HB 7085

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to succession to the office of Governor;
3	amending s. 14.055, F.S.; revising the provision of law
4	specifying the authorized successors to the office of
5	Governor and their order or succession; providing an
6	effective date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1.  Section 14.055, Florida Statutes, is amended to
11	read:
12	14.055  Succession to office of Governor.--Upon vacancy in
13	the office of Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall become
14	Governor. Upon vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor, the
15	Governor shall appoint a successor who shall serve for the
16	remainder of the term, provided that if after the such
17	appointment a vacancy occurs shall occur in the office of
18	Governor with more than 28 months remaining in the term, then at
19	the next statewide general election the electors shall choose a
20	Governor and Lieutenant Governor to fill the remainder of the
21	term in the manner provided in s. 5, Art. IV of the State
22	Constitution. Upon vacancy in the office of Governor and in the
23	office of Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State shall
24	become Governor; or if the office of Secretary of State be
25	vacant, then the Attorney General shall become Governor; or if
26	the office of Attorney General is be vacant, then the
27	Comptroller shall become Governor; or if the office of
28	Comptroller be vacant, then the Chief Financial Officer
29	Treasurer shall become Governor; or if the office of Chief
30	Financial Officer is Treasurer be vacant, then the Commissioner
31	of Education shall become Governor; or if the office of
32	Commissioner of Education be vacant, then the Commissioner of
33	Agriculture shall become Governor. Except as otherwise provided
34	in this section with respect to an appointed successor to the
35	office of Lieutenant Governor, a successor under this section
36	shall serve for the remainder of the term and shall receive all
37	the rights, privileges, and emoluments of the Governor. In case
38	a vacancy occurs shall occur in the office of Governor and
39	provision is not made in this section herein for filling the
40	such vacancy, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives
41	and the President of the Senate shall convene the Legislature by
42	joint proclamation within 15 days for the purpose of choosing a
43	person to serve as Governor for the remainder of the term. A
44	successor shall be elected by a majority vote in a joint session
45	of both houses.
46	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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