| 1 | House Joint Resolution |
| 2 | A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Section 7 of |
| 3 | Article II of the State Constitution to prohibit the |
| 4 | exploration and drilling for, and the extraction and |
| 5 | production of, oil in and beneath specified state waters |
| 6 | and to exempt the transportation of oil produced outside |
| 7 | of such waters. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 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 or at an earlier special election specifically |
| 15 | authorized by law for that purpose: |
| 16 | ARTICLE II |
| 17 | GENERAL PROVISIONS |
| 18 | SECTION 7. Natural resources and scenic beauty.- |
| 19 | (a) It shall be the policy of the state to conserve and |
| 20 | protect its natural resources and scenic beauty. Adequate |
| 21 | provision shall be made by law for the abatement of air and |
| 22 | water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise and for |
| 23 | the conservation and protection of natural resources. |
| 24 | (b) Those in the Everglades Agricultural Area who cause |
| 25 | water pollution within the Everglades Protection Area or the |
| 26 | Everglades Agricultural Area shall be primarily responsible for |
| 27 | paying the costs of the abatement of that pollution. For the |
| 28 | purposes of this subsection, the terms "Everglades Protection |
| 29 | Area" and "Everglades Agricultural Area" shall have the meanings |
| 30 | as defined in statutes in effect on January 1, 1996. |
| 31 | (c) The exploration and drilling for, and the extraction |
| 32 | and production of, oil are prohibited in and beneath all state |
| 33 | waters located between the mean high-water line along the |
| 34 | coastline of the state and the seaward limit of the state's |
| 35 | boundaries, as now or hereafter fixed by this constitution or |
| 36 | the Congress of the United States, whichever such boundary is |
| 37 | farther from the coastline. This prohibition shall not apply to |
| 38 | the transportation of oil produced outside of such waters. |
| 39 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be |
| 40 | placed on the ballot: |
| 41 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
| 42 | ARTICLE II, SECTION 7 |
| 43 | OIL EXPLORATION, DRILLING, EXTRACTION, AND PRODUCTION |
| 44 | PROHIBITED IN STATE WATERS.-Proposing an amendment to the State |
| 45 | Constitution to prohibit the exploration and drilling for, and |
| 46 | the extraction and production of, oil in and beneath all state |
| 47 | waters located between the mean high-water line along the |
| 48 | coastline of the state and the seaward limit of the state's |
| 49 | boundaries, as now or hereafter fixed by the State Constitution |
| 50 | or the Congress of the United States, whichever such boundary is |
| 51 | farther from the coastline, and to exempt the transportation of |
| 52 | oil produced outside of such waters from the prohibition. |