| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to initiatives; amending s. 100.371, F.S.; |
| 3 | providing that petition signatures are valid for 2 years; |
| 4 | requiring background screening for persons gathering |
| 5 | signatures on initiative petitions; providing that |
| 6 | supervisors shall verify signatures only if signed within |
| 7 | a specified period; providing for severability; providing |
| 8 | an effective date. |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 11 |
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| 12 | Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 100.371, Florida |
| 13 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 14 | 100.371 Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot.-- |
| 15 | (3) Each signature shall be dated when made and shall be |
| 16 | valid for a period of 2 4 years following such date, provided |
| 17 | all other requirements of law are met. The sponsor shall submit |
| 18 | signed and dated forms to the appropriate supervisor of |
| 19 | elections for verification as to the number of registered |
| 20 | electors whose valid signatures appear thereon. The Secretary of |
| 21 | State shall require certification of level 2 background |
| 22 | screening, as provided in chapter 435, for employees or |
| 23 | contractors of a sponsor who are in positions of trust due to |
| 24 | regular contact with members of the general public for the |
| 25 | purpose of obtaining signatures on petition forms. The |
| 26 | supervisor shall promptly verify the signatures within 30 days |
| 27 | of receipt of the petition forms and payment of the fee required |
| 28 | by s. 99.097. The supervisor shall verify that the signature on |
| 29 | a form is valid only if the date the elector signed the form, as |
| 30 | recorded by the elector, is no more than 60 days before the date |
| 31 | the form is received by the supervisor. The supervisor shall |
| 32 | promptly record in the statewide voter registration system, in |
| 33 | the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State, the date each |
| 34 | form is received by the supervisor, and the date the signature |
| 35 | on the form is verified as valid. The supervisor may verify that |
| 36 | the signature on a form is valid only if: |
| 37 | (a) The form contains the original signature of the |
| 38 | purported elector. |
| 39 | (b) The purported elector has accurately recorded on the |
| 40 | form the date on which he or she signed the form. |
| 41 | (c) The form accurately sets forth the purported elector's |
| 42 | name, street address, county, and voter registration number or |
| 43 | date of birth. |
| 44 | (d) The purported elector is, at the time he or she signs |
| 45 | the form, a duly qualified and registered elector authorized to |
| 46 | vote in the county in which his or her signature is submitted. |
| 47 |
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| 48 | The supervisor shall retain the signature forms for at least 1 |
| 49 | year following the election in which the issue appeared on the |
| 50 | ballot or until the Division of Elections notifies the |
| 51 | supervisors of elections that the committee which circulated the |
| 52 | petition is no longer seeking to obtain ballot position. |
| 53 | Section 2. If any provision of this act or its application |
| 54 | to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity |
| 55 | does not affect other provisions or applications of the act |
| 56 | which can be given effect without the invalid provision or |
| 57 | application, and to this end the provisions of this act are |
| 58 | severable. |
| 59 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |