed
207revision or amendment to the State Constitution by initiative
208petition from the Secretary of State or, within 30 days after
209such receipt if receipt occurs 120 days or less before the
210election at which the question of ratifying the amendment will
211be presented, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall
212complete an analysis and financial impact statement to be placed
213on the ballot of the estimated increase or decrease in any
214revenues or costs to state or local governments resulting from
215the proposed initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating
216Conference shall submit the financial impact statement to the
217Attorney General and Secretary of State.
218     (b)1.  The Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall
219provide an opportunity for any proponents or opponents of the
220initiative to submit information and may solicit information or
221analysis from any other entities or agencies, including the
222Office of Economic and Demographic Research. All meetings of the
223Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall be open to the
224public as provided in chapter 286.
225     2.  The Financial Impact Estimating Conference is
226established to review, analyze, and estimate the financial
227impact of amendments to or revisions of the State Constitution
228proposed by initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating
229Conference shall consist of four principals: one person from the
230Executive Office of the Governor; the coordinator of the Office
231of Economic and Demographic Research, or his or her designee;
232one person from the professional staff of the Senate; and one
233person from the professional staff of the House of
234Representatives. Each principal shall have appropriate fiscal
235expertise in the subject matter of the initiative. A Financial
236Impact Estimating Conference may be appointed for each
237initiative.
238     3.  Principals of the Financial Impact Estimating
239Conference shall reach a consensus or majority concurrence on a
240clear and unambiguous financial impact statement, no more than
24175 words in length, and immediately submit the statement to the
242Attorney General. Nothing in this subsection prohibits the
243Financial Impact Estimating Conference from setting forth a
244range of potential impacts in the financial impact statement.
245Any financial impact statement that a court finds not to be in
246accordance with this section shall be remanded solely to the
247Financial Impact Estimating Conference for redrafting. The
248Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall redraft the
249financial impact statement within 15 days.
250     4.  If the members of the Financial Impact Estimating
251Conference are unable to agree on the statement required by this
252subsection, or if the Supreme Court has rejected the initial
253submission by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference and no
254redraft has been approved by the Supreme Court by April 1 of the
255year in which the general election is to be held 5 p.m. on the
25675th day before the election, the following statement shall
257appear on the ballot pursuant to s. 101.161(1): "The financial
258impact of this measure, if any, cannot be reasonably determined
259at this time."
260     (c)  The financial impact statement must be separately
261contained and be set forth after the ballot summary as required
262in s. 101.161(1).
263     (d)1.  Any financial impact statement that the Supreme
264Court finds not to be in accordance with this subsection shall
265be remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
266for redrafting, provided the court's advisory opinion is
267rendered by April 1 of the year in which the general election is
268to be held at least 75 days before the election at which the
269question of ratifying the amendment will be presented. The
270Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall prepare and adopt a
271revised financial impact statement no later than 5 p.m. on the
27215th day after the date of the court's opinion.
273     2.  If, by 5 p.m. on April 1 of the year in which the
274general election is to be held the 75th day before the election,
275the Supreme Court has not issued an advisory opinion on the
276initial financial impact statement prepared by the Financial
277Impact Estimating Conference for an initiative amendment that
278otherwise meets the legal requirements for ballot placement, the
279financial impact statement shall be deemed approved for
280placement on the ballot.
281     3.  In addition to the financial impact statement required
282by this subsection, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
283shall draft an initiative financial information statement. The
284initiative financial information statement should describe in
285greater detail than the financial impact statement any projected
286increase or decrease in revenues or costs that the state or
287local governments would likely experience if the ballot measure
288were approved. If appropriate, the initiative financial
289information statement may include both estimated dollar amounts
290and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into
291context. The initiative financial information statement must
292include both a summary of not more than 500 words and additional
293detailed information that includes the assumptions that were
294made to develop the financial impacts, workpapers, and any other
295information deemed relevant by the Financial Impact Estimating
296Conference.
297     4.  The Department of State shall have printed, and shall
298furnish to each supervisor of elections, a copy of the summary
299from the initiative financial information statements. The
300supervisors shall have the summary from the initiative financial
301information statements available at each polling place and at
302the main office of the supervisor of elections upon request.
303     5.  The Secretary of State and the Office of Economic and
304Demographic Research shall make available on the Internet each
305initiative financial information statement in its entirety. In
306addition, each supervisor of elections whose office has a
307website shall post the summary from each initiative financial
308information statement on the website. Each supervisor shall
309include the Internet addresses for the information statements on
310the Secretary of State's and the Office of Economic and
311Demographic Research's websites in the publication or mailing
312required by s. 101.20.
313     (10)(7)  The Department of State may adopt rules in
314accordance with s. 120.54 to carry out this section the
315provisions of subsections (1)-(6).
316     Section 4.  Section 100.372, Florida Statutes, is created
317to read:
318     100.372  Regulation of initiative petition circulators.--
319     (1)  For purposes of this section, a:
320     (a)  "Petition circulator" is any person who, in the
321context of a direct face-to-face conversation, presents to
322another person for his or her possible signature a petition form
323regarding ballot placement for an initiative.
324     (b)  "Paid petition circulator" is a petition circulator
325who receives any compensation as either a direct or indirect
326consequence of the activities described in paragraph (a).
327     (2)  A petition circulator must be, at the time the
328petition circulator presents to any person for his or her
329possible signature a petition form regarding ballot placement
330for an initiative, at least 18 years of age and eligible to
331register to vote in this state pursuant to s. 97.041.
332     (3)  A paid petition circulator shall, when engaged in the
333activities described in paragraph (1)(a), wear a prominent
334badge, in a form and manner prescribed by rule by the division,
335identifying him or her as a "PAID PETITION CIRCULATOR."
336     (4)  In addition to any other practice or action
337permissible under law, an owner, lessee, or other person
338lawfully exercising control over private property may:
339     (a)  Uniformly prohibit petition circulators from operating
340on the property and uniformly prohibit persons from engaging in
341other activities supporting or opposing an initiative; or
342     (b)  Permit such conduct on the property subject to time,
343place, and manner restrictions that are reasonable and uniformly
344applied.
345     (5)  Prior to being presented to a possible elector for
346signature, a petition form regarding ballot placement for an
347initiative must set forth the following information in a format
348and manner prescribed by rule by the division:
349     (a)  The name of any organization or entity with which the
350petition circulator is affiliated and on behalf of which the
351petition circulator is presenting forms to electors for possible
352signature.
353     (b)  The name of the sponsor of the initiative if different
354from the entity with which the petition circulator is
355affiliated.
356     (c)  A statement directing those seeking information about
357initiative sponsors and their contributors to the Internet
358address of the appropriate division website; and
359     (d)  A statement disclosing whether the petition circulator
360is a paid petition circulator, and, if so, the amount or rate of
361compensation and the name and address of the person or entity
362paying the compensation to the paid petition circulator.
363     (6)(a)  A paid petition circulator shall attach to each
364signed petition form or group of petition forms obtained by the
365paid petition circulator a signed, notarized, and dated
366affidavit executed by the paid petition circulator in a form
367prescribed by rule by the division. If the affidavit pertains to
368a group of forms, the forms shall be consecutively numbered on
369their face by the paid petition circulator and the affidavit
370shall refer to the forms by number.
371     (b)  The affidavit shall include the paid petition
372circulator's printed name; the street address at which he or she
373resides, including county; the petition circulator's date of
374birth; the petition circulator's Florida voter registration
375number and county of registration, if applicable, or an
376identification number from a valid government-issued photo
377identification card along with information identifying the
378issuer; and the date he or she signed the affidavit.
379     (c)  The affidavit shall attest that the paid petition
380circulator has read and understands the laws governing the
381circulation of petition forms regarding ballot placement for an
382initiative; that he or she was 18 years of age and eligible to
383register to vote at the time the attached form or forms were
384circulated and signed by the listed electors; that he or she
385circulated the attached form or forms; that each signature
386thereon was affixed in the circulator's presence; that to the
387best of the circulator's knowledge and belief each signature
388thereon is the signature of the person whose name it purports to
389be; that to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief
390each of the persons signing the form or forms was, at the time
391of signing, a registered elector; that the circulator has not
392provided or received, and will not in the future provide or
393receive, compensation that is based, directly or indirectly,
394upon the number of signatures obtained on petitions; and that he
395or she has not paid or will not in the future pay, and that he
396or she believes that no other person has paid or will pay,
397directly or indirectly, any money or other thing of value to any
398signer for the purpose of inducing or causing such signer to
399affix his or her signature to the form.
400     (d)  A signature on a petition form regarding ballot
401placement for an initiative to which an affidavit required by
402this subsection is not attached is invalid, may not be verified
403by the supervisor of elections, and may not be counted toward
404the number of valid signatures required for ballot placement.
405     (7)  Each paid petition circulator shall provide to the
406sponsor of the initiative amendment for which he or she is
407circulating petitions a copy of a valid and current government-
408issued photo identification card that accurately indicates the
409address at which the paid petition circulator resides. The
410sponsor of the initiative shall maintain the copies of these
411identification cards in its files and shall make them available
412for inspection by the division, a supervisor of elections, or
413any law enforcement agency. If a sponsor fails to maintain such
414a copy with respect to a particular paid petition circulator,
415all petitions obtained by that paid petition circulator prior to
416the date the sponsor produces the required copy of the
417identification card are invalid, may not be verified by the
418supervisor of elections, and may not be counted toward the
419number of valid signatures required for ballot placement.
420     (8)  A signature on a petition form regarding ballot
421placement for an initiative which does not fully comply with the
422applicable provisions of this chapter, or which was obtained in
423violation of the applicable provisions of this code, is invalid,
424may not be verified by the supervisor of elections, and may not
425be counted toward the number of valid signatures required for
426ballot placement.
427     Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 101.161, Florida
428Statutes, is amended to read:
429     (1)  Whenever a constitutional amendment or other public
430measure is submitted to the vote of the people, the substance of
431such amendment or other public measure shall be printed in clear
432and unambiguous language on the ballot after the list of
433candidates, followed by the word "yes" and also by the word
434"no," and shall be styled in such a manner that a "yes" vote
435will indicate approval of the proposal and a "no" vote will
436indicate rejection. The wording of the substance of the
437amendment or other public measure and the ballot title to appear
438on the ballot shall be embodied in the joint resolution,
439constitutional revision commission proposal, constitutional
440convention proposal, taxation and budget reform commission
441proposal, or enabling resolution or ordinance. Except for
442amendments and ballot language proposed by joint resolution, the
443substance of the amendment or other public measure shall be an
444explanatory statement, not exceeding 75 words in length, of the
445chief purpose of the measure. In addition, for every amendment
446proposed by initiative, the ballot shall include, following the
447ballot summary, a separate financial impact statement concerning
448the measure prepared by the Financial Impact Estimating
449Conference in accordance with s. 100.371(9)(6). The ballot title
450shall consist of a caption, not exceeding 15 words in length, by
451which the measure is commonly referred to or spoken of.
452     Section 6.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section
453101.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
454     101.62  Request for absentee ballots.--
455     (4)(a)  To each absent qualified elector overseas who has
456requested an absentee ballot, the supervisor of elections shall,
457not fewer than 35 days before the first primary election, mail
458an absentee ballot. Not fewer than 45 days before the second
459primary and general election, the supervisor of elections shall
460mail an advance absentee ballot to those persons requesting
461ballots for such elections. The advance absentee ballot for the
462second primary shall be the same as the first primary absentee
463ballot as to the names of candidates, except that for any
464offices where there are only two candidates, those offices and
465all political party executive committee offices shall be
466omitted. Except as provided in ss. 99.063(4) and 100.371(9)(6),
467the advance absentee ballot for the general election shall be as
468specified in s. 101.151, except that in the case of candidates
469of political parties where nominations were not made in the
470first primary, the names of the candidates placing first and
471second in the first primary election shall be printed on the
472advance absentee ballot. The advance absentee ballot or advance
473absentee ballot information booklet shall be of a different
474color for each election and also a different color from the
475absentee ballots for the first primary, second primary, and
476general election. The supervisor shall mail an advance absentee
477ballot for the second primary and general election to each
478qualified absent elector for whom a request is received until
479the absentee ballots are printed. The supervisor shall enclose
480with the advance second primary absentee ballot and advance
481general election absentee ballot an explanation stating that the
482absentee ballot for the election will be mailed as soon as it is
483printed; and, if both the advance absentee ballot and the
484absentee ballot for the election are returned in time to be
485counted, only the absentee ballot will be counted. The
486Department of State may prescribe by rule the requirements for
487preparing and mailing absentee ballots to absent qualified
488electors overseas.
489     Section 7.  Subsection (5) is added to section 104.012,
490Florida Statutes, to read:
491     104.012  Consideration for registration; interference with
492registration; soliciting registrations for compensation;
493alteration of registration application; failing to submit
494registration application.--
495     (5)  Any person who obtains an executed voter registration
496application from another person and who willfully fails to
497submit this application to the appropriate supervisor of
498elections within 10 days commits a felony of the third degree,
499punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
500     Section 8.  Section 104.185, Florida Statutes, is amended
501to read:
502     104.185  Violations involving petitions; knowingly signing
503more than once; signing another person's name or a fictitious
504name.--
505     (1)  A person who knowingly signs a petition or petitions
506to secure ballot position for a candidate, a minor political
507party, or an issue more than one time commits a misdemeanor of
508the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
509775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of
510the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.
511775.083, or s. 775.084.
512     (2)  A person who signs another person's name or a
513fictitious name to any petition to secure ballot position for a
514candidate, a minor political party, or an issue commits a
515misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
516775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction,
517commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
518s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
519     (3)  A person who willfully swears or affirms falsely to
520any oath or affirmation, or willfully procures another person to
521swear or affirm falsely to an oath or affirmation, in connection
522with or arising out of the petitioning process commits a
523misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
524775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction,
525commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
526s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
527     (4)  A person who willfully submits any false information
528on a petition commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,
529punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any
530subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the third degree,
531punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
532     (5)  A person who directly or indirectly gives or promises
533anything of value to any other person to induce that other
534person to sign a petition commits a misdemeanor of the first
535degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and,
536upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the third
537degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
538775.084.
539     (6)  A person who, by bribery, menace, threat, or other
540corruption, directly or indirectly influences, deceives, or
541deters, or attempts to influence, deceive, or deter, any person
542in the free exercise of that person's right to sign a petition,
543upon the first conviction commits a misdemeanor of the first
544degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and,
545upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the third
546degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
547775.084.
548     (7)  A person may not provide or receive compensation that
549is based, directly or indirectly, upon the number of signatures
550obtained on petitions. A person who violates this subsection
551commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as
552provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent
553conviction, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as
554provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
555     (8)  A person who alters the petition signed by any other
556person without the other person's knowledge and consent commits
557a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
558775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction,
559commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in
560s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
561     (9)  A person perpetrating, or attempting to perpetrate or
562aid in the perpetration of, any fraud in connection with
563obtaining the signature of electors on petitions commits a
564misdemeanor of the first degree,
565
566================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T =============
567     Remove line(s) 4-20 and insert:
568certain petitions to be verified by a certain method;
569requiring certain provisions to be satisfied before a
570signature on a petition may be counted; prohibiting
571compensation to any paid petition circulator in certain
572circumstances; providing the procedure to contest and
573resolve the alleged improper verification of certain
574signatures; amending s. 100.371, F.S.; revising
575requirements for placement of constitutional amendments
576proposed by initiative on the ballot for the general
577election; revising and providing rulemaking authority;
578providing limitations on the contents of a petition form;
579establishing compliance criteria for petition forms;
580providing an elector's right to mail or deliver the form
581to an address provided for that purpose; providing notices
582that must be contained in each petition form;


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