Florida 2025 1st Special Session

Florida House Bill H0021 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 21A 2025A
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb21a-00
9	9	Page 1 of 54
10	10	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
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to petition process; amending s. 2
16	16	15.21, F.S.; conforming a cross -reference; amending s. 3
17	17	16.061, F.S.; revising the criteria that the Attorney 4
18	18	General uses when petitioning the Supreme Court for an 5
19	19	advisory opinion related to a proposed revi sion or 6
20	20	amendment to the State Constitution; amending s. 7
21	21	97.021, F.S.; deleting the definition of the term 8
22	22	"petition circulator"; amending s. 99.092, F.S.; 9
23	23	decreasing the percentages used to calculate the 10
24	24	filing fees and the amount of party assessment for 11
25	25	candidates to public office; requiring the Division of 12
26	26	Elections to create a uniform petition form for 13
27	27	candidates to gather signatures for a candidate 14
28	28	petition; requiring that the form solicit specified 15
29	29	information; requiring that the form include a certai n 16
30	30	notice; amending s. 99.095, F.S.; authorizing a 17
31	31	supervisor of elections to verify certain signatures 18
32	32	only if a certain petition form is used; amending s. 19
33	33	99.097, F.S.; conforming a cross -reference; amending 20
34	34	s. 100.371, F.S.; requiring sponsors of an init iative 21
35	35	amendment to register as political committees before 22
36	36	circulating any initiative petition forms to voters; 23
37	37	deleting obsolete language; requiring the division to 24
38	38	assign initiative petitions a petition number and 25
39	39
40	40	HB 21A 2025A
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb21a-00
46	46	Page 2 of 54
47	47	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
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	create a certain form; providing requir ements for such 26
52	52	form; requiring that the form contain a certain 27
53	53	notice; deleting provisions relating to citizen 28
54	54	challenges of petition circulator registration; 29
55	55	deleting provisions relating to applications for 30
56	56	registration of a petition circulator; requirin g the 31
57	57	division to adopt rules; deleting provisions requiring 32
58	58	certain sponsors to submit signed and dated forms; 33
59	59	specifying conditions for signatures on a form to be 34
60	60	verified as valid by a supervisor; requiring the 35
61	61	supervisor to retain signed petition forms instead of 36
62	62	signature forms in a specified manner; requiring the 37
63	63	supervisor to transmit copies of such signed petition 38
64	64	forms promptly to the division upon request; requiring 39
65	65	the supervisors of elections to post the actual cost 40
66	66	of signature verification on their websites annually 41
67	67	on a specified date; specifying that such costs 42
68	68	include costs related to certain actions; requiring 43
69	69	the Secretary of State to rescind a certificate of 44
70	70	ballot position under specified conditions; 45
71	71	authorizing any voter to challenge th e issuance of 46
72	72	certificates of ballot position; providing the process 47
73	73	for such challenges; requiring the Secretary of State 48
74	74	to submit a copy of initiative petitions to a 49
75	75	specified panel; requiring the panel to complete a 50
76	76
77	77	HB 21A 2025A
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb21a-00
83	83	Page 3 of 54
84	84	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
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	financial impact statement; requirin g the panel to 51
89	89	submit such statement to the Secretary of State; 52
90	90	providing that the panel is not required to complete 53
91	91	the statement under specified circumstances; deleting 54
92	92	obsolete language; requiring that meetings of the 55
93	93	panel be open to the public; requir ing that the panel 56
94	94	submit the financial impact statement to the Secretary 57
95	95	of State immediately; authorizing the panel to redraft 58
96	96	the statement within a specified timeframe; requiring 59
97	97	the disclosure of certain material legal effects; 60
98	98	conforming cross-references; requiring the panel to 61
99	99	draft a certain initiative financial information 62
100	100	statement; requiring the Secretary of State to make 63
101	101	such statement available on his or her website; 64
102	102	creating s. 100.373, F.S.; defining the term 65
103	103	"circulated petition form"; autho rizing voters to 66
104	104	submit signed circulated petition forms at any office 67
105	105	of the supervisor of elections in the county in which 68
106	106	the voter is registered to vote; providing that a 69
107	107	circulated petition form is valid only if the 70
108	108	supervisor verifies specified infor mation; requiring a 71
109	109	voter to present a certain current and valid form of 72
110	110	picture identification to the supervisor; requiring 73
111	111	the supervisor to deem the petition submitted if the 74
112	112	information on such identification matches the form 75
113	113
114	114	HB 21A 2025A
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb21a-00
120	120	Page 4 of 54
121	121	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
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	and the person matches the identification produced; 76
126	126	requiring supervisors to verify that the voter's 77
127	127	signature on the circulated petition form matches the 78
128	128	voter's signature on file in the Florida Voter 79
129	129	Registration System; creating s. 100.375, F.S.; 80
130	130	defining the term "requested pet ition form"; requiring 81
131	131	supervisors to accept requests for a petition form 82
132	132	from a voter or, if instructed, the voter's immediate 83
133	133	family or legal guardian; authorizing that requests be 84
134	134	made in person, in writing, by telephone, or through 85
135	135	the supervisor's web site; requiring supervisors to 86
136	136	cancel requests under specified conditions; 87
137	137	authorizing that requests for petition forms may be 88
138	138	mailed to certain addresses; requiring the voter, or 89
139	139	his or her designee, to provide certain information 90
140	140	for in-person or telephonic requests; requiring that 91
141	141	requests be in writing if the petition form is to be 92
142	142	mailed to an address other than one on file; providing 93
143	143	requirements for such written requests; requiring the 94
144	144	division to create a uniform application to request 95
145	145	petition forms; requiring that such applications 96
146	146	solicit and require specified information; defining 97
147	147	the term "immediate family"; requiring the supervisor 98
148	148	to record certain information and provide it in a 99
149	149	specified format; defining the term "petition 100
150	150
151	151	HB 21A 2025A
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
156	156	hb21a-00
157	157	Page 5 of 54
158	158	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
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162	deadline"; requiring the supervisor to mail petition 101
163	163	forms within specified timeframes; providing a 102
164	164	deadline to request petition forms; requiring 103
165	165	supervisors to provide a petition form by one of the 104
166	166	means specified; prohibiting persons from picking up 105
167	167	more than a specified number of petition forms; 106
168	168	providing exceptions; requiring the supervisor to mail 107
169	169	a certain notice in a specified circumstance; 108
170	170	providing that only the materials necessary to submit 109
171	171	a petition form be mailed or delivered; prohibiting a 110
172	172	supervisor from sendi ng a petition form to someone who 111
173	173	did not request one; requiring the supervisor to 112
174	174	enclose a certain mailing envelope with petition 113
175	175	forms; requiring that such envelopes contain a certain 114
176	176	voter's certificate; specifying the placement of the 115
177	177	voter's certificate on the envelope; requiring that 116
178	178	certain instructions be enclosed with each petition; 117
179	179	providing construction; providing legislative intent; 118
180	180	requiring the Department of State to work with 119
181	181	specified entitles to develop and implement procedures 120
182	182	and technologies to make petition forms available in 121
183	183	alternative formats; providing that requested petition 122
184	184	forms are only valid if the supervisor verifies 123
185	185	certain information; prohibiting an otherwise valid 124
186	186	petition from being invalidated due to the voter's 125
187	187
188	188	HB 21A 2025A
189	189
190	190
191	191
192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
193	193	hb21a-00
194	194	Page 6 of 54
195	195	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
196	196
197	197
198	198
199	199	death after submission of such form; creating s. 126
200	200	100.377, F.S.; authorizing that initiative petition 127
201	201	forms approved by the Secretary of State may continue 128
202	202	to be circulated; providing that certain initiative 129
203	203	petitions or candidate petitions may be kept and 130
204	204	counted under specified conditions; providing 131
205	205	applicability; amending s. 101.161, F.S.; requiring 132
206	206	that constitutional amendments define all terms of art 133
207	207	and describe newly created rights, requirements, 134
208	208	prohibitions, and authorizations; amending the 135
209	209	inclusions on the ballot for every constitutional 136
210	210	amendment proposed by initiative to conform to changes 137
211	211	made by the act; conforming a cross -reference; 138
212	212	amending s. 104.045, F.S.; providing criminal 139
213	213	penalties for a person who submits a petition form or 140
214	214	refrains from submitting a petition form for any 141
215	215	initiative or candidate petition due to a corrupt 142
216	216	offer or the acceptance of a pecuniary or other 143
217	217	benefit; repealing s. 104.186, F.S., relating to 144
218	218	initiative petition circulators and violations 145
219	219	imposed; creating s. 106.031, F. S.; defining terms; 146
220	220	requiring certain political committees and donors and 147
221	221	entities to comply with specified provisions; 148
222	222	requiring that a statement of organization include a 149
223	223	certain attestation; requiring that specified reports 150
224	224
225	225	HB 21A 2025A
226	226
227	227
228	228
229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
230	230	hb21a-00
231	231	Page 7 of 54
232	232	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
233	233
234	234
235	235
236	236	have a certain affirmation; r equiring specified 151
237	237	persons to keep a certain record for a specified 152
238	238	timeframe; providing criminal penalties for a person 153
239	239	who fails to retain the record for such timeframe; 154
240	240	requiring that certain reports include a certain 155
241	241	attestation; requiring certain dono rs and entities to 156
242	242	make a certain attestation to the Division of 157
243	243	Elections within a specified timeframe; providing 158
244	244	criminal penalties for a person who fails to make such 159
245	245	attestation or makes a false attestation; providing 160
246	246	criminal penalties for political c ommittees that 161
247	247	willfully submit certain statements or reports known 162
248	248	to be incorrect, false, or incomplete; providing that 163
249	249	civil penalties be imposed by the Florida Elections 164
250	250	Commission for violations of specified provisions; 165
251	251	authorizing the Attorney Genera l to investigate, act 166
252	252	upon, or dispose certain violations; authorizing 167
253	253	criminal proceedings in a court of competent 168
254	254	jurisdiction; authorizing treble penalties; requiring 169
255	255	the division to adopt rules; amending s. 106.08, F.S.; 170
256	256	providing criminal penalties fo r foreign nationals who 171
257	257	make or offer to make certain contributions, foreign 172
258	258	nationals who direct, dictate, or control any person 173
259	259	to influence a citizen initiative by petition, certain 174
260	260	political committees that knowingly solicit or accept 175
261	261
262	262	HB 21A 2025A
263	263
264	264
265	265
266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
267	267	hb21a-00
268	268	Page 8 of 54
269	269	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
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	expenditures from foreign nationals, or a foreign 176
274	274	national who willfully violates specified provisions; 177
275	275	authorizing the Attorney General to investigate, act 178
276	276	upon, or dispose certain violations; authorizing 179
277	277	criminal proceedings in a court of competent 180
278	278	jurisdiction; authoriz ing treble penalties; amending 181
279	279	s. 106.19, F.S.; deleting a provision relating to 182
280	280	violations by political committees for using petition 183
281	281	circulators; amending s. 212.055, F.S.; conforming a 184
282	282	cross-reference; providing for severability; providing 185
283	283	a directive to the Division of Law Revision; providing 186
284	284	an effective date. 187
285	285	188
286	286	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 189
287	287	190
288	288	Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 15.21, Florida 191
289	289	Statutes, is amended to read: 192
290	290	15.21 Initiative petitions; s. 3, Art. XI , State 193
291	291	Constitution.— 194
292	292	(2) If the Secretary of State has submitted an initiative 195
293	293	petition to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (1) but 196
294	294	the validity of the signatures for such initiative petition has 197
295	295	expired pursuant to s. 100.371(6)(a) s. 100.371(11)(a) before 198
296	296	securing ballot placement, the Secretary of State must promptly 199
297	297	notify the Attorney General. The Secretary of State may resubmit 200
298	298
299	299	HB 21A 2025A
300	300
301	301
302	302
303	303	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
304	304	hb21a-00
305	305	Page 9 of 54
306	306	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
307	307
308	308
309	309
310	310	the initiative petition to the Attorney General if the 201
311	311	initiative petition is later circulated for placement o n the 202
312	312	ballot of a subsequent general election and the criteria under 203
313	313	subsection (1) are satisfied. 204
314	314	Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 16.061, Florida 205
315	315	Statutes, is amended to read: 206
316	316	16.061 Initiative petitions. — 207
317	317	(1) The Attorney General shall, with in 30 days after 208
318	318	receipt of a proposed revision or amendment to the State 209
319	319	Constitution by initiative petition from the Secretary of State, 210
320	320	petition the Supreme Court, requesting an advisory opinion 211
321	321	regarding the compliance of the text of the proposed amend ment 212
322	322	or revision with s. 2, Art. I and s. 3, Art. XI of the State 213
323	323	Constitution, whether the proposed amendment is facially invalid 214
324	324	under the United States Constitution, the compliance of the text 215
325	325	of the proposed constitutional amendment or revision with s. 216
326	326	101.161, and the compliance of the proposed ballot title and 217
327	327	substance with s. 101.161. The petition may enumerate any 218
328	328	specific factual issues that the Attorney General believes would 219
329	329	require a judicial determination. 220
330	330	Section 3. Subsection (28) of sec tion 97.021, Florida 221
331	331	Statutes, is amended to read: 222
332	332	97.021 Definitions. —For the purposes of this code, except 223
333	333	where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term: 224
334	334	(28) "Petition circulator" means an entity or individual 225
335	335
336	336	HB 21A 2025A
337	337
338	338
339	339
340	340	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
341	341	hb21a-00
342	342	Page 10 of 54
343	343	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
344	344
345	345
346	346
347	347	who collects signatures for c ompensation for the purpose of 226
348	348	qualifying a proposed constitutional amendment for ballot 227
349	349	placement. 228
350	350	Section 4. Section 99.092, Florida Statutes, is amended to 229
351	351	read: 230
352	352	99.092 Qualifying fee of candidate; notification of 231
353	353	Department of State. — 232
354	354	(1) Each person seeking to qualify for nomination or 233
355	355	election to any office, except a person seeking to qualify by 234
356	356	the petition process pursuant to s. 99.095 and except a person 235
357	357	seeking to qualify as a write -in candidate, shall pay a 236
358	358	qualifying fee, which shall con sist of a filing fee and election 237
359	359	assessment, to the officer with whom the person qualifies, and 238
360	360	any party assessment levied, and shall attach the original or 239
361	361	signed duplicate of the receipt for his or her party assessment 240
362	362	or pay the same, in accordance wi th the provisions of s. 241
363	363	103.121, at the time of filing his or her other qualifying 242
364	364	papers. The amount of the filing fee is 1 3 percent of the 243
365	365	annual salary of the office. The amount of the election 244
366	366	assessment is 1 percent of the annual salary of the office 245
367	367	sought. The election assessment shall be transferred to the 246
368	368	Elections Commission Trust Fund. The amount of the party 247
369	369	assessment is 1 2 percent of the annual salary. The annual 248
370	370	salary of the office for purposes of computing the filing fee, 249
371	371	election assessment, and party assessment shall be computed by 250
372	372
373	373	HB 21A 2025A
374	374
375	375
376	376
377	377	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
378	378	hb21a-00
379	379	Page 11 of 54
380	380	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
381	381
382	382
383	383
384	384	multiplying 12 times the monthly salary, excluding any special 251
385	385	qualification pay, authorized for such office as of July 1 252
386	386	immediately preceding the first day of qualifying. No qualifying 253
387	387	fee shall be returned to the candidate unless the candidate 254
388	388	withdraws his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify. 255
389	389	If a candidate dies prior to an election and has not withdrawn 256
390	390	his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify, the 257
391	391	candidate's qualifying fee shall be returned to his or her 258
392	392	designated beneficiary, and, if the filing fee or any portion 259
393	393	thereof has been transferred to the political party of the 260
394	394	candidate, the Secretary of State shall direct the party to 261
395	395	return that portion to the designated beneficiary of the 262
396	396	candidate. 263
397	397	(2) The supervisor of elections shall, immediately after 264
398	398	the last day for qualifying, submit to the Department of State a 265
399	399	list containing the names, party affiliations, and addresses of 266
400	400	all candidates and the offices for which they qua lified. 267
401	401	(3)(a) The division shall create a uniform petition form 268
402	402	on which signatures for a candidate petition will be affixed. 269
403	403	The form must solicit and require all of the following 270
404	404	information: 271
405	405	1. The full name of the voter. 272
406	406	2. The voter's residential address and county. 273
407	407	3. The voter's voter registration number or date of birth. 274
408	408	4. The voter's Florida driver license number, the voter's 275
409	409
410	410	HB 21A 2025A
411	411
412	412
413	413
414	414	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
415	415	hb21a-00
416	416	Page 12 of 54
417	417	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
418	418
419	419
420	420
421	421	Florida identification card number, or the last four digits of 276
422	422	the voter's social security number. 277
423	423	5. An attestation that the voter is a registered voter in 278
424	424	this state and is petitioning the Secretary of State to place 279
425	425	the candidate's name on the ballot. 280
426	426	6. The voter's signature and the date signed. 281
427	427	7. The candidate's name and party information and th e 282
428	428	title of the office sought by the candidate. 283
429	429	(b) The petition form must include a notice stating that 284
430	430	the form becomes public record upon receipt by the supervisor of 285
431	431	elections; that it is a first degree misdemeanor to knowingly 286
432	432	sign the same candidate petition more than once; and that the 287
433	433	form may not be validated if all requested information is not 288
434	434	provided. 289
435	435	Section 5. Subsection (3) of section 99.095, Florida 290
436	436	Statutes, is amended to read: 291
437	437	99.095 Petition process in lieu of a qualifying fee and 292
438	438	party assessment.— 293
439	439	(3) Each petition must be submitted before noon of the 294
440	440	28th day preceding the first day of the qualifying period for 295
441	441	the office sought to the supervisor of elections of the county 296
442	442	in which such petition was circulated. Each supervisor shall 297
443	443	check the signatures on the petitions to verify their status as 298
444	444	voters in the county, district, or other geographical area 299
445	445	represented by the office sought. The supervisor may verify that 300
446	446
447	447	HB 21A 2025A
448	448
449	449
450	450
451	451	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
452	452	hb21a-00
453	453	Page 13 of 54
454	454	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
455	455
456	456
457	457
458	458	the signature on a form is valid only if the petition form is a 301
459	459	circulated petition form properly verified pursuant to s. 302
460	460	100.373 or a requested petition form properly verified pursuant 303
461	461	to s. 100.375. No later than the 7th day before the first day of 304
462	462	the qualifying period, the supervisor shall certify the number 305
463	463	of valid signatures. 306
464	464	Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section 307
465	465	99.097, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 308
466	466	99.097 Verification of signatures on petitions. — 309
467	467	(4)(a) The supervisor must be paid in advance the sum of 310
468	468	10 cents for each signatu re checked or the actual cost of 311
469	469	checking such signature, whichever is less, by the candidate or, 312
470	470	in the case of a petition to have a local issue placed on the 313
471	471	ballot, by the person or organization submitting the petition. 314
472	472	In the case of a petition to plac e a statewide issue on the 315
473	473	ballot, the person or organization submitting the petition must 316
474	474	pay the supervisor in advance the cost posted by the supervisor 317
475	475	pursuant to s. 100.371(6) s. 100.371(11) for the actual cost of 318
476	476	checking signatures to place a statew ide issue on the ballot. 319
477	477	Section 7. Section 100.371, Florida Statutes, is amended 320
478	478	to read: 321
479	479	100.371 Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot. — 322
480	480	(1) Constitutional amendments proposed by initiative shall 323
481	481	be placed on the ballot for the general e lection, provided the 324
482	482	initiative petition has been filed with the Secretary of State 325
483	483
484	484	HB 21A 2025A
485	485
486	486
487	487
488	488	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
489	489	hb21a-00
490	490	Page 14 of 54
491	491	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
492	492
493	493
494	494
495	495	no later than February 1 of the year the general election is 326
496	496	held. A petition shall be deemed to be filed with the Secretary 327
497	497	of State upon the date the secretary determine s that valid and 328
498	498	verified petition forms have been signed by the constitutionally 329
499	499	required number and distribution of electors under this code. 330
500	500	(2) The sponsor of an initiative amendment shall, before 331
501	501	circulating any initiative petition forms to voters prior to 332
502	502	obtaining any signatures , register as a political committee 333
503	503	pursuant to s. 106.03 and submit the text of the proposed 334
504	504	amendment to the Secretary of State , with the form on which the 335
505	505	signatures will be affixed, and shall obtain the approval of the 336
506	506	Secretary of State of such form. The Secretary of State shall 337
507	507	adopt rules pursuant to s. 120.54 prescribing the style and 338
508	508	requirements of such form . Upon filing with the Secretary of 339
509	509	State, the text of the proposed amendment and all forms filed in 340
510	510	connection with this section must, upon request, be made 341
511	511	available in alternative formats. 342
512	512	(3)(a) The division shall assign the initiative petition a 343
513	513	petition number and create the form on which signatures for the 344
514	514	initiative petition must be affixed. The petition form must 345
515	515	prominently display the petition number, the ballot title, and 346
516	516	the full text of the proposed amendment; must contain the date 347
517	517	approved by the Secretary of State, a barcode associated with 348
518	518	the initiative petition, and a serial number; and must so licit 349
519	519	and require all of the following information: 350
520	520
521	521	HB 21A 2025A
522	522
523	523
524	524
525	525	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
526	526	hb21a-00
527	527	Page 15 of 54
528	528	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
529	529
530	530
531	531
532	532	1. The full name of the voter. 351
533	533	2. The voter's residential address and county. 352
534	534	3. The voter's voter registration number or date of birth. 353
535	535	4. The voter's Florida driver license number or Florida 354
536	536	identification card number, or the last four digits of the 355
537	537	voter's social security number. 356
538	538	5. An attestation that the voter is a registered Florida 357
539	539	voter and is petitioning the Secretary of State to place the 358
540	540	proposed amendment on the ballot. 359
541	541	6. The voter's signature and the date signed A person may 360
542	542	not collect signatures or initiative petitions for compensation 361
543	543	unless the person is registered as a petition circulator with 362
544	544	the Secretary of State . 363
545	545	(b) The petition form must include a notice that states 364
546	546	that the form becomes public record upon receipt by the 365
547	547	supervisor; that it is a first degree misdemeanor to knowingly 366
548	548	sign the same initiative petition more than once; and that the 367
549	549	form may not be validated if all requested information is not 368
550	550	provided A citizen may challenge a petition circulator's 369
551	551	registration under this section by filing a petition in circuit 370
552	552	court. If the court finds that the respondent is not a 371
553	553	registered petition circulator, the court may enjoin the 372
554	554	respondent from collecting signatu res or initiative petitions 373
555	555	for compensation until she or he is lawfully registered. 374
556	556	(4) An application for registration must be submitted in 375
557	557
558	558	HB 21A 2025A
559	559
560	560
561	561
562	562	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
563	563	hb21a-00
564	564	Page 16 of 54
565	565	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
566	566
567	567
568	568
569	569	the format required by the Secretary of State and must include 376
570	570	the following: 377
571	571	(a) The information required to be on the petition form 378
572	572	under s. 101.161, including the ballot summary and title as 379
573	573	approved by the Secretary of State. 380
574	574	(b) The applicant's name, permanent address, temporary 381
575	575	address, if applicable, and date of birth. 382
576	576	(c) An address in this state at which the applicant will 383
577	577	accept service of process related to disputes concerning the 384
578	578	petition process, if the applicant is not a resident of this 385
579	579	state. 386
580	580	(d) A statement that the applicant consents to the 387
581	581	jurisdiction of the courts of this state in resol ving disputes 388
582	582	concerning the petition process. 389
583	583	(e) Any information required by the Secretary of State to 390
584	584	verify the applicant's identity or address. 391
585	585	(5) All petitions collected by a petition circulator must 392
586	586	contain, in a format required by the Secretar y of State, a 393
587	587	completed Petition Circulator's Affidavit which includes: 394
588	588	(a) The circulator's name and permanent address; 395
589	589	(b) The following statement, which must be signed by the 396
590	590	circulator: 397
591	591	398
592	592	By my signature below, as petition circulator, I 399
593	593	verify that the petition was signed in my presence. 400
594	594
595	595	HB 21A 2025A
596	596
597	597
598	598
599	599	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
600	600	hb21a-00
601	601	Page 17 of 54
602	602	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
603	603
604	604
605	605
606	606	Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read 401
607	607	the foregoing Petition Circulator's Affidavit and the 402
608	608	facts stated in it are true. 403
609	609	404
610	610	(6) The division or the supervisor of elections shall make 405
611	611	hard copy petition forms or electronic portable document format 406
612	612	petition forms available to registered petition circulators. All 407
613	613	such forms must contain information identifying the petition 408
614	614	circulator to which the forms are provided. The division shall 409
615	615	maintain a database of all registered petition circulators and 410
616	616	the petition forms assigned to each. Each supervisor of 411
617	617	elections shall provide to the division information on petition 412
618	618	forms assigned to and received from petition circulators. The 413
619	619	information must be provided i n a format and at times as 414
620	620	required by the division by rule. The division must update 415
621	621	information on petition forms daily and make the information 416
622	622	publicly available. 417
623	623	(7)(a) A sponsor that collects petition forms or uses a 418
624	624	petition circulator to collect petition forms serves as a 419
625	625	fiduciary to the elector signing the petition form, ensuring 420
626	626	that any petition form entrusted to the petition circulator 421
627	627	shall be promptly delivered to the supervisor of elections 422
628	628	within 30 days after the elector signs the form. If a petition 423
629	629	form collected by any petition circulator is not promptly 424
630	630	delivered to the supervisor of elections, the sponsor is liable 425
631	631
632	632	HB 21A 2025A
633	633
634	634
635	635
636	636	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
637	637	hb21a-00
638	638	Page 18 of 54
639	639	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
640	640
641	641
642	642
643	643	for the following fines: 426
644	644	1. A fine in the amount of $50 for each petition form 427
645	645	received by the supervisor of elections more than 30 days after 428
646	646	the elector signed the petition form or the next business day, 429
647	647	if the office is closed. A fine in the amount of $250 for each 430
648	648	petition form received if the sponsor or petition circulator 431
649	649	acted willfully. 432
650	650	2. A fine in the amount o f $500 for each petition form 433
651	651	collected by a petition circulator which is not submitted to the 434
652	652	supervisor of elections. A fine in the amount of $1,000 for any 435
653	653	petition form not submitted if the sponsor or petition 436
654	654	circulator acted willfully. 437
655	655	(b) A showing by the sponsor that the failure to deliver 438
656	656	the petition form within the required timeframe is based upon 439
657	657	force majeure or impossibility of performance is an affirmative 440
658	658	defense to a violation of this subsection. The fines described 441
659	659	in this subsection may be waived upon a showing that the failure 442
660	660	to deliver the petition form promptly is based upon force 443
661	661	majeure or impossibility of performance. 444
662	662	(8) If the Secretary of State reasonably believes that a 445
663	663	person or entity has committed a violation of this sect ion, the 446
664	664	secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General for 447
665	665	enforcement. The Attorney General may institute a civil action 448
666	666	for a violation of this section or to prevent a violation of 449
667	667	this section. An action for relief may include a permanent or 450
668	668
669	669	HB 21A 2025A
670	670
671	671
672	672
673	673	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
674	674	hb21a-00
675	675	Page 19 of 54
676	676	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
677	677
678	678
679	679
680	680	temporary injunction, a restraining order, or any other 451
681	681	appropriate order. 452
682	682	(5)(9) The division shall adopt by rule a complaint form 453
683	683	for an elector who claims to have had his or her signature 454
684	684	misrepresented or, forged, or not delivered to the supervisor . 455
685	685	The division shall also adopt rules to ensure the integrity of 456
686	686	the petition form gathering process , including rules requiring 457
687	687	sponsors to account for all petition forms used by their agents. 458
688	688	Such rules may require a sponsor or petition circulator to 459
689	689	provide identification information on each petition form as 460
690	690	determined by the department as needed to assist in the 461
691	691	accounting of petition forms . 462
692	692	(10) The date on which an elector signs a petition form is 463
693	693	presumed to be the date on which the petition circulator 464
694	694	received or collected the petition form. 465
695	695	(6)(a)(11)(a) An initiative petition form circulated for 466
696	696	signature may not be bundled with or attached to any other 467
697	697	petition. Each signature shall be dated when made and shall be 468
698	698	valid until the next February 1 oc curring in an even-numbered 469
699	699	year for the purpose of the amendment appearing on the ballot 470
700	700	for the general election occurring in that same year, provided 471
701	701	all other requirements of law are met. The sponsor shall submit 472
702	702	signed and dated forms to the superviso r of elections for the 473
703	703	county of residence listed by the person signing the form for 474
704	704	verification of the number of valid signatures obtained. If a 475
705	705
706	706	HB 21A 2025A
707	707
708	708
709	709
710	710	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
711	711	hb21a-00
712	712	Page 20 of 54
713	713	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
714	714
715	715
716	716
717	717	signature on a petition is from a registered voter in another 476
718	718	county, the supervisor shall notify the petitio n sponsor of the 477
719	719	misfiled petition. The supervisor shall promptly verify the 478
720	720	signatures within 60 days after receipt of the petition forms 479
721	721	and payment of a fee for the actual cost of signature 480
722	722	verification incurred by the supervisor. However, for petition 481
723	723	forms submitted less than 60 days before February 1 of an even -482
724	724	numbered year, the supervisor shall promptly verify the 483
725	725	signatures within 30 days after receipt of the form and payment 484
726	726	of the fee for signature verification. The supervisor shall 485
727	727	promptly record, in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of 486
728	728	State, the date each form is received by the supervisor, and the 487
729	729	date the signature on the form is verified as valid. The 488
730	730	supervisor may verify that the signature on a form is valid only 489
731	731	if: 490
732	732	1. The petition form is a circulated petition form 491
733	733	properly verified pursuant to s. 100.373; or The form contains 492
734	734	the original signature of the purported elector. 493
735	735	2. The petition form is a requested petition form properly 494
736	736	verified pursuant to s. 100.375 The purported elector has 495
737	737	accurately recorded on the form the date on which he or she 496
738	738	signed the form. 497
739	739	3. The form sets forth the purported elector's name, 498
740	740	address, city, county, and voter registration number or date of 499
741	741	birth. 500
742	742
743	743	HB 21A 2025A
744	744
745	745
746	746
747	747	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
748	748	hb21a-00
749	749	Page 21 of 54
750	750	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
751	751
752	752
753	753
754	754	4. The purported elector is, at the tim e he or she signs 501
755	755	the form and at the time the form is verified, a duly qualified 502
756	756	and registered elector in the state. 503
757	757	5. The signature was obtained legally, including that if a 504
758	758	paid petition circulator was used, the circulator was validly 505
759	759	registered under subsection (3) when the signature was obtained. 506
760	760	507
761	761	The supervisor shall retain all signed petition signature forms, 508
762	762	separating forms verified as valid from those deemed invalid, 509
763	763	for at least 1 year following the election for which the 510
764	764	petition was circula ted. Notwithstanding any other law, the 511
765	765	supervisor shall promptly transmit copies of signed petition 512
766	766	forms to the division upon request. 513
767	767	(b) Each supervisor shall post the actual cost of 514
768	768	signature verification on his or her website and may increase 515
769	769	such cost, as necessary, annually on March 1 February 2 of each 516
770	770	even-numbered year. The cost includes, but is not limited to, 517
771	771	costs incurred processing and fulfilling requests, comparing 518
772	772	signatures, and validating information on circulated and 519
773	773	requested petition forms pursuant to ss. 100.373 and 100.375, 520
774	774	respectively. The division shall also publish each county's 521
775	775	current cost on its website. The division and each supervisor 522
776	776	shall biennially review available technology aimed at reducing 523
777	777	verification costs. 524
778	778	(c) On the last day of each month, or on the last day of 525
779	779
780	780	HB 21A 2025A
781	781
782	782
783	783
784	784	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
785	785	hb21a-00
786	786	Page 22 of 54
787	787	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
788	788
789	789
790	790
791	791	each week from December 1 of an odd -numbered year through 526
792	792	February 1 of the following year, each supervisor shall post on 527
793	793	his or her website the total number of signatures submitted, the 528
794	794	total number of invalid signatures, the total number of 529
795	795	signatures processed, and the aggregate number of verified valid 530
796	796	signatures and the distribution of such signatures by 531
797	797	congressional district for each proposed amendment proposed by 532
798	798	initiative, along with the following information specific to the 533
799	799	reporting period: the total number of signed petition forms 534
800	800	received, the total number of signatures verified, the 535
801	801	distribution of verified valid signatures by congressional 536
802	802	district, and the total number of verified p etition forms 537
803	803	forwarded to the Secretary of State. 538
804	804	(7)(a)(12) The Secretary of State shall determine from the 539
805	805	signatures verified by the supervisors of elections the total 540
806	806	number of verified valid signatures and the distribution of such 541
807	807	signatures by congressional districts, and the division shall 542
808	808	post such information on its website at the same intervals 543
809	809	specified in paragraph (6)(c) (11)(c). Upon a determination that 544
810	810	the requisite number and distribution of valid signatures have 545
811	811	been obtained, the secretary shall issue a certificate of ballot 546
812	812	position for that pro posed amendment and shall assign a 547
813	813	designating number pursuant to s. 101.161. The Secretary of 548
814	814	State shall rescind the certificate of ballot position if: 549
815	815	1. An advisory opinion issued by the Supreme Court 550
816	816
817	817	HB 21A 2025A
818	818
819	819
820	820
821	821	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
822	822	hb21a-00
823	823	Page 23 of 54
824	824	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
825	825
826	826
827	827
828	828	pursuant to s. 3(b)(10), Art. V of the State Cons titution deems 551
829	829	the initiative petition invalid; or 552
830	830	2. The Secretary of State determines, before August 1 of 553
831	831	the year the general election is held, that the initiative 554
832	832	petition did not obtain the requisite number or distribution of 555
833	833	valid signatures. 556
834	834	(b) The issuance of a certificate of ballot position 557
835	835	pursuant to paragraph (a) may be contested in the circuit court 558
836	836	by any voter. The contestant must file a complaint with the 559
837	837	clerk of the circuit court for Leon County no later than the 560
838	838	first Tuesday after t he first Monday in January after the 561
839	839	election for which the petition was circulated. The complaint 562
840	840	must set forth the grounds on which the contestant intends to 563
841	841	establish that the initiative petition did not obtain the 564
842	842	requisite number or distribution of v alid signatures. 565
843	843	(8)(a)(13)(a) At the same time the Secretary of State 566
844	844	submits an initiative petition to the Attorney General pursuant 567
845	845	to s. 15.21, the secretary shall submit a copy of the initiative 568
846	846	petition to a panel composed of three persons appointe d by the 569
847	847	Governor the Financial Impact Estimating Conference . Within 75 570
848	848	days after receipt of a proposed revision or amendment to the 571
849	849	State Constitution by initiative petition from the Secretary of 572
850	850	State, the panel Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall 573
851	851	complete a statement on the an analysis and financial impact to 574
852	852	the state budget statement to be placed on the ballot of the 575
853	853
854	854	HB 21A 2025A
855	855
856	856
857	857
858	858	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
859	859	hb21a-00
860	860	Page 24 of 54
861	861	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
862	862
863	863
864	864
865	865	estimated increase or decrease in any revenues or costs to state 576
866	866	or local governments and the overall impact to the state budge t 577
867	867	resulting from the proposed initiative . The 75-day time limit is 578
868	868	tolled when the Legislature is in session. The panel Financial 579
869	869	Impact Estimating Conference shall submit the financial impact 580
870	870	statement to the Attorney General and Secretary of State. If th e 581
871	871	initiative petition has been submitted to the panel Financial 582
872	872	Impact Estimating Conference but the validity of signatures has 583
873	873	expired and the initiative petition no longer qualifies for 584
874	874	ballot placement at the ensuing general election, the Secretary 585
875	875	of State must notify the panel Financial Impact Estimating 586
876	876	Conference. The panel Financial Impact Estimating Conference is 587
877	877	not required to complete a an analysis and financial impact 588
878	878	statement for an initiative petition that fails to meet the 589
879	879	requirements of subsection (1) for placement on the ballot 590
880	880	before the 75-day time limit, including any tolling period, 591
881	881	expires. The initiative petition may be resubmitted to the panel 592
882	882	Financial Impact Estimating Conference if the initiative 593
883	883	petition meets the requisite cri teria for a subsequent general 594
884	884	election cycle. A new Financial Impact Estimating Conference 595
885	885	shall be established at such time as the initiative petition 596
886	886	again satisfies the criteria in s. 15.21(1). 597
887	887	(b) Immediately upon receipt of a proposed revision or 598
888	888	amendment from the Secretary of State, the coordinator of the 599
889	889	Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall contact the 600
890	890
891	891	HB 21A 2025A
892	892
893	893
894	894
895	895	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
896	896	hb21a-00
897	897	Page 25 of 54
898	898	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
899	899
900	900
901	901
902	902	person identified as the sponsor to request an official list of 601
903	903	all persons authorized to speak on behalf of the named sponsor 602
904	904	and, if there is one, the sponsoring organization at meetings 603
905	905	held by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference. All other 604
906	906	persons shall be deemed interested parties or proponents or 605
907	907	opponents of the initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating 606
908	908	Conference shall provide an opportunity for any representatives 607
909	909	of the sponsor, interested parties, proponents, or opponents of 608
910	910	the initiative to submit information and may solicit information 609
911	911	or analysis from any other entities or agencies, including the 610
912	912	Office of Economic and Demographic Research. 611
913	913	(c) All meetings of the panel Financial Impact Estimating 612
914	914	Conference shall be open to the public. The panel shall prepare 613
915	915	The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of 614
916	916	Representatives, jointly, shall be the sole judge for the 615
917	917	interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of this 616
918	918	subsection. 617
919	919	1. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference is 618
920	920	established to review, analyze, and estimate the financial 619
921	921	impact of amendments to or revisions of the State Constitution 620
922	922	proposed by initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating 621
923	923	Conference shall consist of four principals: one person from the 622
924	924	Executive Office of the Governor; the coordinator of the Office 623
925	925	of Economic and Demographic Research, or his or her designee; 624
926	926	one person from the professional staff of the Senate; and one 625
927	927
928	928	HB 21A 2025A
929	929
930	930
931	931
932	932	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
933	933	hb21a-00
934	934	Page 26 of 54
935	935	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
936	936
937	937
938	938
939	939	person from the professional staff of the House of 626
940	940	Representatives. Each principal shall have appropriate fiscal 627
941	941	expertise in the subject matter of the initiative. A Financial 628
942	942	Impact Estimating Conference may be appointed for each 629
943	943	initiative. 630
944	944	2. Principals of the Financial Impact Estimating 631
945	945	Conference shall reach a consensus or majority concurrence on a 632
946	946	clear and unambiguous financial impact statement, no more than 633
947	947	150 words in length, and immediately su bmit the statement to the 634
948	948	Secretary of State Attorney General. Nothing in this subsection 635
949	949	prohibits the panel Financial Impact Estimating Conference from 636
950	950	setting forth a range of potential impacts in the financial 637
951	951	impact statement. Any financial impact statement that a court 638
952	952	finds not to be in accordance with this section shall be 639
953	953	remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference 640
954	954	for redrafting. The panel may Financial Impact Estimating 641
955	955	Conference shall redraft the financial impact statement before 642
956	956	the 75th day before the election within 15 days. 643
957	957	3. If the Supreme Court has rejected the initial 644
958	958	submission by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference and no 645
959	959	redraft has been approved by the Supreme Court by 5 p.m. on the 646
960	960	75th day before the e lection, the following statement shall 647
961	961	appear on the ballot: "The impact of this measure, if any, has 648
962	962	not been determined at this time." 649
963	963	(c)(d) The financial impact statement must be separately 650
964	964
965	965	HB 21A 2025A
966	966
967	967
968	968
969	969	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
970	970	hb21a-00
971	971	Page 27 of 54
972	972	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
973	973
974	974
975	975
976	976	contained and be set forth after the ballot summary and 651
977	977	disclosure of material legal effects as required in s. 652
978	978	101.161(1). 653
979	979	1. If the financial impact statement projects a net 654
980	980	negative impact on the state budget, the ballot must include the 655
981	981	statement required by s. 101.161(1)(c) s. 101.161(1)(b). 656
982	982	2. If the financial impact statement projects a net 657
983	983	positive impact on the state budget, the ballot must include the 658
984	984	statement required by s. 101.161(1)(d) s. 101.161(1)(c). 659
985	985	3. If the financial impact statement estimates an 660
986	986	indeterminate financial impact or if the memb ers of the panel 661
987	987	Financial Impact Estimating Conference are unable to agree on 662
988	988	the statement required by this subsection, the ballot must 663
989	989	include the statement required by s. 101.161(1)(e) s. 664
990	990	101.161(1)(d). 665
991	991	(d)1.(e)1. Any financial impact statement that the Supreme 666
992	992	Court finds not to be in accordance with this subsection shall 667
993	993	be remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference 668
994	994	for redrafting, provided the court's advisory opinion is 669
995	995	rendered at least 75 days before the election at which the 670
996	996	question of ratifying the amendment will be presented. The 671
997	997	Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall prepare and adopt a 672
998	998	revised financial impact statement no later than 5 p.m. on the 673
999	999	15th day after the date of the court's opinion. 674
1000	1000	2. If, by 5 p.m. on the 75th day before the election, the 675
1001	1001
1002	1002	HB 21A 2025A
1003	1003
1004	1004
1005	1005
1006	1006	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1007	1007	hb21a-00
1008	1008	Page 28 of 54
1009	1009	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
1010	1010
1011	1011
1012	1012
1013	1013	Supreme Court has not issued an advisory opinion on the initial 676
1014	1014	financial impact statement prepared by the Financial Impact 677
1015	1015	Estimating Conference for an initiative amendment that otherwise 678
1016	1016	meets the legal requirements for ballot placement, the financial 679
1017	1017	impact statement shall be deemed approved for placement on the 680
1018	1018	ballot. 681
1019	1019	3. In addition to the financial impact statement required 682
1020	1020	by this subsection, the panel Financial Impact Estimating 683
1021	1021	Conference shall draft an initiative financial information 684
1022	1022	statement. The initiative financial information statement should 685
1023	1023	describe in greater detail than the financial impact statement 686
1024	1024	any projected increase or decrease in revenues or costs that the 687
1025	1025	state or local governments would l ikely experience if the ballot 688
1026	1026	measure were approved. If appropriate, the initiative financial 689
1027	1027	information statement may include both estimated dollar amounts 690
1028	1028	and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into 691
1029	1029	context. The initiative financial inf ormation statement must 692
1030	1030	include both a summary of not more than 500 words and additional 693
1031	1031	detailed information that includes the assumptions that were 694
1032	1032	made to develop the financial impacts, workpapers, and any other 695
1033	1033	information deemed relevant by the Financ ial Impact Estimating 696
1034	1034	Conference. 697
1035	1035	2.4. The Department of State shall have printed, and shall 698
1036	1036	furnish to each supervisor of elections, a copy of the summary 699
1037	1037	from the initiative financial information statements. The 700
1038	1038
1039	1039	HB 21A 2025A
1040	1040
1041	1041
1042	1042
1043	1043	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1044	1044	hb21a-00
1045	1045	Page 29 of 54
1046	1046	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
1047	1047
1048	1048
1049	1049
1050	1050	supervisors shall have the summary from the initiative financial 701
1051	1051	information statements available at each polling place and at 702
1052	1052	the main office of the supervisor of elections upon request. 703
1053	1053	3.5. The Secretary of State and the Office of Economic and 704
1054	1054	Demographic Research shall make available on th e Internet each 705
1055	1055	initiative financial information statement in its entirety. In 706
1056	1056	addition, each supervisor of elections whose office has a 707
1057	1057	website shall post the summary from each initiative financial 708
1058	1058	information statement on the website. Each supervisor sha ll 709
1059	1059	include a copy of each summary from the initiative financial 710
1060	1060	information statements and the Internet addresses for the 711
1061	1061	information statements on the Secretary of State's website and 712
1062	1062	the Office of Economic and Demographic Research's websites in 713
1063	1063	the publication or mailing required by s. 101.20. 714
1064	1064	(9)(14) The Department of State may adopt rules in 715
1065	1065	accordance with s. 120.54 to carry out the provisions of 716
1066	1066	subsections (1)-(8) (1)-(14). 717
1067	1067	(10)(15) No provision of this code shall be deemed to 718
1068	1068	prohibit a private person exercising lawful control over 719
1069	1069	privately owned property, including property held open to the 720
1070	1070	public for the purposes of a commercial enterprise, from 721
1071	1071	excluding from such property persons seeking to engage in 722
1072	1072	activity supporting or opposing initiativ e amendments. 723
1073	1073	Section 8. Section 100.373, Florida Statutes, is created 724
1074	1074	to read: 725
1075	1075
1076	1076	HB 21A 2025A
1077	1077
1078	1078
1079	1079
1080	1080	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1081	1081	hb21a-00
1082	1082	Page 30 of 54
1083	1083	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
1084	1084
1085	1085
1086	1086
1087	1087	100.373 Circulated petition forms; verification. — 726
1088	1088	(1) For the purposes of this chapter, the term "circulated 727
1089	1089	petition form" means an initiative petition form circulated 728
1090	1090	pursuant to s. 100.371, or a candidate petition form circulated 729
1091	1091	pursuant to s. 99.095, which has not been requested pursuant to 730
1092	1092	s. 100.375. 731
1093	1093	(2) A voter may submit a signed circulated petition form 732
1094	1094	at any supervisor of elections office located within the county 733
1095	1095	in which the voter is registered to vote. A circulated petition 734
1096	1096	form is valid only if the supervisor verifies that: 735
1097	1097	(a) The voter presenting the circulated petition form is 736
1098	1098	identified and his or her signature is verified pursuant to 737
1099	1099	subsection (3); 738
1100	1100	(b) The voter accurately recorded on the form the date on 739
1101	1101	which he or she signed the form; 740
1102	1102	(c) The form accurately sets forth the voter's name, 741
1103	1103	address, city, county, and voter registration number or date of 742
1104	1104	birth; 743
1105	1105	(d) The form accurately sets for th the voter's driver 744
1106	1106	license number, the voter's Florida identification card number, 745
1107	1107	or the last four digits of the voter's social security number; 746
1108	1108	and 747
1109	1109	(e) The voter is, at the time he or she signs the form and 748
1110	1110	at the time the form is verified, an active and duly qualified 749
1111	1111	and registered voter in this state. 750
1112	1112
1113	1113	HB 21A 2025A
1114	1114
1115	1115
1116	1116
1117	1117	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1118	1118	hb21a-00
1119	1119	Page 31 of 54
1120	1120	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
1121	1121
1122	1122
1123	1123
1124	1124	(3)(a) The supervisor shall require the voter to present 751
1125	1125	one of the following forms of current and valid picture 752
1126	1126	identification: 753
1127	1127	1. Florida driver license. 754
1128	1128	2. Florida identification card i ssued by the Department of 755
1129	1129	Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. 756
1130	1130	3. United States passport. 757
1131	1131	4. United States Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine 758
1132	1132	identification. 759
1133	1133	5. Veteran health identification card issued by the United 760
1134	1134	States Department of Veterans A ffairs. 761
1135	1135	6. License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued 762
1136	1136	pursuant to s. 790.06. 763
1137	1137	7. Employee identification card issued by any branch, 764
1138	1138	department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the 765
1139	1139	state, a county, or a municipality. 766
1140	1140	(b) If the information on the picture identification 767
1141	1141	matches the information on the circulated petition form and the 768
1142	1142	supervisor is satisfied that the person presenting the 769
1143	1143	circulated petition form is the person shown on the picture 770
1144	1144	identification, the supervisor must deem the petition form 771
1145	1145	submitted. The supervisor shall then verify that the signature 772
1146	1146	on the circulated petition form matches a signature on file for 773
1147	1147	the voter in the Florida Voter Registration System. 774
1148	1148	Section 9. Section 100.375, Florida Statutes, is created 775
1149	1149
1150	1150	HB 21A 2025A
1151	1151
1152	1152
1153	1153
1154	1154	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1155	1155	hb21a-00
1156	1156	Page 32 of 54
1157	1157	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
1158	1158
1159	1159
1160	1160
1161	1161	to read: 776
1162	1162	100.375 Requested petition forms; verification. — 777
1163	1163	(1) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this chapter, the term 778
1164	1164	"requested petition form" means an initiative petition form 779
1165	1165	created pursuant to s. 100.371, or a candidate petition form 780
1166	1166	created pursuant to s. 99.095, which is requested pursuant to 781
1167	1167	this section. 782
1168	1168	(2) REQUEST.— 783
1169	1169	(a) A supervisor shall accept a request for a petition 784
1170	1170	form only from a voter or, if directly instructed by the voter, 785
1171	1171	a member of the voter's immediate family or the voter 's legal 786
1172	1172	guardian. A request may be made in person, in writing, by 787
1173	1173	telephone, or through the supervisor's website. The supervisor 788
1174	1174	shall cancel a request for a petition form when any first -class 789
1175	1175	mail or nonforwardable mail sent by the supervisor to the vote r 790
1176	1176	is returned as undeliverable. If the voter requests a petition 791
1177	1177	form thereafter, the voter must provide or confirm his or her 792
1178	1178	current residential address. 793
1179	1179	(b) The supervisor may accept a request for a petition 794
1180	1180	form to be mailed to a voter's address on f ile in the Florida 795
1181	1181	Voter Registration System from the voter, or, if directly 796
1182	1182	instructed by the voter, from a member of the voter's immediate 797
1183	1183	family or the voter's legal guardian. If an in -person or a 798
1184	1184	telephonic request is made, the voter must provide the v oter's 799
1185	1185	Florida driver license number, the voter's Florida 800
1186	1186
1187	1187	HB 21A 2025A
1188	1188
1189	1189
1190	1190
1191	1191	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1192	1192	hb21a-00
1193	1193	Page 33 of 54
1194	1194	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
1195	1195
1196	1196
1197	1197
1198	1198	identification card number, or the last 4 digits of the voter's 801
1199	1199	social security number. If the petition form is requested to be 802
1200	1200	mailed to an address other than the voter's address on file in 803
1201	1201	the Florida Voter Registration System, the request must be made 804
1202	1202	in writing. A written request must be signed by the voter and 805
1203	1203	include the voter's Florida driver license number, the voter's 806
1204	1204	Florida identification card number, or the last 4 digits of the 807
1205	1205	voter's social security number. The division shall create a 808
1206	1206	uniform application to request a candidate or initiative 809
1207	1207	petition form. The application must solicit and require the 810
1208	1208	following information: 811
1209	1209	1. The full name of the voter for whom the petition form 812
1210	1210	is requested; 813
1211	1211	2. The voter's residential address and county and the 814
1212	1212	voter's mailing address if different than the voter's 815
1213	1213	residential address; 816
1214	1214	3. The voter's voter registration number or date of birth; 817
1215	1215	4. The voter's Florida driver license number, the voter 's 818
1216	1216	Florida identification card number, or last 4 digits of the 819
1217	1217	voter's social security number; 820
1218	1218	5. The requester's name, if applicable; 821
1219	1219	6. The requester's residential address, if applicable; 822
1220	1220	7. The requester's Florida driver license number, the 823
1221	1221	requester's Florida identification card number, or the last 4 824
1222	1222	digits of the requester's social security number, if applicable; 825
1223	1223
1224	1224	HB 21A 2025A
1225	1225
1226	1226
1227	1227
1228	1228	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1229	1229	hb21a-00
1230	1230	Page 34 of 54
1231	1231	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
1232	1232
1233	1233
1234	1234
1235	1235	8. The requester's relationship to the voter, if 826
1236	1236	applicable; 827
1237	1237	9. An affidavit stating that the requester is authorized 828
1238	1238	by the voter to request a petition form on the voter's behalf, 829
1239	1239	if applicable; 830
1240	1240	10. The voter's signature and the date signed or the 831
1241	1241	requester's signature and the date signed; and 832
1242	1242	11. If the petition form requested is for an initiative 833
1243	1243	petition, the ballot title and initiative petition number 834
1244	1244	assigned by the division. 835
1245	1245	(c) For the purposes of this section, the term "immediate 836
1246	1246	family" refers to the following, as applicable: 837
1247	1247	1. The voter's spouse, parent, child, grandparent, 838
1248	1248	grandchild, or sibling, or the parent, chi ld, grandparent, 839
1249	1249	grandchild, or sibling of the voter's spouse. 840
1250	1250	2. The designee's spouse, parent, child, grandparent, 841
1251	1251	grandchild, or sibling, or the parent, child, grandparent, 842
1252	1252	grandchild, or sibling of the designee's spouse. 843
1253	1253	(3) PETITION FORM REQUEST INFORMATION.—For each request 844
1254	1254	for a petition form received, the supervisor shall record the 845
1255	1255	following information and provide such information in an 846
1256	1256	electronic format as required by division rule: 847
1257	1257	(a) The date the request was made; 848
1258	1258	(b) The initiative p etition number, if any; 849
1259	1259	(c) The identity of the voter's designee making the 850
1260	1260
1261	1261	HB 21A 2025A
1262	1262
1263	1263
1264	1264
1265	1265	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1266	1266	hb21a-00
1267	1267	Page 35 of 54
1268	1268	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
1269	1269
1270	1270
1271	1271
1272	1272	request, if applicable; 851
1273	1273	(d) The voter's Florida driver license number, voter's 852
1274	1274	Florida identification card number, or last 4 digits of the 853
1275	1275	voter's social security number provid ed with a written request; 854
1276	1276	(e) The date the petition form was delivered to the voter 855
1277	1277	or the voter's designee or the date the petition form was 856
1278	1278	delivered to the post office or other carrier; 857
1279	1279	(f) The address to which the petition form was mailed or 858
1280	1280	the identity of the voter's designee to whom the petition form 859
1281	1281	was delivered, if applicable; 860
1282	1282	(g) The date the petition form was received by the 861
1283	1283	supervisor; 862
1284	1284	(h) The absence of the voter's signature and the Voter's 863
1285	1285	Certificate, if applicable; 864
1286	1286	(i) Whether the Voter's Certificate contains a signature 865
1287	1287	that does not match a signature on file for the voter in the 866
1288	1288	Florida Voter Registration System; and 867
1289	1289	(j) Any other information the supervisor deems necessary. 868
1290	1290	(4) DELIVERY OF PETITION FORMS. — 869
1291	1291	(a) For the purposes of this section, the term "petition 870
1292	1292	deadline" means: 871
1293	1293	1. In the case of an initiative petition, the 30th day 872
1294	1294	preceding February 1 of the year the general election is held. 873
1295	1295	2. In the case of a candidate petition, the 28th day 874
1296	1296	preceding the first day of the qualifying period for the office 875
1297	1297
1298	1298	HB 21A 2025A
1299	1299
1300	1300
1301	1301
1302	1302	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1303	1303	hb21a-00
1304	1304	Page 36 of 54
1305	1305	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
1306	1306
1307	1307
1308	1308
1309	1309	sought. 876
1310	1310	(b) The supervisor shall mail petition forms within 5 877
1311	1311	business days after receiving a request for such forms. However, 878
1312	1312	the supervisor shall mail petition forms that are requested 879
1313	1313	pursuant to this section on or before July 1, 2025, and no later 880
1314	1314	than July 5, 2025. 881
1315	1315	(c) The deadline to submit a request for a petition form 882
1316	1316	to be mailed is 5 p.m. local time on the 10th day before the 883
1317	1317	petition deadline. 884
1318	1318	(d) Upon request for a petition form, the supervisor shall 885
1319	1319	provide a petition form to each voter who has made a request for 886
1320	1320	such petition form, by one of the following means: 887
1321	1321	1. By nonforwardable, return -if-undeliverable mail to the 888
1322	1322	voter's current mailing address on file with the supervisor or 889
1323	1323	any other address the voter specifies in the request. The 890
1324	1324	envelopes must be prominently marked "Do Not Forward." 891
1325	1325	2. By personal delivery to the voter up to 5 p.m. on the 892
1326	1326	third day before the p etition deadline upon presentation of the 893
1327	1327	identification required by s. 101.043. 894
1328	1328	3. By delivery to the voter's designee up to 5 p.m. on the 895
1329	1329	third day before the petition deadline. Any voter may designate 896
1330	1330	in writing a person to pick up the petition form f or the voter; 897
1331	1331	however, the person designated may not pick up more than 2 898
1332	1332	petition forms per petition, other than the designee's own 899
1333	1333	petition form, except that additional petition forms may be 900
1334	1334
1335	1335	HB 21A 2025A
1336	1336
1337	1337
1338	1338
1339	1339	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1340	1340	hb21a-00
1341	1341	Page 37 of 54
1342	1342	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
1343	1343
1344	1344
1345	1345
1346	1346	picked up for members of the designee's immediate family. The 901
1347	1347	designee shall provide to the supervisor the written 902
1348	1348	authorization by the voter, the designee's picture 903
1349	1349	identification and a completed affidavit. The designee shall 904
1350	1350	state in the affidavit that the designee is authorized by the 905
1351	1351	voter to pick up the petition f orm and must indicate if the 906
1352	1352	voter is a member of the designee's immediate family, and, if 907
1353	1353	so, the relationship. The department shall prescribe the form of 908
1354	1354	the affidavit. If the supervisor is satisfied that the designee 909
1355	1355	is authorized to pick up the petitio n form and that the 910
1356	1356	signature of the voter on the written authorization matches the 911
1357	1357	signature of the voter on file, the supervisor must give the 912
1358	1358	petition form to the designee for delivery to the voter. 913
1359	1359	(e) If a requested petition form is mailed to an add ress 914
1360	1360	other than the voter's address on file in the Florida Voter 915
1361	1361	Registration System or delivered to a designee, the supervisor 916
1362	1362	must mail a notice letter to the voter's address on file with 917
1363	1363	the Florida Voter Registration System. 918
1364	1364	(5) MATERIALS.—Only the materials necessary to submit a 919
1365	1365	petition form may be mailed or delivered with any petition form. 920
1366	1366	(6) PROHIBITION.—A supervisor may not send a petition form 921
1367	1367	to a voter unless the voter has requested a petition form in the 922
1368	1368	manner authorized under this secti on. 923
1369	1369	(7) MAILING ENVELOPE. — 924
1370	1370	(a) The supervisor shall enclose with each petition form a 925
1371	1371
1372	1372	HB 21A 2025A
1373	1373
1374	1374
1375	1375
1376	1376	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1377	1377	hb21a-00
1378	1378	Page 38 of 54
1379	1379	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
1380	1380
1381	1381
1382	1382
1383	1383	mailing envelope that must be addressed to the supervisor and 926
1384	1384	also bear on the back side a certificate in substantially the 927
1385	1385	following form: 928
1386	1386	929
1387	1387	Note: Please Read Instructions Carefully Before 930
1388	1388	Completing Petition Form and Completing Voter's Certificate. 931
1389	1389	932
1390	1390	VOTER'S CERTIFICATE 933
1391	1391	I, ...., do solemnly swear or affirm that I am a qualified 934
1392	1392	and registered voter of .... County, Florida, and that I have 935
1393	1393	not and will not submi t more than one petition form for this 936
1394	1394	initiative. I understand that if I commit or attempt to commit 937
1395	1395	any fraud in connection with a petition, submit a fraudulent 938
1396	1396	petition form, or submit more than one petition form for the 939
1397	1397	same initiative, I can be convic ted of a misdemeanor of the 940
1398	1398	first degree and fined up to $1,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 941
1399	1399	a year. I also understand that failure to sign this certificate 942
1400	1400	will invalidate my petition form. 943
1401	1401	...(Date)... 944
1402	1402	...(Voter's Signature)... 945
1403	1403	...(E-Mail Address)... 946
1404	1404	...(Home Telephone Number)... 947
1405	1405	...(Mobile Telephone Number)... 948
1406	1406	949
1407	1407	(b) Each return mailing envelope must bear the voter's 950
1408	1408
1409	1409	HB 21A 2025A
1410	1410
1411	1411
1412	1412
1413	1413	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1414	1414	hb21a-00
1415	1415	Page 39 of 54
1416	1416	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
1417	1417
1418	1418
1419	1419
1420	1420	name and any encoded mark used by the supervisor's office. 951
1421	1421	(c) A mailing envelope may not bear any indication of the 952
1422	1422	political affiliation of a voter. 953
1423	1423	(8) PLACEMENT OF THE VOTER'S CERTIFICATE. —The certificate 954
1424	1424	must be arranged on the back of the mailing envelope so that the 955
1425	1425	line for the signature of the voter is across the seal of the 956
1426	1426	envelope; however, no statement shall appear on the enve lope 957
1427	1427	which indicates that a signature of the voter must cross the 958
1428	1428	seal of the envelope. The voter shall execute the certificate on 959
1429	1429	the envelope. 960
1430	1430	(9) INSTRUCTIONS.—The supervisor shall enclose with each 961
1431	1431	petition form separate printed instructions in subst antially the 962
1432	1432	following form; however, where the instructions appear in 963
1433	1433	capitalized text, the text of the printed instructions must be 964
1434	1434	in boldface type: 965
1435	1435	966
1436	1436	READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE COMPLETING 967
1437	1437	PETITION FORM. 968
1438	1438	969
1439	1439	1. VERY IMPORTANT. In order to e nsure that your petition 970
1440	1440	form will be counted, it should be completed and returned as 971
1441	1441	soon as possible so that it can reach the supervisor of 972
1442	1442	elections of your county of residence no later than 5 p.m. on 973
1443	1443	[INSERT PETITION DEADLINE]. 974
1444	1444	2. Place your complete d petition form into the enclosed 975
1445	1445
1446	1446	HB 21A 2025A
1447	1447
1448	1448
1449	1449
1450	1450	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1451	1451	hb21a-00
1452	1452	Page 40 of 54
1453	1453	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
1454	1454
1455	1455
1456	1456
1457	1457	mailing envelope, which is addressed to the supervisor. 976
1458	1458	3. Seal the mailing envelope and completely fill out the 977
1459	1459	Voter's Certificate on the back of the mailing envelope. 978
1460	1460	4. VERY IMPORTANT. In order for your petition fo rm to be 979
1461	1461	counted, you must sign your name on the line above (Voter's 980
1462	1462	Signature). A petition form will not be counted if the signature 981
1463	1463	on the petition form does not match the signature on record. The 982
1464	1464	signature on file at the time the supervisor of elections in 983
1465	1465	your county of residence receives your petition form is the 984
1466	1466	signature that will be used to verify your signature on the 985
1467	1467	Voter's Certificate. If you need to update your signature for 986
1468	1468	this election, send your signature update on a voter 987
1469	1469	registration application to your supervisor of elections so that 988
1470	1470	it is received before your petition form is received. 989
1471	1471	5. Mail, deliver, or have delivered the completed mailing 990
1472	1472	envelope. Be sure there is sufficient postage if mailed. THE 991
1473	1473	COMPLETED MAILING ENVELOPE MUST B E DELIVERED TO THE OFFICE OF 992
1474	1474	THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OF YOUR COUNTY OF RESIDENCE. 993
1475	1475	6. FELONY NOTICE. It is a felony under Florida law to 994
1476	1476	accept any gift, payment, or gratuity in exchange for your 995
1477	1477	submission of a petition form. It is also a felony unde r Florida 996
1478	1478	law to submit a petition form using a false identity or false 997
1479	1479	address, or under any other circumstances making your petition 998
1480	1480	form false or fraudulent. 999
1481	1481	7. DEADLINE NOTICE. To ensure that your petition form 1000
1482	1482
1483	1483	HB 21A 2025A
1484	1484
1485	1485
1486	1486
1487	1487	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1488	1488	hb21a-00
1489	1489	Page 41 of 54
1490	1490	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
1491	1491
1492	1492
1493	1493
1494	1494	counts, your supervisor of elections mu st receive your petition 1001
1495	1495	form by 5 p.m. [INSERT PETITION DEADLINE]. If you wait to mail 1002
1496	1496	your petition form, it might not count. To prevent this from 1003
1497	1497	occurring, please mail or turn in your petition form as soon as 1004
1498	1498	possible. 1005
1499	1499	1006
1500	1500	(10) REQUEST NOT TO PRECLUDE S UBMISSION OF A CIRCULATED 1007
1501	1501	PETITION FORM.—The provisions of this chapter may not be 1008
1502	1502	construed to prohibit a voter who has requested a petition form 1009
1503	1503	pursuant to this section from submitting a circulated petition 1010
1504	1504	form pursuant to s. 100.373, provided that the voter submits no 1011
1505	1505	more than one signed petition form for the same initiative or 1012
1506	1506	candidate petition. 1013
1507	1507	(11) ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES. —It is the intent of 1014
1508	1508	the Legislature that submitting petition forms be by methods 1015
1509	1509	that are fully accessible to all voters, including voters having 1016
1510	1510	a disability. The department shall work with the supervisors and 1017
1511	1511	the disability community to develop and implement procedures and 1018
1512	1512	technologies that include processes for providing petition 1019
1513	1513	forms, upon request, in alternative formats that allow all 1020
1514	1514	voters to submit a petition form without the assistance of 1021
1515	1515	another person. 1022
1516	1516	(12) VERIFICATION.—A requested petition form is valid only 1023
1517	1517	if the supervisor verifies that: 1024
1518	1518	(a) The petition form was returned in a mailing envelope 1025
1519	1519
1520	1520	HB 21A 2025A
1521	1521
1522	1522
1523	1523
1524	1524	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1525	1525	hb21a-00
1526	1526	Page 42 of 54
1527	1527	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
1528	1528
1529	1529
1530	1530
1531	1531	delivered by the supervisor pursuant to subsection (7) and the 1026
1532	1532	voter completed the voter certificate; 1027
1533	1533	(b) The signature on the petition form matches a signature 1028
1534	1534	on file for the voter in the Florida Voter Registration System; 1029
1535	1535	(c) The voter accurately record ed on the form the date on 1030
1536	1536	which the voter signed the form; 1031
1537	1537	(d) The form accurately sets forth the voter's name, 1032
1538	1538	address, city, county, and voter registration number or date of 1033
1539	1539	birth; 1034
1540	1540	(e) The form accurately sets forth the voter's Florida 1035
1541	1541	driver license number, the voter's Florida identification card 1036
1542	1542	number, or the last 4 digits of the voter's social security 1037
1543	1543	number; and 1038
1544	1544	(f) The voter is, at the time he or she signs the form and 1039
1545	1545	at the time the form is verified, an active and duly qualified 1040
1546	1546	and registered voter in this state. 1041
1547	1547	(13) POSTHUMOUS VERIFICATION. —An otherwise valid petition 1042
1548	1548	form may not be invalidated because the voter died after 1043
1549	1549	submitting the petition. 1044
1550	1550	Section 10. Section 100.377, Florida Statutes, is created 1045
1551	1551	to read: 1046
1552	1552	100.377 Signatures gathered for initiative petition; 1047
1553	1553	effect of this act.—Any initiative petition form approved by the 1048
1554	1554	Secretary of State before the effective date of this act may 1049
1555	1555	continue to be circulated. Any signature gathered on an 1050
1556	1556
1557	1557	HB 21A 2025A
1558	1558
1559	1559
1560	1560
1561	1561	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1562	1562	hb21a-00
1563	1563	Page 43 of 54
1564	1564	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
1565	1565
1566	1566
1567	1567
1568	1568	authorized form for an initiative pe tition or candidate petition 1051
1569	1569	submitted to a supervisor of elections before the effective date 1052
1570	1570	of this act may be kept and counted, if otherwise valid, and 1053
1571	1571	that form is not required to be circulated and verified pursuant 1054
1572	1572	to s. 100.373 or requested and verif ied pursuant to s. 100.375. 1055
1573	1573	However, any signature submitted to a supervisor of elections 1056
1574	1574	after the effective date of this act is subject to the 1057
1575	1575	provisions of this act. 1058
1576	1576	Section 11. Subsection (1) of section 101.161, Florida 1059
1577	1577	Statutes, is amended to read: 1060
1578	1578	101.161 Referenda; ballots. — 1061
1579	1579	(1) A constitutional amendment proposed by initiative must 1062
1580	1580	define all terms of art and describe all newly created rights, 1063
1581	1581	requirements, prohibitions, and authorizations. Whenever a 1064
1582	1582	constitutional amendment or other pu blic measure is submitted to 1065
1583	1583	the vote of the people, a ballot summary of such amendment or 1066
1584	1584	other public measure shall be printed in clear and unambiguous 1067
1585	1585	language on the ballot after the list of candidates, followed by 1068
1586	1586	the word "yes" and also by the word " no," and shall be styled in 1069
1587	1587	such a manner that a "yes" vote will indicate approval of the 1070
1588	1588	proposal and a "no" vote will indicate rejection. The ballot 1071
1589	1589	summary of the amendment or other public measure and the ballot 1072
1590	1590	title to appear on the ballot shall be em bodied in the 1073
1591	1591	constitutional revision commission proposal, constitutional 1074
1592	1592	convention proposal, taxation and budget reform commission 1075
1593	1593
1594	1594	HB 21A 2025A
1595	1595
1596	1596
1597	1597
1598	1598	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1599	1599	hb21a-00
1600	1600	Page 44 of 54
1601	1601	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
1602	1602
1603	1603
1604	1604
1605	1605	proposal, or enabling resolution or ordinance. The ballot 1076
1606	1606	summary of the amendment or other public measure shall be an 1077
1607	1607	explanatory statement, not exceeding 75 words in length, of the 1078
1608	1608	chief purpose of the measure. In addition, for every 1079
1609	1609	constitutional amendment proposed by initiative, the ballot 1080
1610	1610	shall include, following the ballot summary, in the following 1081
1611	1611	order: 1082
1612	1612	(a) A disclosure prepared by the Attorney General 1083
1613	1613	describing the material legal effects of the proposed amendment 1084
1614	1614	and identifying each provision of the State Constitution and 1085
1615	1615	Florida Statutes which may be repealed in full or in part. 1086
1616	1616	(b) A separate financial impact statement concerning the 1087
1617	1617	measure prepared by a panel composed of three persons appointed 1088
1618	1618	by the Governor the Financial Impact Estimating Conference in 1089
1619	1619	accordance with s. 100.371(8) s. 100.371(13). 1090
1620	1620	(c)(b) If the financial impact statement projects a net 1091
1621	1621	negative impact on the state budget, the following statement in 1092
1622	1622	bold print: 1093
1623	1623	1094
1624	1624	THIS PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS ESTIMATED TO 1095
1625	1625	HAVE A NET NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE STATE BUDGET. THIS 1096
1626	1626	IMPACT MAY RESULT IN HIGHER TAXES OR A LOSS OF 1097
1627	1627	GOVERNMENT SERVICES IN OR DER TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED 1098
1628	1628	STATE BUDGET AS REQUIRED BY THE CONSTITUTION. 1099
1629	1629	1100
1630	1630
1631	1631	HB 21A 2025A
1632	1632
1633	1633
1634	1634
1635	1635	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1636	1636	hb21a-00
1637	1637	Page 45 of 54
1638	1638	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
1639	1639
1640	1640
1641	1641
1642	1642	(d)1.(c)1. If the financial impact statement projects a 1101
1643	1643	net positive impact on the state budget resulting in whole or in 1102
1644	1644	part from additional tax revenue, the following statement i n 1103
1645	1645	bold print: 1104
1646	1646	1105
1647	1647	THIS PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS ESTIMATED TO 1106
1648	1648	HAVE A NET POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE STATE BUDGET. THIS 1107
1649	1649	IMPACT MAY RESULT IN GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE OR 1108
1650	1650	AN INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT SERVICES. 1109
1651	1651	1110
1652	1652	2. If the financial impact statement pro jects a net 1111
1653	1653	positive impact on the state budget for reasons other than those 1112
1654	1654	specified in subparagraph 1., the following statement in bold 1113
1655	1655	print: 1114
1656	1656	1115
1657	1657	THIS PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS ESTIMATED TO 1116
1658	1658	HAVE A NET POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE STATE BUDGET. THIS 1117
1659	1659	IMPACT MAY RESULT IN LOWER TAXES OR AN INCREASE IN 1118
1660	1660	GOVERNMENT SERVICES. 1119
1661	1661	1120
1662	1662	(e)(d) If the financial impact statement is indeterminate 1121
1663	1663	or the members of the panel Financial Impact Estimating 1122
1664	1664	Conference are unable to agree on the financial impact 1123
1665	1665	statement, the following statement in bold print: 1124
1666	1666	1125
1667	1667
1668	1668	HB 21A 2025A
1669	1669
1670	1670
1671	1671
1672	1672	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1673	1673	hb21a-00
1674	1674	Page 46 of 54
1675	1675	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
1676	1676
1677	1677
1678	1678
1679	1679	THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT CANNOT BE 1126
1680	1680	DETERMINED DUE TO AMBIGUITIES AND UNCERTAINTIES 1127
1681	1681	SURROUNDING THE AMENDMENT'S IMPACT. 1128
1682	1682	1129
1683	1683	The ballot title shall con sist of a caption, not exceeding 15 1130
1684	1684	words in length, by which the measure is commonly referred to or 1131
1685	1685	spoken of. This subsection does not apply to constitutional 1132
1686	1686	amendments or revisions proposed by joint resolution. 1133
1687	1687	Section 12. Section 104.045, Florida Statutes, is amended 1134
1688	1688	to read: 1135
1689	1689	104.045 Vote selling. —Any person who: 1136
1690	1690	(1) Corruptly offers to vote for or against, or to refrain 1137
1691	1691	from voting for or against, any candidate in any election , or to 1138
1692	1692	submit a petition form or refrain from submitting a petition 1139
1693	1693	form for any initiative or candidate petition, in return for 1140
1694	1694	pecuniary or other benefit; or 1141
1695	1695	(2) Accepts a pecuniary or other benefit in exchange for a 1142
1696	1696	promise to vote for or against, or to refrain from voting for or 1143
1697	1697	against, any candidate in any electio n, or to submit a petition 1144
1698	1698	form or refrain from submitting a petition form for any 1145
1699	1699	initiative or candidate petition , 1146
1700	1700	1147
1701	1701	is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as 1148
1702	1702	provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 1149
1703	1703	Section 13. Section 104.186, Florida Statutes, is 1150
1704	1704
1705	1705	HB 21A 2025A
1706	1706
1707	1707
1708	1708
1709	1709	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1710	1710	hb21a-00
1711	1711	Page 47 of 54
1712	1712	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
1713	1713
1714	1714
1715	1715
1716	1716	repealed. 1151
1717	1717	Section 14. Section 106.031, Florida Statutes, is created 1152
1718	1718	to read: 1153
1719	1719	106.031 Reports and filings related to political 1154
1720	1720	committees organized to sponsor a constitutional amendment 1155
1721	1721	proposed by citizen initiative; penalties .— 1156
1722	1722	(1) As used in this section, the term 1157
1723	1723	(a) "Foreign national" has the same meaning as in s. 1158
1724	1724	106.08(12)(a)1. 1159
1725	1725	(b) "Preliminary activity" includes, but is not limited 1160
1726	1726	to, conducting a poll, drafting ballot petition language, 1161
1727	1727	conducting a focus group, making telephone calls, and 1162
1728	1728	travelling. 1163
1729	1729	(2) Any political committee that is organized to sponsor a 1164
1730	1730	constitutional amendment proposed by initiative shall also 1165
1731	1731	comply with the requirements of this section and this chapter. 1166
1732	1732	(3) Any donor or entity that m akes a contribution or 1167
1733	1733	independent expenditure to a political committee organized to 1168
1734	1734	sponsor a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative shall 1169
1735	1735	also comply with the requirements of this section and this 1170
1736	1736	chapter. 1171
1737	1737	(4) The statement of organization req uired in s. 1172
1738	1738	106.03(1)(a) must include a statement attesting that no 1173
1739	1739	preliminary activity was funded by foreign nationals, whether 1174
1740	1740	directly or indirectly. 1175
1741	1741
1742	1742	HB 21A 2025A
1743	1743
1744	1744
1745	1745
1746	1746	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1747	1747	hb21a-00
1748	1748	Page 48 of 54
1749	1749	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
1750	1750
1751	1751
1752	1752
1753	1753	(5) All reports required to be filed pursuant to s. 106.07 1176
1754	1754	must affirm that the political committee has not solicited or 1177
1755	1755	accepted contributions or expenditures from a foreign national. 1178
1756	1756	(6) Any person who makes an independent expenditure to a 1179
1757	1757	political committee organized to sponsor a citizen initiative 1180
1758	1758	petition shall also keep a record of the transacti on for 5 years 1181
1759	1759	from the date of the independent expenditure. A person who fails 1182
1760	1760	to retain the records for a period of 5 years commits a 1183
1761	1761	misdemeanor of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 1184
1762	1762	775.082 or s. 775.083. 1185
1763	1763	(7) Any report required pursuant to s. 106.07 must attest 1186
1764	1764	that each donor who made a contribution is not a foreign 1187
1765	1765	national and that each donor who made a contribution has not 1188
1766	1766	knowingly or willfully accepted funds aggregating in excess of 1189
1767	1767	$100,000 from a foreign national in the 4 -year period preceding 1190
1768	1768	the date the contribution is made. 1191
1769	1769	(8) Each donor or entity that made an independent 1192
1770	1770	expenditure shall attest to the division within 48 hours after 1193
1771	1771	making one or more independent expenditures that it has not 1194
1772	1772	knowingly and willfully accepted funds aggregating in excess of 1195
1773	1773	$100,000 from a foreign national in the 4 -year period preceding 1196
1774	1774	the date the contribution is made and that it will not do so 1197
1775	1775	through the election where the initiative is to appear on the 1198
1776	1776	ballot. A donor or entity that fails to make an attestation to 1199
1777	1777	the division within 48 hours after the contribution is made or 1200
1778	1778
1779	1779	HB 21A 2025A
1780	1780
1781	1781
1782	1782
1783	1783	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1784	1784	hb21a-00
1785	1785	Page 49 of 54
1786	1786	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
1787	1787
1788	1788
1789	1789
1790	1790	makes a false attestation to the division commits a misdemeanor 1201
1791	1791	of the third degree punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 1202
1792	1792	775.083. 1203
1793	1793	(9) Any political committee t hat willfully submits a false 1204
1794	1794	statement or report required under this section while knowing 1205
1795	1795	that such report is incorrect, false, or incomplete commits a 1206
1796	1796	misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 1207
1797	1797	775.082 or s. 775.083. 1208
1798	1798	(10) Any political committee that violates this section is 1209
1799	1799	liable for a civil fine of up to $5,000 to be determined by the 1210
1800	1800	Florida Elections Commission. 1211
1801	1801	(11) Any donor or entity that made an independent 1212
1802	1802	expenditure that violates this section is liable for a civil 1213
1803	1803	fine of up to $5,000, to be determined by the Florida Elections 1214
1804	1804	Commission. 1215
1805	1805	(12) The Attorney General may investigate, act upon, or 1216
1806	1806	dispose of alleged criminal violations of this section. Criminal 1217
1807	1807	proceedings for violations of this section may be brought in t he 1218
1808	1808	appropriate court of competent jurisdiction. In addition to 1219
1809	1809	other penalties provided, the court may assess a penalty up to 1220
1810	1810	three times the amount allowed in s. 775.083. 1221
1811	1811	(13) The division shall adopt rules to administer this 1222
1812	1812	section. 1223
1813	1813	Section 15. Subsection (12) of section 106.08, Florida 1224
1814	1814	Statutes, is amended to read: 1225
1815	1815
1816	1816	HB 21A 2025A
1817	1817
1818	1818
1819	1819
1820	1820	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1821	1821	hb21a-00
1822	1822	Page 50 of 54
1823	1823	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
1824	1824
1825	1825
1826	1826
1827	1827	106.08 Contributions; limitations on. — 1226
1828	1828	(12)(a)1. For purposes of this subsection, the term 1227
1829	1829	"foreign national" means: 1228
1830	1830	a. A foreign government; 1229
1831	1831	b. A foreign political party; 1230
1832	1832	c. A foreign corporation, partnership, association, 1231
1833	1833	organization, or other combination of persons organized under 1232
1834	1834	the laws of or having its principal place of business in a 1233
1835	1835	foreign country; 1234
1836	1836	d. A person with foreign citizenship; or 1235
1837	1837	e. A person who is not a citizen or national of the United 1236
1838	1838	States and is not lawfully admitted to the United States for 1237
1839	1839	permanent residence. 1238
1840	1840	2. The term does not include: 1239
1841	1841	a. A person who is a dual citizen or dual national of the 1240
1842	1842	United States and a foreign country. 1241
1843	1843	b. A domestic subsidiary of a foreign corporation, 1242
1844	1844	partnership, association, organization, or other combination of 1243
1845	1845	persons organized under the laws of or having its principal 1244
1846	1846	place of business in a foreign country if: 1245
1847	1847	(I) The donations and disbursements used t oward a 1246
1848	1848	contribution or an expenditure are derived entirely from funds 1247
1849	1849	generated by the subsidiary's operations in the United States; 1248
1850	1850	and 1249
1851	1851	(II) All decisions concerning donations and disbursements 1250
1852	1852
1853	1853	HB 21A 2025A
1854	1854
1855	1855
1856	1856
1857	1857	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1858	1858	hb21a-00
1859	1859	Page 51 of 54
1860	1860	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
1861	1861
1862	1862
1863	1863
1864	1864	used toward a contribution or an expenditure are made by 1251
1865	1865	individuals who either hold United States citizenship or are 1252
1866	1866	permanent residents of the United States. For purposes of this 1253
1867	1867	sub-sub-subparagraph, decisions concerning donations and 1254
1868	1868	disbursements do not include decisions regarding the 1255
1869	1869	subsidiary's overall bu dget for contributions or expenditures in 1256
1870	1870	connection with an election. 1257
1871	1871	(b) A foreign national may not make or offer to make, 1258
1872	1872	directly or indirectly, a contribution or expenditure in 1259
1873	1873	connection with any election held in the state. A foreign 1260
1874	1874	national who willfully makes or offers to make, directly or 1261
1875	1875	indirectly, a contribution to any election in this state commits 1262
1876	1876	a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 1263
1877	1877	775.082 or s. 775.083. 1264
1878	1878	(c) A foreign national who directs, dictates, controls, or 1265
1879	1879	directly or indirectly participates in the decisionmaking 1266
1880	1880	process of any person with regard to that person's activities to 1267
1881	1881	influence a citizen initiative by petition, such as decisions 1268
1882	1882	concerning the making of contributions or expenditures to 1269
1883	1883	influence a citizen initiative by petition, commits a felony of 1270
1884	1884	the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 1271
1885	1885	775.083. 1272
1886	1886	(d) A political committee organized to sponsor a citizen 1273
1887	1887	initiative by petition which knowingly solicits or accepts any 1274
1888	1888	expenditure from a foreign national commits a felony of the 1275
1889	1889
1890	1890	HB 21A 2025A
1891	1891
1892	1892
1893	1893
1894	1894	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1895	1895	hb21a-00
1896	1896	Page 52 of 54
1897	1897	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
1898	1898
1899	1899
1900	1900
1901	1901	third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 1276
1902	1902	775.083. 1277
1903	1903	(e) A foreign national who willfully violates any part of 1278
1904	1904	this subsection or a political committee that willfully violates 1279
1905	1905	any part of this subsection may be subject to a fine of at least 1280
1906	1906	$5,000 and up to $50,000, to be determined by the Florida 1281
1907	1907	Elections Commission. 1282
1908	1908	(f) The Attorney General may investigate, act upon, or 1283
1909	1909	dispose of alleged criminal violations of this subsection. 1284
1910	1910	Criminal proceedings for violations of this subsection may be 1285
1911	1911	brought in the appropriate court of competent jurisdiction. In 1286
1912	1912	addition to other penalties provided, the court may assess a 1287
1913	1913	penalty of up to three times the amount allowed in s. 775.083. 1288
1914	1914	Section 16. Subsection (3) of section 106.19, Florida 1289
1915	1915	Statutes, is amended to read: 1290
1916	1916	106.19 Violations by candidates, persons connected w ith 1291
1917	1917	campaigns, and political committees. — 1292
1918	1918	(3) A political committee sponsoring a constitutional 1293
1919	1919	amendment proposed by initiative which submits a petition form 1294
1920	1920	gathered by a paid petition circulator which does not provide 1295
1921	1921	the name and address of the paid petition circulator on the form 1296
1922	1922	is subject to the civil penalties prescribed in s. 106.265. 1297
1923	1923	Section 17. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 1298
1924	1924	212.055, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1299
1925	1925	212.055 Discretionary sales surtaxes; legislative intent ; 1300
1926	1926
1927	1927	HB 21A 2025A
1928	1928
1929	1929
1930	1930
1931	1931	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1932	1932	hb21a-00
1933	1933	Page 53 of 54
1934	1934	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
1935	1935
1936	1936
1937	1937
1938	1938	authorization and use of proceeds. —It is the legislative intent 1301
1939	1939	that any authorization for imposition of a discretionary sales 1302
1940	1940	surtax shall be published in the Florida Statutes as a 1303
1941	1941	subsection of this section, irrespective of the duration of the 1304
1942	1942	levy. Each enactment shall specify the types of counties 1305
1943	1943	authorized to levy; the rate or rates which may be imposed; the 1306
1944	1944	maximum length of time the surtax may be imposed, if any; the 1307
1945	1945	procedure which must be followed to secure voter approval, if 1308
1946	1946	required; the purpose for which the proceeds may be expended; 1309
1947	1947	and such other requirements as the Legislature may provide. 1310
1948	1948	Taxable transactions and administrative procedures shall be as 1311
1949	1949	provided in s. 212.054. 1312
1950	1950	(1) CHARTER COUNTY AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM 1313
1951	1951	SURTAX.— 1314
1952	1952	(c)1. The proposal to adopt a discretionary sales surtax 1315
1953	1953	as provided in this subsection and to create a trust fund within 1316
1954	1954	the county accounts shall be placed on the ballot in accordance 1317
1955	1955	with law and must be approved in a referendum held at a general 1318
1956	1956	election in accordance with subsection (10). 1319
1957	1957	2. If the proposal to adopt a surtax is by initiative, the 1320
1958	1958	petition sponsor must, at least 180 days before the proposed 1321
1959	1959	referendum, comply with all of the following: 1322
1960	1960	a. Provide a copy of the final resolution or o rdinance to 1323
1961	1961	the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government 1324
1962	1962	Accountability. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and 1325
1963	1963
1964	1964	HB 21A 2025A
1965	1965
1966	1966
1967	1967
1968	1968	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
1969	1969	hb21a-00
1970	1970	Page 54 of 54
1971	1971	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
1972	1972
1973	1973
1974	1974
1975	1975	Government Accountability shall procure a certified public 1326
1976	1976	accountant in accordance with subsection (11) for the 1327
1977	1977	performance audit. 1328
1978	1978	b. File the initiative petition and its required valid 1329
1979	1979	signatures with the supervisor of elections. The supervisor of 1330
1980	1980	elections shall verify signatures and retain signature forms in 1331
1981	1981	the same manner as required for initiatives under s. 100.371(6) 1332
1982	1982	s. 100.371(11). 1333
1983	1983	3. The failure of an initiative sponsor to comply with the 1334
1984	1984	requirements of subparagraph 2. renders any referendum held 1335
1985	1985	void. 1336
1986	1986	Section 18. If any provision of this act or its 1337
1987	1987	application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the 1338
1988	1988	invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of 1339
1989	1989	this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision 1340
1990	1990	or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are 1341
1991	1991	severable. 1342
1992	1992	Section 19. The Division of Law Revision is direct ed to 1343
1993	1993	replace the phrase "the effective date of this act" wherever it 1344
1994	1994	occurs in this act with the date this act becomes a law. 1345
1995	1995	Section 20. This act shall take effect upon becoming a 1346
1996	1996	law. 1347