Florida Senate - 2025 SJR 536
By Senator Ingoglia
11-00292B-25 2025536__
1 Senate Joint Resolution
2 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 4
3 of Article VI and the creation of a new section in
4 Article XII of the State Constitution to revise the
5 term limits applicable to state representatives and
6 state senators and to provide an effective date.
7
8 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10 That the following amendment to Section 4 of Article VI and
11 the creation of a new section in Article XII of the State
12 Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
13 electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
14 general election or at an earlier special election specifically
15 authorized by law for that purpose:
16 ARTICLE VI
17 SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
18 SECTION 4. Disqualifications.—
19 (a) No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in this
20 or any other state to be mentally incompetent, shall be
21 qualified to vote or hold office until restoration of civil
22 rights or removal of disability. Except as provided in
23 subsection (b) of this section, any disqualification from voting
24 arising from a felony conviction shall terminate and voting
25 rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms of
26 sentence including parole or probation.
27 (b) No person convicted of murder or a felony sexual
28 offense shall be qualified to vote until restoration of civil
29 rights.
30 (c) No person may appear on the ballot for re-election to
31 any of the following offices:
32 (1) Florida representative,
33 (2) Florida senator,
34 (3) Florida Lieutenant governor,
35 (2)(4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
36 (3)(5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
37 (4)(6) U.S. Senator from Florida
38
39 if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will
40 have served, (or, but for resignation, would have served,) in
41 that office for eight consecutive years.
42 (d)(1) No person may appear on the ballot for election or
43 re-election to the office of state representative or state
44 senator if, by the end of his or her current term of office, the
45 person will have served, or, but for resignation, would have
46 served, in that office for a total of eight consecutive years.
47 (2) Beginning November 3, 2026, no person may appear on the
48 ballot for election or re-election to the office of state
49 representative or state senator if, by the end of the current
50 term of office, the person will have served, or, but for
51 resignation, would have served, in state legislative office for
52 a total of sixteen years, regardless of whether such service was
53 consecutive or nonconsecutive.
54 (3) After November 3, 2026, a person may appear on the
55 ballot for re-election to the office of state senator if service
56 of a complete term of office was shortened by apportionment.
57 Such person may still qualify for election or re-election for
58 this subsequent term, even if the term exceeds the limits
59 provided in paragraphs (1) or (2).
60 ARTICLE XII
61 SCHEDULE
62 Implementation of revised term limits for legislators.—
63 (a) This section and the amendment to Section 4 of Article
64 VI imposing term limits of sixteen years of service on state
65 representatives and state senators shall take effect upon
66 approval by the electors.
67 (b) If a person would otherwise be prohibited from
68 appearing on the ballot for election or re-election by paragraph
69 (d)(2) of Section 4 of Article VI as a result of service in a
70 legislative office before November 3, 2026, the person may
71 nonetheless appear on the ballot for election or re-election to
72 a state legislative office on or after November 3, 2026, and, if
73 subsequently elected, the person may serve eight consecutive
74 years in that office even if service of such term exceeds the
75 nonconsecutive limits imposed by Section 4, Article VI. Such
76 person may not serve in excess of twenty-four years regardless
77 of whether such service was consecutive or nonconsecutive.
78 (c) If a person would otherwise be prohibited from
79 appearing on the ballot for election or re-election by paragraph
80 (d)(1) of Section 4 of Article VI, but the person’s term of
81 office was shortened as a result of apportionment, such person
82 may subsequently appear on the ballot for election or re
83 election to a state legislative office for another term. Service
84 of this additional term does not count toward the limits in
85 paragraph (d)(2) of Section 4 of Article VI. Such person may not
86 seek additional terms in such legislative office.
87 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
88 placed on the ballot:
89 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
90 ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4
91 ARTICLE XII
92 TERM LIMITS FOR STATE SENATORS AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
93 The State Constitution provides that state representatives and
94 state senators are limited to serving 8 consecutive years in
95 either office. This amendment specifies that state
96 representatives and state senators are limited to 16
97 nonconsecutive years of total service. This revised limit would
98 take effect after the November 3, 2026, general election, and
99 provides that those seeking re-election during such election or
100 election or re-election in subsequent elections may complete
101 their terms, regardless of such limits.