Enshrine in the state Constitution the mandatory payment of death benefits and waiver of certain educational expenses to qualifying survivors of certain first responders and military members who die performing official duties.The Constitution Revision Commission bundled together three separate issues in Amendment 7. Who opposed it: Criminal defense attorneys, who fear giving victims a role in court proceedings would create an emotional rather than a legal process, and the League of Women Voters of Florida because the amendment would remove a provision that victims’ rights do not interfere with the constitutional rights of the accused. Who supported it: Many Florida sheriffs and victim advocacy groups that believe courts have gone too far defending the rights of the accused. Prohibit state courts from deferring to an administrative agency's interpretation of a state statute or rule.Who opposed it: The group Floridians For A Sensible Voting Rights Policy because, while Amendment 4 excludes felons convicted of murder and sex crimes, it doesn't differentiate between people who committed other violent crimes and those who committed non-violent crimes. Who supported it: The more than 799,000 voters whose signatures were certified on a petition by the group Floridians for Fair Democracy to place Amendment 4 on the ballot the conservative group Koch Brothers and ice cream company Ben & Jerry's. Florida is one of four states that disenfranchises former felons permanently. If passed, Amendment 4 would impact 1.5 million Floridians. district judge found Florida's current system arbitrary and unconstitutional in March, and the case is under appeal. Currently, former felons must wait at least 5 years after completing their sentences to ask the Florida Clemency Board, made up by the governor and the Cabinet, to restore their rights.Ī U.S. The amendment restores voting rights to former felons who served their sentence, including parole and probation, with the exception of those convicted of murder and sexual offenses. Who opposed it: Owners of dog and horse tracks because they would need statewide voter approval to add casino gambling at each track.
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The two groups have spent nearly $40 million campaigning for Amendment 3. Who supported it: Seminole Tribe of Florida and Disney because the amendment would make it harder to expand gambling. The amendment was placed on the ballot after the anti-gambling expansion group Voters in Charge collected more than 766,000 validated voters' signatures. This would make it more difficult for any dog track or horse track wishing to expand its gaming to do so.Ĭurrently, the Seminole tribal compact, agreed to in 2015 with the state, gives casinos exclusive rights to operate craps, roulette, black jack at its five properties. The amendment would categorize card games, casino games and slot machines as casino gambling, and require anyone who wanted to build a casino to get hundreds of thousands of signatures to get it on the ballot and then hope for voter approval. Government watchdog group Florida Tax Watch also opposes the measure for similar reasons and estimates 76 percent of all property owners in Florida would not benefit from it. The association claims the measure could force local governments to increase tax rates and commercial and non-homesteaded properties might pay more. Cities, counties and special districts across the state would lose an estimated $752.7 million in their budgets in the first year (school districts would not be impacted). Who opposed it: Groups that advocate for local governments such as the Florida Association of Counties. Who supported it: Republicans in the state Legislature, who put the measure on the ballot because it would lower taxes for almost 60 percent of homesteaded properties.
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That would exempt the value between $100,000 and $125,000 of a home that serves as the owner's primary residence.Ĭurrently, there are two other homestead exemptions: for the first $25,000 of the assessed property value and for the value between $50,000 and $75,000. This amendment raises the homestead property tax exemption by $25,000 for homes worth more than $100,000. Amendments needed 60 percent approval to be passed. With all precincts reporting, all but one Constitutional amendment passed, most with overwhelming support.