The bill seeks to amend various sections of the Florida Statutes to improve the integrity and transparency of the initiative petition process for constitutional amendments. Key provisions include new requirements for the Secretary of State to receive a ballot summary, full text of the proposed amendment, and a financial impact statement before an initiative petition is submitted to the Attorney General. It also revises the criteria for the Attorney General's advisory opinions and mandates that sponsors obtain a letter from the Division of Elections every third election cycle, which, if not secured, leads to the expiration of signatures and disbanding of the sponsor's political committee. Additionally, the bill introduces stricter regulations for petition circulators, including registration requirements, training, and limitations on the number of signed petition forms they can collect without proper registration.

Moreover, the legislation imposes civil and criminal penalties for various violations related to the petition process, such as compensating circulators based on the number of signatures gathered and tampering with petition forms. It requires the Elections Canvassing Commission to certify returns for constitutional amendments and mandates that financial impact statements be included on ballots. The bill also establishes a new process for the Financial Impact Estimating Conference, which must produce a financial impact statement for proposed amendments, and outlines the responsibilities of sponsors and circulators regarding the timely submission of petition forms. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the integrity and accountability of the petition process while ensuring that voters are adequately informed about the financial implications of proposed amendments.

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
S 7016 c1: 97.021, 100.371, 101.161, 102.111, 102.121, 104.185, 104.186, 104.187, 106.19, 212.055