This bill seeks to amend Florida's laws governing initiative petitions for constitutional amendments, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the integrity and transparency of the petition process. Key provisions include requiring the Secretary of State to receive both the ballot summary and full text of proposed amendments, along with a financial impact statement, before the initiative petition is submitted to the Attorney General. The bill also revises the criteria for the Attorney General's advisory opinions, mandates that sponsors maintain their initiative signatures through periodic letters, and imposes penalties for violations related to signature collection. Stricter regulations for petition circulators are introduced, including registration requirements, training, and prohibitions against compensating circulators based on the number of signatures collected.

Additionally, the bill establishes new definitions and penalties for fraudulent activities associated with petition circulators, such as signing on behalf of deceased individuals or using personal identifying information without consent. It outlines the responsibilities of election supervisors in verifying signatures and managing petition forms, including the requirement to post costs associated with signature verification on their websites. The legislation aims to create a more robust framework for the initiative process while safeguarding voters' rights, ensuring compliance with updated verification processes, and enhancing accountability for both sponsors and circulators. Overall, the bill is designed to prevent illegal activities and uphold the constitutional right to propose amendments while maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.

Statutes affected:
S 7016 Filed: 97.021, 100.371, 101.161, 102.111, 102.121, 104.185, 104.186, 104.187, 106.19, 212.055, 895.02