Florida Senate - 2026                                   SJR 1406
       
       
        
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       
       17-00062-26                                           20261406__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 5
    3         of Article XI of the State Constitution to revise the
    4         percentage of elector votes required for approval of
    5         an amendment to or a revision of the State
    6         Constitution from at least 60 percent to a simple
    7         majority vote of the electors voting on the measure.
    8          
    9  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         That the following amendment to Section 5 of Article XI of
   12  the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
   13  the 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 XI                            
   17                             AMENDMENTS                            
   18         SECTION 5. Amendment or revision election.—
   19         (a) A proposed amendment to or revision of this
   20  constitution, or any part of it, shall be submitted to the
   21  electors at the next general election held more than ninety days
   22  after the joint resolution or report of revision commission,
   23  constitutional convention or taxation and budget reform
   24  commission proposing it is filed with the custodian of state
   25  records, unless, pursuant to law enacted by the affirmative vote
   26  of three-fourths of the membership of each house of the
   27  legislature and limited to a single amendment or revision, it is
   28  submitted at an earlier special election held more than ninety
   29  days after such filing.
   30         (b) A proposed amendment or revision of this constitution,
   31  or any part of it, by initiative shall be submitted to the
   32  electors at the general election provided the initiative
   33  petition is filed with the custodian of state records no later
   34  than February 1 of the year in which the general election is
   35  held.
   36         (c) The legislature shall provide by general law, prior to
   37  the holding of an election pursuant to this section, for the
   38  provision of a statement to the public regarding the probable
   39  financial impact of any amendment proposed by initiative
   40  pursuant to section 3.
   41         (d) Once in the tenth week, and once in the sixth week
   42  immediately preceding the week in which the election is held,
   43  the proposed amendment or revision, with notice of the date of
   44  election at which it will be submitted to the electors, shall be
   45  published in one newspaper of general circulation in each county
   46  in which a newspaper is published.
   47         (e) Unless otherwise specifically provided for elsewhere in
   48  this constitution, if the proposed amendment or revision is
   49  approved by a simple majority vote of at least sixty percent of
   50  the electors voting on the measure, it shall be effective as an
   51  amendment to or revision of the constitution of the state on the
   52  first Tuesday after the first Monday in January following the
   53  election, or on such other date as may be specified in the
   54  amendment or revision.
   55         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   56  placed on the ballot:
   57                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   58                        ARTICLE XI, SECTION 5                      
   59         REVISING THRESHOLD FOR VOTER APPROVAL OF CONSTITUTIONAL
   60  AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS.—Revising the percentage of elector
   61  votes required to approve an amendment to or a revision of the
   62  State Constitution from at least 60 percent to a simple majority
   63  vote of the electors voting on the measure. This amendment does
   64  not modify the requirement that an amendment imposing a new
   65  state tax or fee be approved by two-thirds vote of the electors
   66  voting in the election at which the amendment is considered.