HJR 1283 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr1283-00
Page 1 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Joint Resolution 1
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 2
16 of Article III of the State Constitution to revise 3
the number of senatorial and representative districts 4
that the Legislature is authorized to apportion. 5
6
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 7
8
That the following amendment to Section 16 of Article III 9
of the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to 10
the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next 11
general election or at an earlier special election specifically 12
authorized by law for that purpose: 13
ARTICLE III 14
LEGISLATURE 15
SECTION 16. Legislative apportionment. — 16
(a) SENATORIAL AND REPRESENTATIVE DIS TRICTS. The 17
legislature at its regular session in the second year following 18
each decennial census, by joint resolution, shall apportion the 19
state in accordance with the constitution of the state and of 20
the United States into not less than forty nor more than fifty 21
thirty nor more than forty consecutively numbered senatorial 22
districts of either contiguous, overlapping or identical 23
territory, and into not less than one hundred twenty nor more 24
than one hundred fifty eighty nor more than one hundred twenty 25
HJR 1283 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr1283-00
Page 2 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
consecutively numbered representative districts of either 26
contiguous, overlapping or identical territory. Should that 27
session adjourn without adopting such joint resolution, the 28
governor by proclamation shall reconvene the legislature within 29
thirty days in special apportionment session which shall not 30
exceed thirty consecutive days, during which no other business 31
shall be transacted, and it shall be the mandatory duty of the 32
legislature to adopt a joint resolution of apportionment. 33
(b) FAILURE OF LEGISLATURE TO APPORTION; JUDICIAL 34
REAPPORTIONMENT. In the event a special apportionment session 35
of the legislature finally adjourns without adopting a joint 36
resolution of apportionment, the attorney general shall, within 37
five days, petition the supreme court of the state to make such 38
apportionment. No later than the sixtieth day after the filing 39
of such petition, the supreme court shall file with the 40
custodian of state records an order making such apportionment. 41
(c) JUDICIAL REVIEW OF APPORTIONMENT. Within fiftee n days 42
after the passage of the joint resolution of apportionment, the 43
attorney general shall petition the supreme court of the state 44
for a declaratory judgment determining the validity of the 45
apportionment. The supreme court, in accordance with its rules, 46
shall permit adversary interests to present their views and, 47
within thirty days from the filing of the petition, shall enter 48
its judgment. 49
(d) EFFECT OF JUDGMENT IN APPORTIONMENT; EXTRAORDINARY 50
HJR 1283 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr1283-00
Page 3 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
APPORTIONMENT SESSION. A judgment of the supreme court of the 51
state determining the apportionment to be valid shall be binding 52
upon all the citizens of the state. Should the supreme court 53
determine that the apportionment made by the legislature is 54
invalid, the governor by proclamation shall reconvene the 55
legislature within five days thereafter in extraordinary 56
apportionment session which shall not exceed fifteen days, 57
during which the legislature shall adopt a joint resolution of 58
apportionment conforming to the judgment of the supreme court. 59
(e) EXTRAORDINARY AP PORTIONMENT SESSION; REVIEW OF 60
APPORTIONMENT. Within fifteen days after the adjournment of an 61
extraordinary apportionment session, the attorney general shall 62
file a petition in the supreme court of the state setting forth 63
the apportionment resolution adop ted by the legislature, or if 64
none has been adopted reporting that fact to the court. 65
Consideration of the validity of a joint resolution of 66
apportionment shall be had as provided for in cases of such 67
joint resolution adopted at a regular or special apport ionment 68
session. 69
(f) JUDICIAL REAPPORTIONMENT. Should an extraordinary 70
apportionment session fail to adopt a resolution of 71
apportionment or should the supreme court determine that the 72
apportionment made is invalid, the court shall, not later than 73
sixty days after receiving the petition of the attorney general, 74
file with the custodian of state records an order making such 75
HJR 1283 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hjr1283-00
Page 4 of 4
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
apportionment. 76
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be 77
placed on the ballot: 78
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 79
ARTICLE III, SECTION 16 80
APPORTIONMENT OF STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS. —Revises the 81
permissible number of districts allotted to each house of the 82
Legislature. Authorizes between 40 and 50 districts for the 83
Senate and between 120 and 150 districts for the House of 84
Representatives. Any change in the number of districts must be 85
adopted by joint resolution of the Legislature. Under current 86
law, the Senate must be composed of between 30 and 40 districts 87
and between 80 and 120 districts for the House of 88
Representatives. 89