Florida Senate - 2011 CS for CS for SJR 1954 By the Committees on Rules; and Community Affairs; and Senator Garcia 595-05165-11 20111954c2 1 Senate Joint Resolution 2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 6 3 of Article VIII of the State Constitution to authorize 4 amendments or revisions to the home rule charter of 5 Miami-Dade County by special law approved by a vote of 6 the electors; providing requirements for a bill 7 proposing such a special law; authorizing the Miami 8 Dade County charter to provide for fixed term limits 9 of commissioners. 10 11 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 13 That the following amendment to Section 6 of Article VIII 14 of the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to 15 the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 16 general election or at an earlier special election specifically 17 authorized by law for that purpose: 18 ARTICLE VIII 19 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 20 SECTION 6. Schedule to Article VIII.— 21 (a) This article shall replace all of Article VIII of the 22 Constitution of 1885, as amended, except those sections 23 expressly retained and made a part of this article by reference. 24 (b) COUNTIES; COUNTY SEATS; MUNICIPALITIES; DISTRICTS. The 25 status of the following items as they exist on the date this 26 article becomes effective is recognized and shall be continued 27 until changed in accordance with law: the counties of the state; 28 their status with respect to the legality of the sale of 29 intoxicating liquors, wines and beers; the method of selection 30 of county officers; the performance of municipal functions by 31 county officers; the county seats; and the municipalities and 32 special districts of the state, their powers, jurisdiction and 33 government. 34 (c) OFFICERS TO CONTINUE IN OFFICE. Every person holding 35 office when this article becomes effective shall continue in 36 office for the remainder of the term if that office is not 37 abolished. If the office is abolished the incumbent shall be 38 paid adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, for the loss of 39 emoluments for the remainder of the term. 40 (d) ORDINANCES. Local laws relating only to unincorporated 41 areas of a county on the effective date of this article may be 42 amended or repealed by county ordinance. 43 (e) CONSOLIDATION AND HOME RULE. Article VIII, Sections 9, 10, 44 11 and 24, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall remain 45 in full force and effect as to each county affected, as if this 46 article had not been adopted, until that county shall expressly 47 adopt a charter or home rule plan pursuant to this article. All 48 provisions of the Miami-DadeMetropolitan DadeCounty Home Rule 49 Charter, heretofore or hereafter adopted by the electors of 50 Miami-DadeDadeCounty pursuant to Article VIII, Section 11, of 51 the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall be valid, and any 52 amendments to such charter shall be valid; provided that the 53 said provisions of such charter and the said amendments thereto 54 are authorized under said Article VIII, Section 11, of the 55 Constitution of 1885, as amended. However, notwithstanding any 56 provision of Article VIII, Section 11, of the Constitution of 57 1885, as amended, or any limitations under this subsection, the 58 Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter may be amended or revised by 59 special law approved by the electors of Miami-Dade County and, 60 if approved, shall be deemed an amendment or revision of the 61 charter by the electors of Miami-Dade County. A bill proposing 62 such a special law must be approved at a meeting of the local 63 legislative delegation and filed by a member of that delegation. 64 The charter may provide for fixed term limits of Miami-Dade 65 County Commissioners. 66 (f) MIAMI-DADEDADECOUNTY; POWERS CONFERRED UPON 67 MUNICIPALITIES. To the extent not inconsistent with the powers 68 of existing municipalities or general law, the Metropolitan 69 Government of Miami-DadeDadeCounty may exercise all the powers 70 conferred now or hereafter by general law upon municipalities. 71 (g) DELETION OF OBSOLETE SCHEDULE ITEMS. The legislature 72 shall have power, by joint resolution, to delete from this 73 article any subsection of this Section 6, including this 74 subsection, when all events to which the subsection to be 75 deleted is or could become applicable have occurred. A 76 legislative determination of fact made as a basis for 77 application of this subsection shall be subject to judicial 78 review. 79 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be 80 placed on the ballot: 81 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 82 ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 6 83 AUTHORIZING AMENDMENTS TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOME RULE 84 CHARTER BY SPECIAL LAW APPROVED BY REFERENDUM.—Authorizes 85 amendments or revisions to the Miami-Dade County Home Rule 86 Charter by a special law when the law is approved by a vote of 87 the electors of Miami-Dade County. A bill proposing such a 88 special law must be approved at a meeting of the local 89 legislative delegation and filed by a member of that delegation. 90 It also conforms references in the State Constitution to reflect 91 the county’s current name and states that the charter may 92 provide for fixed term limits of Miami-Dade County 93 Commissioners.