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Senate Joint Resolution

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A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 3 of

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Article III and the creation of Section 27 of Article XII

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of the State Constitution, relating to sessions of the

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Legislature, to change the date for convening regular

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sessions of the Legislature.

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Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     That the following amendment to Section 3 of Article III of

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the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to the

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electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next

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general election or at an earlier special election specifically

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authorized by law for that purpose:

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ARTICLE III

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LEGISLATURE

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     SECTION 3.  Sessions of the legislature.--

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     (a)  ORGANIZATION SESSIONS.  On the fourteenth day following

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each general election the legislature shall convene for the

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exclusive purpose of organization and selection of officers.

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     (b)  REGULAR SESSIONS.  A regular session of the legislature

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shall convene on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June

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March of each odd-numbered year, and on the first Tuesday after

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the first Monday in June March, or such other date as may be

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fixed by law, of each even-numbered year.

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     (c)  SPECIAL SESSIONS.

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     (1)  The governor, by proclamation stating the purpose, may

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convene the legislature in special session during which only such

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legislative business may be transacted as is within the purview

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of the proclamation, or of a communication from the governor, or

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is introduced by consent of two-thirds of the membership of each

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house.

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     (2)  A special session of the legislature may be convened as

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provided by law.

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     (d)  LENGTH OF SESSIONS.  A regular session of the

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legislature shall not exceed sixty consecutive days, and a

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special session shall not exceed twenty consecutive days, unless

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extended beyond such limit by a three-fifths vote of each house.

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During such an extension no new business may be taken up in

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either house without the consent of two-thirds of its membership.

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     (e)  ADJOURNMENT.  Neither house shall adjourn for more than

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seventy-two consecutive hours except pursuant to concurrent

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resolution.

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     (f)  ADJOURNMENT BY GOVERNOR.  If, during any regular or

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special session, the two houses cannot agree upon a time for

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adjournment, the governor may adjourn the session sine die or to

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any date within the period authorized for such session; provided

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that, at least twenty-four hours before adjourning the session,

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and while neither house is in recess, each house shall be given

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formal written notice of the governor's intention to do so, and

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agreement reached within that period by both houses on a time for

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adjournment shall prevail.

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ARTICLE XII

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SCHEDULE

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     SECTION 27. Legislative sessions.--The amendment to Section

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3 of Article III changing the date for convening regular sessions

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of the legislature shall apply beginning with the regular session

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in 2010.

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     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be

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placed on the ballot:

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CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

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ARTICLE III, SECTION 3

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ARTICLE XII, SECTION 27

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     DATE FOR CONVENING REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.--Proposing

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an amendment to the State Constitution to change the date on

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which regular sessions of the Legislature will convene (unless

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otherwise specified by law for an even-numbered year) from the

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first Tuesday after the first Monday in March to the first

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Tuesday after the first Monday in June.