HJR 1573

1	House Joint Resolution
2	A joint resolution proposing the creation of Section 8 of
3	Article IX of the State Constitution relating to
4	education.
5
6	Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
7
8	That the following creation of Section 8 of Article IX of
9	the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
10	the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
11	general election or at an earlier special election specifically
12	authorized by law for that purpose:
13	ARTICLE IX
14	EDUCATION
15	SECTION 8.  Opportunity to receive a quality education.--
16	(a)  Every child deserves an equal opportunity to receive a
17	quality education regardless of his or her family's income,
18	religion, or race. Funding for quality education through
19	classroom instruction is paramount, and the legislature shall
20	ensure that funding provided for public schools shall primarily
21	be used for classroom instruction rather than administrative
22	expenditures. Classroom instruction and administrative
23	expenditures shall be defined by law.
24	(b)  Every child's opportunity to receive a quality
25	education requires that the student, therefore, may participate,
26	as provided by law, in public or private prekindergarten through
27	college education programs for students who are disabled,
28	economically disadvantaged, or underserved by traditional
29	educational alternatives or who would otherwise benefit from the
30	availability of such programs to increase educational choices.
31	(c)  The legislature is not limited from enacting and
32	funding for the people education programs, public or private,
33	without regard to the religious nature of any provider or
34	participant and notwithstanding any other provision of Section 3
35	of Article I or Section 1 of Article IX of this constitution.
36	The power of the people through their legislature to enact any
37	such programs for the good of the people unless explicitly
38	forbidden by the literal text of this constitution shall not be
39	abridged.
40	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
41	placed on the ballot:
42	CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
43	ARTICLE IX, SECTION 8
44	OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A QUALITY EDUCATION.--Proposing an
45	amendment to the State Constitution to provide that every child
46	deserves an equal opportunity to receive a quality education
47	regardless of his or her family's income, religion, or race; to
48	provide that funding for quality education through classroom
49	instruction is paramount and to require the Legislature to
50	ensure that funding provided for public schools shall primarily
51	be used for classroom instruction rather than administrative
52	expenditures; to provide that classroom instruction and
53	administrative expenditures shall be defined by law; to provide
54	that every child's opportunity to receive a quality education
55	requires that the student, therefore, may participate, as
56	provided by law, in public or private prekindergarten through
57	college education programs for students who are disabled,
58	economically disadvantaged, or underserved by traditional
59	educational alternatives or who would otherwise benefit from the
60	availability of such programs to increase educational choices;
61	to provide that the Legislature is not limited from enacting and
62	funding for the people education programs, public or private,
63	without regard to the religious nature of any provider or
64	participant and notwithstanding any other provision of Section 3
65	of Article I or Section 1 of Article IX of the State
66	Constitution; and to provide that the power of the people
67	through their Legislature to enact any such programs for the
68	good of the people unless explicitly forbidden by the literal
69	text of the State Constitution shall not be abridged.

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