Florida Senate - 2009                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SJR 908
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 120366                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/06/2009           .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————




       —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
       The Committee on Criminal Justice (Wilson) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with ballot and title amendments)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the resolving clause
    4  and insert:
    5         That the following amendment to Section 8 of Article IV of
    6  the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
    7  the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
    8  general election or at an earlier special election specifically
    9  authorized by law for that purpose:
   10                             ARTICLE IV                            
   11                              EXECUTIVE                            
   12         SECTION 8. Clemency.—
   13         (a) Except in cases of treason and in cases where
   14  impeachment results in conviction, the governor may, by
   15  executive order filed with the custodian of state records,
   16  suspend collection of fines and forfeitures, grant reprieves not
   17  exceeding sixty days and, with the approval of two members of
   18  the cabinet, grant full or conditional pardons, restore civil
   19  rights, commute punishment, and remit fines and forfeitures for
   20  offenses.
   21         (b) Except in cases of treason, the legislature may enact
   22  laws to suspend or remit fines and forfeitures, grant reprieves
   23  not exceeding sixty days, restore civil rights, and commute
   24  punishments.
   25         (c)(b) In cases of treason the governor may grant reprieves
   26  until adjournment of the regular session of the legislature
   27  convening next after the conviction, at which session the
   28  legislature may grant a pardon or further reprieve; otherwise
   29  the sentence shall be executed.
   30         (d)(c) There may be created by law a parole and probation
   31  commission with power to supervise persons on probation and to
   32  grant paroles or conditional releases to persons under sentences
   33  for crime. The qualifications, method of selection and terms,
   34  not to exceed six years, of members of the commission shall be
   35  prescribed by law.
   36  
   37  ====== B A L L O T  S T A T E M E N T  A M E N D M E N T ======
   38         And the ballot statement is amended as follows:
   39         Delete everything after the resolving clause
   40  and insert:
   41                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   42                        ARTICLE IV, SECTION 8                      
   43  RESTORATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS.—This proposed amendment to the
   44  State Constitution authorizes the Legislature to enact laws to
   45  suspend or remit fines and forfeitures, grant reprieves not
   46  exceeding 60 days, restore civil rights, and commute
   47  punishments, except in cases of treason.
   48  
   49  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   50         And the title is amended as follows:
   51         Delete everything before the resolving clause
   52  and insert:
   53                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
   54  A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 8 of
   55  Article IV of the State Constitution, to authorize the
   56  Legislature to provide by law for clemency in certain
   57  circumstances.