Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the signature threshold for initiative petitions.

Highlights:

• Requires the Secretary of State to submit an initiative petition to the Attorney General of a sponsor who has obtained a letter from the Division of Elections confirming that they have submitted forms signed and dated equal to 25 percent of the number of statewide electors in half of the state’s congressional districts (Sec. 1).

• Requires the supervisor to verify signatures within 60 days following their receipt and the payment of the fee for the cost of signature verifications incurred by the supervisor (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes a citizen to challenge a petition circulator’s registration by filing a petition in circuit court, and if the court finds that the respondent is not a registered petition circulator, the court may prohibit the respondent from collecting signatures or initiative petitions for compensation until they are lawfully registered (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that for petition forms submitted less than 60 days before February 1 in an even-numbered year, the supervisor must verify the signatures within 30 days following their receipt and the payment of the fee for signature verification (Sec. 3).

• Requires, whenever an amendment to the state constitution is to be voted upon, the Department of State to print and furnish a sufficient number of copies of the amendment to each supervisor of elections (Sec. 5).

• Requires each supervisor of elections to provide copies of the amendment in a designated area of each polling location (Sec. 5).

• Requires each supervisor to post the actual cost of signature verification on their website and authorizes the supervisor to increase such cost as necessary on February 2 of each even-numbered year (Sec. 3).

• Requires each supervisor to post the aggregate number of verified valid signatures and the distribution of such signatures by congressional district for each proposed amendment by an initiative, on their website on the last day of each month or on the last day of each week from December 1 of an odd-numbered year through February 1 of the following year (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that in addition to the above information each supervisor must also post the following information specific to the reporting period (Sec. 3):

• The total number of signed petition forms received; 

• The total number of signatures verified; 

• The distribution of verified valid signatures by congressional district; and

• The total number of verified petition forms forwarded to the Secretary of State.

• Requires the ballot to include a financial statement as to whether the financial impact statement projects either a net positive or negative impact on the state budget (Sec. 3). 

• Requires the ballot to include a financial statement if the financial impact statement estimates an indeterminate financial impact or if the members of the Financial Impact Estimating Conference are unable to agree on the statement required by this act (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases the signature threshold for initiative petitions.

Highlights:

• Requires the Secretary of State to submit an initiative petition to the Attorney General of a sponsor who has obtained a letter from the Division of Elections confirming that they have submitted forms signed and dated equal to 25 percent of the number of statewide electors in half of the state’s congressional districts (Sec. 1).

• Requires the supervisor to verify signatures within 60 days following their receipt and the payment of the fee for the cost of signature verifications incurred by the supervisor (Sec. 3).

• Authorizes a citizen to challenge a petition circulator’s registration by filing a petition in circuit court, and if the court finds that the respondent is not a registered petition circulator, the court may prohibit the respondent from collecting signatures or initiative petitions for compensation until they are lawfully registered (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that for petition forms submitted less than 60 days before February 1 in an even-numbered year, the supervisor must verify the signatures within 30 days following their receipt and the payment of the fee for signature verification (Sec. 3).

• Requires, whenever an amendment to the state constitution is to be voted upon, the Department of State to print and furnish a sufficient number of copies of the amendment to each supervisor of elections (Sec. 5).

• Requires each supervisor of elections to provide copies of the amendment in a designated area of each polling location (Sec. 5).

• Requires each supervisor to post the actual cost of signature verification on their website and authorizes the supervisor to increase such cost as necessary on February 2 of each even-numbered year (Sec. 3).

• Requires each supervisor to post the aggregate number of verified valid signatures and the distribution of such signatures by congressional district for each proposed amendment by an initiative, on their website on the last day of each month or on the last day of each week from December 1 of an odd-numbered year through February 1 of the following year (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that in addition to the above information each supervisor must also post the following information specific to the reporting period (Sec. 3):

• The total number of signed petition forms received; 

• The total number of signatures verified; 

• The distribution of verified valid signatures by congressional district; and

• The total number of verified petition forms forwarded to the Secretary of State.

• Requires the ballot to include a financial statement as to whether the financial impact statement projects either a net positive or negative impact on the state budget (Sec. 3). 

• Requires the ballot to include a financial statement if the financial impact statement estimates an indeterminate financial impact or if the members of the Financial Impact Estimating Conference are unable to agree on the statement required by this act (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text