Florida Senate - 2010                                    SJR 2-C
       
       
       
       By Senators Villalobos, Gelber, Dockery, Jones, and Peaden
       
       
       
       
       38-00011-10C                                            20102C__
    1                       Senate Joint Resolution                     
    2         A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7
    3         of Article II of the State Constitution to prohibit
    4         the exploration, drilling, extraction, or production
    5         of oil beneath Florida waters between the mean high
    6         water line and the seaward limit of Florida’s
    7         boundaries.
    8  
    9  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         That the following amendment to Section 7 of Article II of
   12  the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to
   13  the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next
   14  general election:
   15                             ARTICLE II                            
   16                         GENERAL PROVISIONS                        
   17         SECTION 7. Natural resources and scenic beauty.—
   18         (a) It shall be the policy of the state to conserve and
   19  protect its natural resources and scenic beauty. Adequate
   20  provision shall be made by law for the abatement of air and
   21  water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise and for
   22  the conservation and protection of natural resources.
   23         (b) Those in the Everglades Agricultural Area who cause
   24  water pollution within the Everglades Protection Area or the
   25  Everglades Agricultural Area shall be primarily responsible for
   26  paying the costs of the abatement of that pollution. For the
   27  purposes of this subsection, the terms “Everglades Protection
   28  Area” and “Everglades Agricultural Area” shall have the meanings
   29  as defined in statutes in effect on January 1, 1996.
   30         (c) The exploration for, the drilling for, the extraction
   31  of, or the production of oil is prohibited in and beneath all
   32  Florida waters located between the mean high-water line along
   33  the coastline of Florida and the seaward limit of Florida as now
   34  or hereafter fixed by this constitution or the Congress of the
   35  United States, whichever such boundary is farther from the
   36  coastline. This prohibition does not apply to the transportation
   37  of oil produced outside these waters. This subsection is self
   38  executing.
   39         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be
   40  placed on the ballot:
   41                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT                     
   42                        ARTICLE II, SECTION 7                      
   43         BAN OF EXPLORATION, DRILLING, EXTRACTION, AND PRODUCTION OF
   44  OIL IN FLORIDA TERITORIAL SEAS.—This amendment to the State
   45  Constitution prohibits the exploration for, the drilling for,
   46  the extraction of, and the production of oil in and beneath all
   47  Florida waters between the mean high-water line and the seaward
   48  limit of Florida as now or hereafter fixed, whichever boundary
   49  is farther from the coastline. This amendment is self-executing
   50  and does not apply to the transportation of oil produced outside
   51  Florida’s territorial waters.