Florida proposed constitutional ammendments on the ballot

[opal]

http://www2.jcfloridan.com/news/2012...ot-ar-4632805/

Amendment No. 1: Health Care Services
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=77
This amendment adds a stipulation to the state constitution that would try to keep Florida from making people buy health insurance, the center stated.
Yes: Voter approves amendment to the Florida Constitution barring Florida from requiring health insurance.
No: Voter states he or she does not want an amendment to the Florida Constitution barring Florida from requiring health insurance.
Amendment No. 2: Veterans disabled due to combat injury; Homestead property tax discount
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=78
This amendment would allow specific disabled veterans who were not Florida residents before entering the military to qualify for a property tax discount, stated the Collins Center for Public Policy.
Yes: Voter wants these veterans qualify for the property tax discount.
No: Voter does not want these veterans qualify for the property tax discount.
Amendment No. 3: State government revenue limitation
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=79
This amendment would change the current way of calculating the state revenue limit, the center stated. Instead of it being calculating by personal income, the state revenue limit would be calculated by using a formula containing population growth and inflation.
Yes: Voter wants “the state to change the way it calculates its revenue limit,” stated the Collins Center for Public Policy.
No: Voter does not want the state revenue limit calculation method to change.
Amendment No. 4: Property tax limitations; Property value decline; Reduction for nonhomestead assessment increases; Delay of scheduled repeal
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=80
According to the Collins Center for Public Policy, this amendment would decrease the maximum annual increase in taxable value of non-homestead properties from 10 percent to 5 percent, stated the center stated. It would also give first-time home buyers an extra homestead exemption. Lawmakers would be allowed to prevent “assessment increases for properties with decreasing market values,” the center stated.
Yes: Voter approves these tax breaks.
No: Voter does not approve of these tax breaks.
Amendment No. 5: State Courts
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=81
This amendment requires the Florida Senate to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice, the center stated. It also gives the legislature authority over changes to the governing of the state courts system. The Collins Center for Public Policy stated that the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the investigator of any judicial misconduct complaints, would need to have its files available to the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Yes: Voter agrees to these proposed changes to the state’s courts.
No: Voter disagrees to these changes.
Amendment No. 6: Prohibition funding of abortions; Construction of abortion rights
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=82
This amendment will make not allowing public funds to be used for an abortion or for health-benefits that cover an abortion part of the state constitution.
Yes: Voter wants to make not allowing public funds to be used for abortion part of the state constitution.
No: Voter does not want to make not allowing public funds to be used for abortion part of the state constitution.
Amendment No. 8: Religious Freedom
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=86
According to the Collins Center for Public Policy, “This amendment would remove the prohibition in Florida’s Constitution that prevents religious institutions from receiving taxpayer funding.”
Yes: Voter is in favor of religious organizations receiving government funding.
No: Voter is not in favor of religious organizations receiving government funding.
Amendment No. 9: Homestead property tax exemption for surviving spouse of military veteran or first responder
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=87
This amendment allows the Florida Legislature to give homestead property tax exemption to a surviving spouse of a military veteran who died from service or to a surviving spouse of a first responder who died in the line of duty.
Yes: Voter wants the exemption awarded to the groups above.
No: Voter does not want the exemption awarded to the groups above.
Amendment No. 10: Tangible personal property tax exemption
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=88
According to the Collins Center for Public Policy, this amendment doubles the tangible personal property tax exemption and lets cities and counties increase it.
Yes: Voter wants this exemption and for the cities and counties to have the ability to increase it.
No: Voter does not want this exemption and for the cities and counties to have the ability to increase it.
Amendment No. 11: Additional homestead exemption; Low-income seniors who maintain long-term residency on property; Equal to assessed value
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=89
According to the Collins Center for Public Policy, this amendment will allow counties and cities to give a homestead exemption to “low-income seniors who have lived in their home for more than 25 years.”
Yes: Voter wants this exemption to be available.
No: Voter does not want this exemption to be available.
Amendment No. 12: Appointment of student body president to Board of Governors of the State University System
Read the full amendment on the Florida Division of Elections: http://election.dos.state.fl.us/init...t=10&seqnum=90
This amendment changes how the student representative on the state university system’s Board of Governors is picked, stated the Collins Center for Public Policy.
Yes: Voters want the representative to be chosen from a council of university student presidents.
No: Voters do not want the representative to be chosen from a council of university student presidents.

[romacox]

Thanks Opal... That was most helpful. Here are some more sights on that subject.

Collins Center for Public Policy,

Florida Libertarian Party's opinions on the Florida Amendments

[MelissaWV]

Bump, because I was actually coming here to post this very info

[Smart3]

Hopefully marijuana will be one of these in 2016.

[opal]

something wrong with 2013?

[MelissaWV]

something wrong with 2013?

It is an opportunity, but would take far more coordination due to no "major" races being on the ballot. I would be wary of the wording of any marijuana-related initiative that makes it onto the Florida ballot, though. Just as some of those amendments are worded to sound really great and positive (but are really about adding more government), I am sure there would be some kind of downside/loophole that would crop up

[Smart3]

something wrong with 2013?

Florida doesn't have decriminalization, in fact only 14 states do. Most states still don't have medical marijuana. It is entirely unreasonable to think Florida would vote for BOTH medical and recreational marijuana in some 2013 or 2014 initiative. It will take years to make a ground game for recreational marijuana.

[Smart3]

something wrong with 2013?

Florida doesn't have decriminalization, in fact only 14 states do. Most states still don't have medical marijuana. It is entirely unreasonable to think Florida would vote for BOTH medical and recreational marijuana in some 2013 or 2014 initiative. It will take years to make a ground game for recreational marijuana.

[randpaul2016]

can we get a list 1-12 of yes or no?

[_pauladin_]

can we get a list 1-12 of yes or no?

The Libertarian Party of Florida has recommendations here: http://www.lpf.org .

[opal]

I'd never assume to tell people how to vote. My own feelings are mostly - adding something to a constitution, when a law can be made instead is kind of overkill. It's MUCH harder to undo constitutional amendments than a law. That being said, things having to do with Veterans and things that trump garbage that happened nationally - I tend to look at much more closely.

[randpaul2016]

The Libertarian Party of Florida has recommendations here: http://www.lpf.org .

thanks

[_pauladin_]

I'd never assume to tell people how to vote. My own feelings are mostly - adding something to a constitution, when a law can be made instead is kind of overkill. It's MUCH harder to undo constitutional amendments than a law. That being said, things having to do with Veterans and things that trump garbage that happened nationally - I tend to look at much more closely.

You have a good point, but I like the LPF recommendations because the writer breaks down what the amendments are in simple terms. The ballot here has five pages of amendments in small text, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt a little overwhelmed trying to understand them all.

[opal]

yeah.. cheat sheets are sometimes a good thing - I mailed in my absentee ballot yesterday - took me a couple weeks to get it all checked out properly

ya know how hard it is to check up on a judge? Much less several of them

[cgainey]

Anyone know where i can find the Pennsylvania list?

[Confederate]

Anyone know where i can find the Pennsylvania list?

Pennsylvania has no proposed constitutional amendments this year.

[randpaul2016]

You have a good point, but I like the LPF recommendations because the writer breaks down what the amendments are in simple terms. The ballot here has five pages of amendments in small text, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt a little overwhelmed trying to understand them all.

yea exactly. First time voting, I was like dang this ballot is huge. lol

[daviddee]

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