Senate Bill sb1996c2

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996

    By the Committees on Judiciary; Criminal Justice; and Senators
    Alexander, Lynn, Baker, Posey, Haridopolos, Atwater, Bennett,
    Sebesta and Wise



    590-2376-05

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the petition process;

  3         providing a short title; amending s. 99.097,

  4         F.S.; revising requirements for verification of

  5         signatures on petitions; prescribing limits on

  6         use of paid petition circulators; providing

  7         procedures to contest alleged improper

  8         signature verification; amending s. 100.371,

  9         F.S.; revising procedures for placing an

10         initiative on the ballot; providing

11         requirements for information to be contained on

12         petitions; providing procedure for revocation

13         of a petition signature; requiring a statement

14         on the ballot regarding the financial impact

15         statement; creating s. 100.372, F.S.; providing

16         regulation for initiative petition circulators

17         and their activities; amending s. 101.161,

18         F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.

19         101.62, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;

20         amending s. 104.012, F.S.; providing criminal

21         penalties for specified offenses involving

22         voter registration applications; amending s.

23         104.185, F.S.; proscribing specified actions

24         involving petitions and providing or increasing

25         criminal penalties therefor; amending s.

26         104.42, F.S.; prescribing duties of supervisors

27         of elections with respect to unlawful

28         registrations, petitions, and voting; providing

29         for verifying and counting signatures submitted

30         for verification before the effective date of

31         the act; requiring resubmission and reapproval

                                  1

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         of petition forms; providing severability;

 2         providing an effective date.

 3  

 4  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

 5  

 6         Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Petition

 7  Fraud and Voter Protection Act."

 8         Section 2.  Subsections (1), (3), and (4) of section

 9  99.097, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (6) is

10  added to that section, to read:

11         99.097  Verification of signatures on petitions.--

12         (1)  As determined by each supervisor, based upon local

13  conditions, the verification of signatures checking of names

14  on petitions may be based on the most inexpensive and

15  administratively feasible of either of the following methods

16  of verification:

17         (a)  A name-by-name, signature-by-signature check of

18  the number of valid authorized signatures on the petitions; or

19         (b)  A check of a random sample, as provided by the

20  Department of State, of names and signatures on the petitions.

21  The sample must be such that a determination can be made as to

22  whether or not the required number of valid signatures has

23  have been obtained with a reliability of at least 99.5

24  percent. Rules and guidelines for this method of petition

25  verification shall be promulgated by the Department of State,

26  which may include a requirement that petitions bear an

27  additional number of names and signatures, not to exceed 15

28  percent of the names and signatures otherwise required.  If

29  the petitions do not meet such criteria, then the use of the

30  verification method described in this paragraph shall not be

31  available to supervisors.

                                  2

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  

 2  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, petitions to

 3  secure ballot placement for an issue, and petition revocations

 4  directed pursuant to s. 100.371(7), must be verified by the

 5  method provided in paragraph (a).

 6         (3)(a)  A signature name on a petition, in a name that

 7  which name is not in substantially the same form as a name on

 8  the voter registration books, shall be counted as a valid

 9  signature if, after comparing the signature on the petition

10  with the signature of the alleged signer as shown on the

11  registration books, the supervisor determines that the person

12  signing the petition and the person who registered to vote are

13  one and the same.  In any situation in which this code

14  requires the form of the petition to be prescribed by the

15  division, no signature shall be counted toward the number of

16  signatures required unless it is on a petition form prescribed

17  by the division. A signature on a petition may not be counted

18  toward the number of valid signatures required for ballot

19  placement unless all relevant provisions of this code have

20  been satisfied.

21         (b)  If a voter signs a petition and lists an address

22  other than the legal residence where the voter is registered,

23  the supervisor shall treat the signature as if the voter had

24  listed the address where the voter is registered.

25         (4)(a)  The supervisor shall be paid in advance the sum

26  of 10 cents for each signature checked or the actual cost of

27  checking such signature, whichever is less, by the candidate

28  or, in the case of a petition to have an issue placed on the

29  ballot, by the person or organization submitting the petition.

30  However, if a candidate, person, or organization seeking to

31  have an issue placed upon the ballot cannot pay such charges

                                  3

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  without imposing an undue burden on personal resources or upon

 2  the resources otherwise available to such candidate, person,

 3  or organization, such candidate, person, or organization

 4  shall, upon written certification of such inability given

 5  under oath to the supervisor, be entitled to have the

 6  signatures verified at no charge.  In the event a candidate,

 7  person, or organization submitting a petition to have an issue

 8  placed upon the ballot is entitled to have the signatures

 9  verified at no charge, the supervisor of elections of each

10  county in which the signatures are verified at no charge shall

11  submit the total number of such signatures checked in the

12  county to the Chief Financial Officer no later than December 1

13  of the general election year, and the Chief Financial Officer

14  shall cause such supervisor of elections to be reimbursed from

15  the General Revenue Fund in an amount equal to 10 cents for

16  each signature name checked or the actual cost of checking

17  such signatures, whichever is less.  In no event shall such

18  reimbursement of costs be deemed or applied as extra

19  compensation for the supervisor. Petitions shall be retained

20  by the supervisors for a period of 1 year following the

21  election for which the petitions were circulated.

22         (b)  A person or organization submitting a petition to

23  secure ballot placement for an issue which has filed a

24  certification of undue burden may not provide compensation to

25  any paid petition circulator, as defined in s. 100.372, unless

26  the person or organization first pays all supervisors for each

27  signature checked or reimburses the General Revenue Fund for

28  such costs. If a person or organization subject to this

29  paragraph provides compensation to a paid petition circulator

30  before the date the person or organization pays all

31  supervisors for each signature checked or reimburses the

                                  4

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  General Revenue Fund for such costs, no signature on a

 2  petition circulated by the petition circulator before that

 3  date may be counted toward the number of valid signatures

 4  required for ballot placement.

 5         (6)(a)  The alleged improper verification of a

 6  signature on a petition to secure ballot placement for an

 7  issue pursuant to this code may be contested in the circuit

 8  court by a political committee or by an elector. The

 9  contestant shall file a complaint setting forth the basis of

10  the contest, together with the fees prescribed in chapter 28,

11  with the clerk of the circuit court in the county in which the

12  petition is certified or in Leon County if the complaint is

13  directed to petitions certified in more than one county.

14         (b)  If the contestant demonstrates by a preponderance

15  of the evidence that one or more petitions were improperly

16  verified, the signatures appearing on such petitions may not

17  be counted toward the number of valid signatures required for

18  ballot placement. If an action brought under this subsection

19  is resolved after the Secretary of State has issued a

20  certificate of ballot position for the issue, but the

21  contestant demonstrates that the person or organization

22  submitting the petition had obtained verification of an

23  insufficient number of valid and verified signatures to

24  qualify for ballot placement, the issue shall be removed from

25  the ballot or, if such action is impractical, any votes cast

26  for or against the issue may not be counted and shall be

27  invalidated.

28         (c)  An action under the subsection must be commenced

29  no later than 90 days after the Secretary of State issues a

30  certificate of ballot position for the issue.

31  

                                  5

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         Section 3.  Section 100.371, Florida Statutes, as

 2  amended by section 9 of chapter 2002-281, Laws of Florida, is

 3  amended to read:

 4         100.371  Initiatives; procedure for placement on

 5  ballot.--

 6         (1)  Constitutional amendments proposed by initiative

 7  shall be placed on the ballot for the general election

 8  providing that an initiative petition is filed with the

 9  Secretary of State by February 1 of the year in which the

10  general election is to be held occurring in excess of 90 days

11  from the certification of ballot position by the Secretary of

12  State.

13         (2)  Certification of ballot position Such

14  certification shall be issued when the Secretary of State has

15  received verification certificates from the supervisors of

16  elections indicating that the requisite number and

17  distribution of valid petitions bearing the signatures of

18  electors have been submitted to and verified by the

19  supervisors. Every signature shall be dated by the elector

20  when made. Signatures are and shall be valid for a period of 4

21  years following such date, provided all other requirements of

22  law are satisfied complied with.

23         (3)  The sponsor of an initiative amendment shall,

24  prior to obtaining any signatures, register as a political

25  committee pursuant to s. 106.03 and submit the text of the

26  proposed amendment to the Secretary of State, with the form on

27  which the signatures will be affixed, and shall obtain the

28  approval of the Secretary of State of such form. The division

29  Secretary of State shall adopt rules pursuant to s. 120.54

30  prescribing the style and requirements of such form. Upon

31  filing with the Secretary of State, the text of the proposed

                                  6

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  amendment and all forms filed in connection with this section

 2  must, upon request, be made available in alternative formats.

 3  

 4  The contents of a petition form shall be limited to those

 5  items required by statute or rule. A petition form shall be

 6  deemed a political advertisement as defined in s. 106.011 and,

 7  as such, must comply with all relevant requirements of chapter

 8  106.

 9         (4)  The supervisor of elections shall record the date

10  each petition form was received by the supervisor and the date

11  the signature on the form was verified as valid. The

12  supervisor shall verify that the signature on a petition form

13  is valid only if the form complies with all of the following:

14         (a)  The form must contain the original signature of

15  the purported elector;

16         (b)  The purported elector must accurately record on

17  the form the date on which he or she signed the form;

18         (c)  The purported elector must accurately record on

19  the form his or her name, date of birth, street address, and

20  county;

21         (d)  The purported elector must be, at the time he or

22  she signs the form, a duly qualified and registered elector

23  authorized to vote in the county in which his or her signature

24  is submitted;

25         (e)  The date the elector signed the form, as recorded

26  by the elector, must be no more than 30 days from the date the

27  form was received by the supervisor of elections; and

28         (f)  If the elector was presented with the petition

29  form for his or her signature by a petition circulator, the

30  petition form must comply with the requirements of s. 100.372.

31  

                                  7

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         (5)  An elector has the right to submit his or her

 2  signed form to the sponsor of the initiative amendment, by

 3  mail or otherwise, at an address listed on the form for this

 4  purpose.

 5         (6)  Each form must contain the following three notices

 6  at the top of the form in bold type and in a 16-point or

 7  larger font, immediately following the title "Constitutional

 8  Amendment Petition Form":

 9  

10         RIGHT TO MAIL IN.--You have the right to take

11         this petition home and study the issue before

12         signing. If you choose to sign the petition,

13         you may return it to the sponsors of the

14         amendment at the following

15         address:__________________________________.

16  

17         NATURE OF AMENDMENT.--The merits of the

18         proposed change to the Florida Constitution

19         appearing below have not been officially

20         reviewed by any court or agency of state

21         government.

22  

23         (7)  An elector's signature on a petition form may be

24  revoked by submitting to the supervisor a signed petition

25  revocation form adopted by rule for this purpose by the

26  division. The sponsor of an initiative amendment shall provide

27  to any elector submitting his or her signature on a petition

28  form a revocation form for that initiative. The revocation

29  form must contain the address of the Secretary of State to

30  permit the elector to submit the revocation form via United

31  States mail. The petition revocation form shall be filed with

                                  8

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  the Secretary of State no later than January 1 preceding the

 2  next general election or, if the initiative amendment is not

 3  certified for ballot position in that election, no later than

 4  the January 1 preceding the next successive general election.

 5  The division shall promptly process the revocation form under

 6  procedures adopted by rule for this purpose by the division.

 7         (8)(4)  The sponsor shall submit signed and dated forms

 8  to the appropriate supervisor of elections for verification as

 9  to the number of registered electors whose valid signatures

10  appear thereon. The supervisor shall promptly verify the

11  signatures upon payment of the fee required by s. 99.097. Upon

12  completion of verification, the supervisor shall execute a

13  certificate indicating the total number of signatures checked,

14  the number of signatures verified as valid and as being of

15  registered electors, the number of signatures validly revoked

16  pursuant to subsection (7), and the distribution of such

17  signatures by congressional district. This certificate shall

18  be immediately transmitted to the Secretary of State. The

19  supervisor shall retain the signed signature forms and

20  revocation forms for at least 1 year following the election in

21  which the issue appeared on the ballot or until the Division

22  of Elections notifies the supervisors of elections that the

23  committee which circulated the petition is no longer seeking

24  to obtain ballot position.

25         (9)(5)  The Secretary of State shall determine from the

26  verification certificates received from supervisors of

27  elections the total number of verified valid signatures and

28  the distribution of such signatures by congressional

29  districts. Upon a determination that the requisite number and

30  distribution of valid signatures have been obtained, the

31  secretary shall issue a certificate of ballot position for

                                  9

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  that proposed amendment and shall assign a designating number

 2  pursuant to s. 101.161. A petition shall be deemed to be filed

 3  with the Secretary of State upon the date of the receipt by

 4  the secretary of a certificate or certificates from

 5  supervisors of elections indicating the petition has been

 6  signed by the constitutionally required number of electors.

 7         (10)(6)(a)  Within 45 days after receipt of a proposed

 8  revision or amendment to the State Constitution by initiative

 9  petition from the Secretary of State or, within 30 days after

10  such receipt if receipt occurs 120 days or less before the

11  election at which the question of ratifying the amendment will

12  be presented, the Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall

13  complete an analysis and financial impact statement to be

14  placed on the ballot of the estimated increase or decrease in

15  any revenues or costs to state or local governments resulting

16  from the proposed initiative. The ballot must include a

17  statement, as prescribed by rule of the Department of State,

18  to the effect that the financial impact statement is required

19  under the State Constitution and the Florida Statutes and

20  should not be construed as an endorsement by the state of the

21  proposed revision or amendment to the State Constitution. The

22  Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall submit the

23  financial impact statement to the Attorney General and

24  Secretary of State.

25         (b)1.  The Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall

26  provide an opportunity for any proponents or opponents of the

27  initiative to submit information and may solicit information

28  or analysis from any other entities or agencies, including the

29  Office of Economic and Demographic Research. All meetings of

30  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall be open to

31  the public as provided in chapter 286.

                                  10

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         2.  The Financial Impact Estimating Conference is

 2  established to review, analyze, and estimate the financial

 3  impact of amendments to or revisions of the State Constitution

 4  proposed by initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating

 5  Conference shall consist of four principals: one person from

 6  the Executive Office of the Governor; the coordinator of the

 7  Office of Economic and Demographic Research, or his or her

 8  designee; one person from the professional staff of the

 9  Senate; and one person from the professional staff of the

10  House of Representatives. Each principal shall have

11  appropriate fiscal expertise in the subject matter of the

12  initiative. A Financial Impact Estimating Conference may be

13  appointed for each initiative.

14         3.  Principals of the Financial Impact Estimating

15  Conference shall reach a consensus or majority concurrence on

16  a clear and unambiguous financial impact statement, no more

17  than 75 words in length, and immediately submit the statement

18  to the Attorney General. Nothing in this subsection prohibits

19  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference from setting forth

20  a range of potential impacts in the financial impact

21  statement. Any financial impact statement that a court finds

22  not to be in accordance with this section shall be remanded

23  solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference for

24  redrafting. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall

25  redraft the financial impact statement within 15 days.

26         4.  If the members of the Financial Impact Estimating

27  Conference are unable to agree on the statement required by

28  this subsection, or if the Supreme Court has rejected the

29  initial submission by the Financial Impact Estimating

30  Conference and no redraft has been approved by the Supreme

31  Court by April 1 of the year in which the general election is

                                  11

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  to be held 5 p.m. on the 75th day before the election, the

 2  following statement shall appear on the ballot pursuant to s.

 3  101.161(1): "The financial impact of this measure, if any,

 4  cannot be reasonably determined at this time."

 5         (c)  The financial impact statement must be separately

 6  contained and be set forth after the ballot summary as

 7  required in s. 101.161(1).

 8         (d)1.  Any financial impact statement that the Supreme

 9  Court finds not to be in accordance with this subsection shall

10  be remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating

11  Conference for redrafting, provided the court's advisory

12  opinion is rendered by April 1 of the year in which the

13  general election is to be held at least 75 days before the

14  election at which the question of ratifying the amendment will

15  be presented. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall

16  prepare and adopt a revised financial impact statement no

17  later than 5 p.m. on the 15th day after the date of the

18  court's opinion.

19         2.  If, by 5 p.m. on April 1 of the year in which the

20  general election is to be held the 75th day before the

21  election, the Supreme Court has not issued an advisory opinion

22  on the initial financial impact statement prepared by the

23  Financial Impact Estimating Conference for an initiative

24  amendment that otherwise meets the legal requirements for

25  ballot placement, the financial impact statement shall be

26  deemed approved for placement on the ballot.

27         3.  In addition to the financial impact statement

28  required by this subsection, the Financial Impact Estimating

29  Conference shall draft an initiative financial information

30  statement. The initiative financial information statement

31  should describe in greater detail than the financial impact

                                  12

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  statement any projected increase or decrease in revenues or

 2  costs that the state or local governments would likely

 3  experience if the ballot measure were approved. If

 4  appropriate, the initiative financial information statement

 5  may include both estimated dollar amounts and a description

 6  placing the estimated dollar amounts into context. The

 7  initiative financial information statement must include both a

 8  summary of not more than 500 words and additional detailed

 9  information that includes the assumptions that were made to

10  develop the financial impacts, workpapers, and any other

11  information deemed relevant by the Financial Impact Estimating

12  Conference.

13         4.  The Department of State shall have printed, and

14  shall furnish to each supervisor of elections, a copy of the

15  summary from the initiative financial information statements.

16  The supervisors shall have the summary from the initiative

17  financial information statements available at each polling

18  place and at the main office of the supervisor of elections

19  upon request.

20         5.  The Secretary of State and the Office of Economic

21  and Demographic Research shall make available on the Internet

22  each initiative financial information statement in its

23  entirety. In addition, each supervisor of elections whose

24  office has a website shall post the summary from each

25  initiative financial information statement on the website.

26  Each supervisor shall include the Internet addresses for the

27  information statements on the Secretary of State's and the

28  Office of Economic and Demographic Research's websites in the

29  publication or mailing required by s. 101.20.

30  

31  

                                  13

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         (11)(7)  The Department of State may adopt rules in

 2  accordance with s. 120.54 to carry out this section the

 3  provisions of subsections (1)-(6).

 4         Section 4.  Section 100.372, Florida Statutes, is

 5  created to read:

 6         100.372  Regulation of initiative petition

 7  circulators.--

 8         (1)  For purposes of this section, a:

 9         (a)  "Petition circulator" is any person who, in the

10  context of a direct face-to-face conversation, presents to

11  another person for his or her possible signature a petition

12  form or petition revocation form regarding ballot placement

13  for an initiative.

14         (b)  "Paid petition circulator" is a petition

15  circulator who receives any compensation as either a direct or

16  indirect consequence of the activities described in paragraph

17  (a).

18         (2)  At the time a petition circulator presents to any

19  person for his or her possible signature a petition form or

20  petition revocation form regarding ballot placement for an

21  initiative, the petition circulator must:

22         (a)  Be at least 18 years of age;

23         (b)  Be eligible to register to vote in this or any

24  other state or territory of the United States; and

25         (c)  Not be a convicted felon ineligible to register or

26  vote under s. 97.041(2)(b).

27         (3)  A paid petition circulator shall, when engaged in

28  the activities described in paragraph (1)(a), wear a prominent

29  badge, in a form and manner prescribed by rule by the

30  division, identifying him or her as a "PAID PETITION

31  CIRCULATOR."

                                  14

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         (4)  In addition to any other practice or action

 2  permissible under law, an owner, lessee, or other person

 3  lawfully exercising control over private property may:

 4         (a)  Uniformly prohibit petition circulators from

 5  operating on the property and prohibit persons from engaging

 6  in other activities supporting or opposing an initiative; or

 7         (b)  Permit such conduct on the property subject to

 8  time, place, and manner restrictions that are reasonable and

 9  uniformly applied.

10         (5)  Prior to being presented to a possible elector for

11  signature, a petition form or petition revocation form

12  regarding ballot placement for an initiative must set forth

13  the following information in a format and manner prescribed by

14  rule by the division:

15         (a)  The name of any organization or entity with which

16  the petition circulator is affiliated and on behalf of which

17  the petition circulator is presenting forms to electors for

18  possible signature.

19         (b)  The name of the sponsor of the initiative if

20  different from the entity with which the petition circulator

21  is affiliated.

22         (c)  A statement directing those seeking information

23  about initiative sponsors and their contributors to the

24  internet address of the appropriate division website; and

25         (d)  A statement disclosing whether the petition

26  circulator is a paid petition circulator, and, if so, the

27  amount or rate of compensation and the name and address of the

28  person or entity paying the compensation to the paid petition

29  circulator.

30         (6)(a)  A paid petition circulator shall attach to each

31  signed petition form, petition revocation form, or group of

                                  15

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  such forms obtained by the paid petition circulator a signed,

 2  notarized, and dated declaration under penalty of perjury

 3  executed by the paid petition circulator, in a form prescribed

 4  by rule by the division. If the declaration pertains to a

 5  group of forms, the forms shall be consecutively numbered on

 6  their face by the paid petition circulator and the declaration

 7  shall refer to the forms by number.

 8         (b)  The declaration shall include the paid petition

 9  circulator's printed name; the street address at which he or

10  she resides, including county; the petition circulator's date

11  of birth; the petition circulator's Florida voter registration

12  number and county of registration, if applicable, or an

13  identification number from a valid government-issued photo

14  identification card along with information identifying the

15  issuer; and the date he or she signed the declaration.

16         (c)  The declaration shall attest that the paid

17  petition circulator has read and understands the laws

18  governing the circulation of petition and petition revocation

19  forms regarding ballot placement for an initiative; that he or

20  she was 18 years of age and eligible to register to vote at

21  the time the attached form or forms were circulated and signed

22  by the listed electors; that he or she circulated the attached

23  form or forms; that each signature thereon was affixed in the

24  circulator's presence; that each signature thereon is the

25  signature of the person whose name it purports to be; that to

26  the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief each of the

27  persons signing the form or forms was, at the time of signing,

28  a registered elector; that the circulator has not provided or

29  received, and will not in the future provide or receive,

30  compensation that is based, directly or indirectly, upon the

31  number of signatures obtained on petitions or petition

                                  16

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  revocation forms; and that he or she has not paid or will not

 2  in the future pay, and that he or she believes that no other

 3  person has paid or will pay, directly or indirectly, any money

 4  or other thing of value to any signer for the purpose of

 5  inducing or causing such signer to affix his or her signature

 6  to the form.

 7         (d)  A signature on a petition form or petition

 8  revocation form regarding ballot placement for an initiative

 9  to which a declaration required by this subsection is not

10  attached is invalid, may not be verified by the supervisor of

11  elections, and may not be counted toward the number of valid

12  signatures required for ballot placement.

13         (7)  Each paid petition circulator shall provide to the

14  sponsor of the initiative amendment for which he or she is

15  circulating petitions a copy of a valid and current

16  government-issued photo identification card that accurately

17  indicates the address at which the paid petition circulator

18  resides. The sponsor of the initiative shall maintain the

19  copies of these identification cards in its files and shall

20  make them available for inspection by the division, a

21  supervisor of elections, or any law enforcement agency. If a

22  sponsor fails to maintain such a copy with respect to a

23  particular paid petition circulator, all petitions obtained by

24  that paid petition circulator prior to the date the sponsor

25  produces the required copy of the identification card are

26  invalid, may not be verified by the supervisor of elections,

27  and may not be counted toward the number of valid signatures

28  required for ballot placement.

29         (8)  A signature on a petition form or petition

30  revocation form regarding ballot placement for an initiative

31  which does not fully comply with the applicable provisions of

                                  17

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  this chapter, or which was obtained in violation of the

 2  applicable provisions of this code, is invalid and may not be

 3  verified by a supervisor of elections and may not be counted

 4  toward the number of valid signatures required for ballot

 5  placement.

 6         Section 5.  Section 101.161, Florida Statutes, is

 7  amended to read:

 8         101.161  Referenda; ballots.--

 9         (1)  Whenever a constitutional amendment or other

10  public measure is submitted to the vote of the people, the

11  substance of such amendment or other public measure shall be

12  printed in clear and unambiguous language on the ballot after

13  the list of candidates, followed by the word "yes" and also by

14  the word "no," and shall be styled in such a manner that a

15  "yes" vote will indicate approval of the proposal and a "no"

16  vote will indicate rejection. The wording of the substance of

17  the amendment or other public measure and the ballot title to

18  appear on the ballot shall be embodied in the joint

19  resolution, constitutional revision commission proposal,

20  constitutional convention proposal, taxation and budget reform

21  commission proposal, or enabling resolution or ordinance.

22  Except for amendments and ballot language proposed by joint

23  resolution, the substance of the amendment or other public

24  measure shall be an explanatory statement, not exceeding 75

25  words in length, of the chief purpose of the measure. In

26  addition, for every amendment proposed by initiative, the

27  ballot shall include, following the ballot summary, a separate

28  financial impact statement concerning the measure prepared by

29  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference in accordance with

30  s. 100.371(10) s. 100.371(6). The ballot title shall consist

31  

                                  18

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  of a caption, not exceeding 15 words in length, by which the

 2  measure is commonly referred to or spoken of.

 3         (2)  The substance and ballot title of a constitutional

 4  amendment proposed by initiative shall be prepared by the

 5  sponsor and approved by the Secretary of State in accordance

 6  with rules adopted pursuant to s. 120.54. The Department of

 7  State shall give each proposed constitutional amendment a

 8  designating number for convenient reference. This number

 9  designation shall appear on the ballot. Designating numbers

10  shall be assigned in the order of filing or certification and

11  in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of State.

12  The Department of State shall furnish the designating number,

13  the ballot title, and the substance of each amendment to the

14  supervisor of elections of each county in which such amendment

15  is to be voted on.

16         (3)(a)  The ballot for the general election in the year

17  2000 must contain a statement allowing voters to determine

18  whether circuit or county court judges will be selected by

19  merit selection and retention as provided in s. 10, Art. V of

20  the State Constitution. The ballot in each circuit must

21  contain the statement in paragraph (c). The ballot in each

22  county must contain the statement in paragraph (e).

23         (b)  For any general election in which the Secretary of

24  State, for any circuit, or the supervisor of elections, for

25  any county, has certified the ballot position for an

26  initiative to change the method of selection of judges, the

27  ballot for any circuit must contain the statement in paragraph

28  (c) or paragraph (d) and the ballot for any county must

29  contain the statement in paragraph (e) or paragraph (f).

30         (c)  In any circuit where the initiative is to change

31  the selection of circuit court judges to selection by merit

                                  19

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  selection and retention, the ballot shall state: "Shall the

 2  method of selecting circuit court judges in the ...(number of

 3  the circuit)... judicial circuit be changed from election by a

 4  vote of the people to selection by the judicial nominating

 5  commission and appointment by the Governor with subsequent

 6  terms determined by a retention vote of the people?" This

 7  statement must be followed by the word "yes" and also by the

 8  word "no."

 9         (d)  In any circuit where the initiative is to change

10  the selection of circuit court judges to election by the

11  voters, the ballot shall state: "Shall the method of selecting

12  circuit court judges in the ...(number of the circuit)...

13  judicial circuit be changed from selection by the judicial

14  nominating commission and appointment by the Governor with

15  subsequent terms determined by a retention vote of the people

16  to election by a vote of the people?" This statement must be

17  followed by the word "yes" and also by the word "no."

18         (e)  In any county where the initiative is to change

19  the selection of county court judges to merit selection and

20  retention, the ballot shall state: "Shall the method of

21  selecting county court judges in ...(name of county)... be

22  changed from election by a vote of the people to selection by

23  the judicial nominating commission and appointment by the

24  Governor with subsequent terms determined by a retention vote

25  of the people?" This statement must be followed by the word

26  "yes" and also by the word "no."

27         (f)  In any county where the initiative is to change

28  the selection of county court judges to election by the

29  voters, the ballot shall state: "Shall the method of selecting

30  county court judges in ...(name of the county)... be changed

31  from selection by the judicial nominating commission and

                                  20

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  appointment by the Governor with subsequent terms determined

 2  by a retention vote of the people to election by a vote of the

 3  people?" This statement must be followed by the word "yes" and

 4  also by the word "no."

 5         Section 6.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section

 6  101.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

 7         101.62  Request for absentee ballots.--

 8         (4)(a)  To each absent qualified elector overseas who

 9  has requested an absentee ballot, the supervisor of elections

10  shall, not fewer than 35 days before the first primary

11  election, mail an absentee ballot.  Not fewer than 45 days

12  before the second primary and general election, the supervisor

13  of elections shall mail an advance absentee ballot to those

14  persons requesting ballots for such elections.  The advance

15  absentee ballot for the second primary shall be the same as

16  the first primary absentee ballot as to the names of

17  candidates, except that for any offices where there are only

18  two candidates, those offices and all political party

19  executive committee offices shall be omitted.  Except as

20  provided in ss. 99.063(4) and 100.371(10) 100.371(6), the

21  advance absentee ballot for the general election shall be as

22  specified in s. 101.151, except that in the case of candidates

23  of political parties where nominations were not made in the

24  first primary, the names of the candidates placing first and

25  second in the first primary election shall be printed on the

26  advance absentee ballot. The advance absentee ballot or

27  advance absentee ballot information booklet shall be of a

28  different color for each election and also a different color

29  from the absentee ballots for the first primary, second

30  primary, and general election.  The supervisor shall mail an

31  advance absentee ballot for the second primary and general

                                  21

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  election to each qualified absent elector for whom a request

 2  is received until the absentee ballots are printed. The

 3  supervisor shall enclose with the advance second primary

 4  absentee ballot and advance general election absentee ballot

 5  an explanation stating that the absentee ballot for the

 6  election will be mailed as soon as it is printed; and, if both

 7  the advance absentee ballot and the absentee ballot for the

 8  election are returned in time to be counted, only the absentee

 9  ballot will be counted. The Department of State may prescribe

10  by rule the requirements for preparing and mailing absentee

11  ballots to absent qualified electors overseas.

12         Section 7.  Section 104.012, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         104.012  Consideration for registration; interference

15  with registration; soliciting registrations for compensation;

16  alteration of registration application; failing to submit

17  registration application.--

18         (1)  Any person who gives anything of value that is

19  redeemable in cash to any person in consideration for his or

20  her becoming a registered voter commits a felony of the third

21  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

22  s. 775.084. This section shall not be interpreted, however, to

23  exclude such services as transportation to the place of

24  registration or baby-sitting in connection with the absence of

25  an elector from home for registering.

26         (2)  A person who by bribery, menace, threat, or other

27  corruption, directly or indirectly, influences, deceives, or

28  deters or attempts to influence, deceive, or deter any person

29  in the free exercise of that person's right to register to

30  vote at any time, upon the first conviction, commits a felony

31  of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

                                  22

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  775.083, or s. 775.084, and, upon any subsequent conviction,

 2  commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided

 3  in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

 4         (3)  A person may not solicit or pay another person to

 5  solicit voter registrations for compensation that is based

 6  upon the number of registrations obtained. A person who

 7  violates the provisions of this subsection commits a felony of

 8  the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

 9  775.083, or s. 775.084.

10         (4)  A person who alters the voter registration

11  application of any other person, without the other person's

12  knowledge and consent, commits a felony of the third degree,

13  punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.

14  775.084.

15         (5)  Any person who obtains an executed voter

16  registration application from another person and who willfully

17  fails to submit this application to the appropriate supervisor

18  of elections within 10 days commits a felony of the third

19  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

20  s. 775.084.

21         Section 8.  Section 104.185, Florida Statutes, is

22  amended to read:

23         104.185  Violations involving petitions; knowingly

24  signing more than once; signing another person's name or a

25  fictitious name.--

26         (1)  A person who knowingly signs a petition or

27  petitions to secure ballot position for a candidate, a minor

28  political party, or an issue more than one time commits a

29  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.

30  775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction,

31  

                                  23

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided

 2  in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

 3         (2)  A person who signs another person's name or a

 4  fictitious name to any petition to secure ballot position for

 5  a candidate, a minor political party, or an issue, or to a

 6  petition revocation form, commits a misdemeanor of the first

 7  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083

 8  and, upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the

 9  third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

10  775.083, or s. 775.084.

11         (3)  A person who willfully swears or affirms falsely

12  to any oath or affirmation, or willfully procures another

13  person to swear or affirm falsely to an oath or affirmation,

14  in connection with or arising out of the petitioning process

15  commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as

16  provided in s. 775.082, or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent

17  conviction, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable

18  as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

19         (4)  A person who willfully submits any false

20  information on a petition or petition revocation form commits

21  a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in

22  s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction,

23  commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided

24  in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

25         (5)  A person who directly or indirectly gives or

26  promises anything of value to any other person to induce that

27  other person to sign a petition or petition revocation form

28  commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as

29  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon any subsequent

30  conviction, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable

31  as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.085.

                                  24

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1         (6)  A person who, by bribery, menace, threat, or other

 2  corruption, directly or indirectly influences, deceives, or

 3  deters, or attempts to influence, deceive, or deter, any

 4  person in the free exercise of that person's right to sign a

 5  petition or petition revocation form, upon the first

 6  conviction commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,

 7  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon

 8  any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the third

 9  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

10  s. 775.084.

11         (7)  A person may not provide or receive compensation

12  that is based, directly or indirectly, upon the number of

13  signatures obtained on petitions or petition revocation forms.

14  A person who violates this subsection commits a misdemeanor of

15  the first degree punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.

16  775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony

17  of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

18  775.083, or s. 775.084.

19         (8)  A person who alters the petition or petition

20  revocation form signed by any other person without the other

21  person's knowledge and consent commits a misdemeanor of the

22  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.

23  775.083 and, upon any subsequent conviction, commits a felony

24  of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s.

25  775.083, or s. 775.084.

26         (9)  A person perpetrating, or attempting to perpetrate

27  or aid in the perpetration of, any fraud in connection with

28  obtaining the signature of electors on petition or petition

29  revocation forms commits a misdemeanor of the first degree,

30  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 and, upon

31  any subsequent conviction, commits a felony of the third

                                  25

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or

 2  s. 775.084.

 3         (10)  In addition to any other penalty provided for by

 4  law, if a paid petition circulator, as defined in s.

 5  100.372(1), violates any provision of this section, the

 6  commission may, pursuant to s. 106.265, impose a civil penalty

 7  in the form of a fine not to exceed $1,000 per violation on

 8  such paid petition circulator.

 9         Section 9.  Section 104.42, Florida Statutes, is

10  amended to read:

11         104.42  Unlawful registrations, petitions, Fraudulent

12  registration and illegal voting; investigation.--

13         (1)  The supervisor of elections is authorized to

14  investigate unlawful fraudulent registrations, petitions, and

15  illegal voting and to report his or her findings to the local

16  state attorney, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and

17  the Florida Elections Commission.

18         (2)  The board of county commissioners in any county

19  may appropriate funds to the supervisor of elections for the

20  purpose of investigating unlawful fraudulent registrations,

21  petitions, and illegal voting.

22         (3)  The supervisor of elections shall document and

23  report suspected unlawful registrations, petitions, and voting

24  to the Florida Elections Commission within 10 days after

25  acquiring reasonable suspicion concerning the lawfulness of

26  the registrations, petitions, and voting.

27         Section 10.  Any signature gathered on an authorized

28  form for an initiative petition which has been submitted for

29  verification prior to the effective date of this act may be

30  verified and counted, if otherwise valid. However, any

31  petition form that is submitted for verification on or after

                                  26

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1  the effective date of this act shall be verified and counted

 2  only if it complies with this act. Any initiative petition

 3  form approved by the Secretary of State prior to the effective

 4  date of this act is invalidated, and a new petition form must

 5  be resubmitted to the Secretary of State for approval in

 6  accordance with the requirements of this act prior to

 7  obtaining elector signatures.

 8         Section 11.  If any provision of this act or its

 9  application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the

10  invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of

11  the act which can be given effect without the invalid

12  provision or application, and to this end the provisions of

13  this act are declared severable.

14         Section 12.  This act shall take effect August 1, 2005.

15  

16  

17  

18  

19  

20  

21  

22  

23  

24  

25  

26  

27  

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  27

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






    Florida Senate - 2005                    CS for CS for SB 1996
    590-2376-05




 1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 2                       CS/Senate Bill 1996

 3                                 

 4  The committee substitute makes the following changes to the
    underlying committee substitute:
 5  
    --   Removes proposed language that would have authorized the
 6       Division of Elections to require additional personal
         information, apart from what is enumerated in statute, on
 7       a petition form;

 8  --   Deletes requirement that the elector must record on the
         petition form whether the elector was presented with the
 9       form by a petition circulator;

10  --   Removes provision for a disclosure statement on paid
         petition circulators which would have been required on
11       all petition forms, regardless of whether the petition
         circulator is paid, to provide s. 100.372(5)(d), F.S., as
12       the sole instruction on this disclosure;

13  --   Requires that the ballot must include a statement to the
         effect that the financial impact statement is required by
14       law and should not be construed as an endorsement by the
         state of the proposed constitutional revision;
15  
    --   Revises eligibility requirements for petition circulators
16       to allow for nonresident-circulators while retaining
         restrictions for convicted felons and the minimum age of
17       18;

18  --   Replaces the word "affidavit" with "declaration under
         penalty of perjury" under the requirement that a
19       statement accompany petition forms submitted by a
         circulator;
20  
    --   Limits proposed language that would allow access to
21       circulators' photo-IDs by "any person," to limit access
         to the Division of Elections, a supervisor of elections,
22       or any law enforcement agency, only;

23  --   Revises provision that would allow the person or
         organization on whose behalf a circulator was acting to
24       be fined for a violation involving petitions, to make the
         fine apply to the circulator, only;
25  
    --   Makes technical and conforming changes throughout.
26  

27  

28  

29  

30  

31  

                                  28

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