Bill Text: FL S0512 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Legislative Sessions

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-05-03 - Died in Judiciary [S0512 Detail]

Download: Florida-2013-S0512-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2013                                    SJR 512
       
       
       
       By Senator Clemens
       
       
       
       
       27-00538-13                                            2013512__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 3
    3         of Article III and the creation of Section 34 of
    4         Article XII of the State Constitution, relating to
    5         sessions of the Legislature, to change the date of
    6         convening and the length of regular sessions of the
    7         Legislature and to remove the requirement that the
    8         Legislature meet in organization sessions.
    9  
   10  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         That the following amendment to Section 3 of Article III
   13  and the creation of Section 34 of Article XII of the State
   14  Constitution are agreed to and shall be submitted to the
   15  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 III                           
   19                             LEGISLATURE                           
   20         SECTION 3. Sessions of the legislature.—
   21         (a) ORGANIZATION SESSIONS. On the fourteenth day following
   22  each general election the legislature shall convene for the
   23  exclusive purpose of organization and selection of officers.
   24         (a)(b) REGULAR SESSIONS. A regular session of The
   25  legislature shall convene in regular session on the fourteenth
   26  day following each general election, and each house shall
   27  immediately organize and select officers. Each session of the
   28  legislature shall adjourn sine die by midnight on the first
   29  Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the following
   30  even-numbered year. on the first Tuesday after the first Monday
   31  in March of each odd-numbered year, and on the first Tuesday
   32  after the first Monday in March, or such other date as may be
   33  fixed by law, of each even-numbered year.
   34         (b)(c) SPECIAL SESSIONS.
   35         (1) The governor, by proclamation stating the purpose, may
   36  convene the legislature in special session during which only
   37  such legislative business may be transacted as is within the
   38  purview of the proclamation, or of a communication from the
   39  governor, or is introduced by consent of two-thirds of the
   40  membership of each house.
   41         (2) A special session of the legislature may be convened as
   42  provided by law.
   43         (c)(d) LENGTH OF SPECIAL SESSIONS. A regular session of the
   44  legislature shall not exceed sixty consecutive days, and A
   45  special session shall not exceed twenty consecutive days, unless
   46  extended beyond such limit by a three-fifths vote of each house.
   47  During such an extension no new business may be taken up in
   48  either house without the consent of two-thirds of its
   49  membership.
   50         (d)(e) ADJOURNMENT. Neither house shall adjourn for more
   51  than seventy-two consecutive hours except pursuant to concurrent
   52  resolution.
   53         (e)(f) ADJOURNMENT BY GOVERNOR. If, during any regular or
   54  special session, the two houses cannot agree upon a time for
   55  adjournment, the governor may adjourn the session sine die or to
   56  any date within the period authorized for such session; provided
   57  that, at least twenty-four hours before adjourning the session,
   58  and while neither house is in recess, each house shall be given
   59  formal written notice of the governor’s intention to do so, and
   60  agreement reached within that period by both houses on a time
   61  for adjournment shall prevail.
   62                             ARTICLE XII                           
   63                              SCHEDULE                             
   64         SECTION 34. Legislative sessions.—The amendment to Section
   65  3 of Article III changing the date for convening regular
   66  sessions of the legislature shall apply beginning with the
   67  regular session convening in November 2016.
   68         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   69  placed on the ballot:
   70                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   71                       ARTICLE III, SECTION 3                      
   72                       ARTICLE XII, Section 34                     
   73         CONVENING OF REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.—Proposing an
   74  amendment to the State Constitution to change the date on which
   75  regular sessions of the Legislature convene, from the first
   76  Tuesday after the first Monday in March to the 14th day
   77  following each general election. The amendment will eliminate
   78  the requirement that the length of regular sessions be limited
   79  to 60 consecutive days. This amendment also removes the
   80  requirement that the Legislature convene for organization
   81  sessions, which currently take place on the 14th day following
   82  each general election.