Florida Senate - 2025                             CS for SB 7016
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; and Ethics and Elections;
       and Senators Gaetz and Grall
       
       
       
       
       594-03411-25                                          20257016c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to amendments to the State
    3         Constitution; providing legislative findings and
    4         intent; amending s. 15.21, F.S.; requiring the
    5         Secretary of State to have received the ballot summary
    6         and the full text of the proposed revision or
    7         amendment to the State Constitution from the sponsor
    8         and to have received the financial impact statement
    9         from the Financial Impact Estimating Conference before
   10         submitting an initiative petition to the Attorney
   11         General; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
   12         16.061, F.S.; revising the criteria that the Attorney
   13         General uses when petitioning the Supreme Court for an
   14         advisory opinion related to a proposed revision or
   15         amendment to the State Constitution; requiring that a
   16         copy of the petition form be provided to the sponsor
   17         of the initiative petition; conforming a cross
   18         reference; making a technical change; amending s.
   19         97.021, F.S.; revising the definition of the term
   20         “petition circulator”; reenacting and amending s.
   21         99.097, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; conforming
   22         provisions to changes made by the act; amending s.
   23         100.371, F.S.; requiring the sponsor of an initiative
   24         petition to obtain a certain letter periodically;
   25         providing that a failure to obtain such letter results
   26         in the expiration of the initiative’s signatures and
   27         disbanding of the sponsor’s political committee;
   28         providing that certain initiative petition signatures
   29         expire and that the sponsor’s political committee is
   30         disbanded under specified conditions; providing that
   31         such sponsor is not precluded from refiling the
   32         proposed amendment as a new petition; prohibiting a
   33         sponsor from sponsoring more than one initiative
   34         amendment; requiring a sponsor to register as a
   35         political committee and submit the ballot title,
   36         ballot summary, article and section of the State
   37         Constitution being amended, and full text of the
   38         proposed amendment to the Secretary of State;
   39         requiring that all information be available in
   40         alternative formats upon request; requiring the
   41         secretary to assign a petition number and submit a
   42         copy of the proposed amendment to the Financial Impact
   43         Estimating Conference for review, analysis, and a
   44         certain estimate; requiring the Division of Elections
   45         to publish the forms on which petition signatures must
   46         be fixed; deleting a requirement that the secretary
   47         adopt certain rules; providing requirements, which are
   48         effective on a specified date, for the petition forms;
   49         prohibiting persons, beginning on a specified date,
   50         from collecting, delivering, or otherwise physically
   51         possessing more than a specified number of signed
   52         petition forms if they have not registered with the
   53         Secretary of State as a petition circulator and have
   54         not been issued a petition circulator number;
   55         authorizing specified persons to collect signed
   56         petitions forms from their immediate family under
   57         specified circumstances; defining the term “immediate
   58         family”; prohibiting certain persons from collecting
   59         signatures or initiative petitions; requiring that
   60         applications for registration include specified
   61         information; authorizing citizens to challenge a
   62         petition circulator’s registration by filing a
   63         petition in circuit court; authorizing the court to
   64         enjoin the petition circulator from collecting
   65         signatures or petition forms until registered;
   66         authorizing the division to revoke a petition
   67         circulator’s registration under specified
   68         circumstances; prohibiting persons from registering to
   69         collect signatures or initiative petitions until they
   70         complete a required training; providing the
   71         requirements for such training; providing civil
   72         penalties for the sponsors of initiative amendments
   73         that knowingly allow persons to collect petition forms
   74         on their behalf and violate specified provisions;
   75         prohibiting a sponsor from compensating a petition
   76         circulator based on the number of petition forms
   77         gathered or the time within which such forms are
   78         gathered; providing construction; requiring the
   79         division to make forms available to registered
   80         petition circulators in a certain format; deleting a
   81         requirement that supervisors of elections provide the
   82         division information on petition forms assigned to
   83         them; requiring sponsors to deliver forms promptly to
   84         the supervisor of elections in the county in which a
   85         voter resides within a specified timeframe after the
   86         form is signed; revising the civil penalties for
   87         failing to deliver forms within the prescribed
   88         timeframes; providing civil penalties for the sponsors
   89         of petitions if the person collecting petition forms
   90         on behalf of the sponsor signs the name of another,
   91         signs a fictitious name, or fills in missing
   92         information on the signed petition form; providing
   93         criminal penalties for persons who, while collecting
   94         petition forms, copy or retain a voter’s personal
   95         identifying information for a reason other than to
   96         provide such information to the sponsor of an
   97         initiative petition; providing civil penalties for
   98         sponsors who mail or provide prefilled initiative
   99         petitions; providing that sponsors that discover and
  100         report a violation as soon as practicable may not be
  101         fined for such violation; requiring the supervisor to
  102         record the date a submitted petition is received;
  103         requiring the supervisor to notify the division of any
  104         misfiled petition; revising the conditions under which
  105         a supervisor verifies signatures to include processing
  106         of a certain fee; requiring supervisors, beginning on
  107         a specified date, to promptly record, in a specified
  108         manner, the date each form is received and the date
  109         the form is verified as valid; revising the conditions
  110         under which a supervisor may verify a signature on an
  111         initiative petition form; requiring supervisors to
  112         electronically transmit digital images, which must
  113         meet a specified standard, of all received petition
  114         forms to the division; requiring that such forms be
  115         identified as valid or invalid; requiring supervisors
  116         to retain all petition forms and identify those forms
  117         verified as valid from those deemed invalid until such
  118         forms are processed; requiring supervisors to deliver
  119         physical forms to the division; requiring the division
  120         to retain such forms for a specified timeframe;
  121         requiring supervisors to send a notice, which may be
  122         returned to the Office of Election Crimes and
  123         Security, to voters after their signature is verified,
  124         beginning on a specified date; providing requirements
  125         for such notice; requiring the Office of Election
  126         Crimes and Security to transmit copies of returned
  127         notices, upon receipt, to the division; requiring the
  128         division to deem the voter petition form invalid if a
  129         completed notice is received; providing that
  130         supervisors of elections are required to post on their
  131         websites the actual costs of signature verification
  132         for all petition forms, and that they may increase
  133         such costs annually by a specified date; specifying
  134         that such costs include costs related to certain
  135         actions; requiring supervisors to notify the Office of
  136         Election Crimes and Security under a specified
  137         condition; requiring the office to conduct specified
  138         preliminary investigations; authorizing the office to
  139         report findings of such investigations to the
  140         statewide prosecutor or a certain state attorney;
  141         providing that a signed petition form submitted by an
  142         ineligible or unregistered petition circulator must be
  143         invalidated; revising information related to signature
  144         verification which must be posted on the division’s
  145         website; requiring the Secretary of State to rescind
  146         the certificate of ballot position if an advisory
  147         opinion from the Supreme Court deems the initiative
  148         petition invalid; requiring the Financial Impact
  149         Estimating Conference to submit the financial impact
  150         statement to the Secretary of State; requiring a
  151         certain statement to be included on the ballot if the
  152         conference does not complete an analysis and financial
  153         impact statement within a specified timeframe;
  154         providing that only the President of the Senate and
  155         the Speaker of the House of Representatives, jointly,
  156         may convene the conference; revising the membership of
  157         the conference; deleting a provision authorizing the
  158         court to remand the financial impact statement to the
  159         conference to be redrafted; requiring that such
  160         statement appear on the petition form and ballot;
  161         requiring a sponsor to refile a petition as a new
  162         petition under certain circumstances; deleting a
  163         provision that deems financial impact statements
  164         approved for placement on the ballot under certain
  165         circumstances; requiring the Department of State to
  166         update petition forms by a specified date; requiring
  167         the department to make the petition circulator
  168         application available by a specified date; providing
  169         that each petition circulator registration expires on
  170         a specified date; requiring the department to notify
  171         such petition circulators of the expiration of their
  172         registration by a specified date; requiring the
  173         department to develop a certain training within a
  174         specified timeframe; authorizing supervisors of
  175         elections to increase the costs of signature
  176         verification before a specified date; requiring the
  177         supervisors to post such cost on their publicly
  178         available websites as soon as the cost is determined;
  179         amending s. 101.161, F.S.; requiring that a certain
  180         statement be included on the ballot if a financial
  181         impact statement was not produced or the Financial
  182         Impact Estimating Conference did not meet to produce
  183         one; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
  184         102.111, F.S.; requiring the Elections Canvassing
  185         Commission to certify the returns of constitutional
  186         amendments; amending s. 102.121, F.S.; requiring the
  187         commission to make and sign separate certificates for
  188         constitutional amendments; providing requirements for
  189         such certificates; amending s. 102.168, F.S.;
  190         providing for standing to contest the adoption of a
  191         constitutional amendment by any qualified voter or
  192         taxpayer; revising the grounds on which such parties
  193         may contest an election or a constitutional amendment;
  194         providing that the commission and the sponsor of the
  195         amendment are indispensable parties in any such
  196         action; amending s. 104.185, F.S.; providing criminal
  197         penalties for persons who fill in missing information
  198         on a signed petition form to secure a ballot position
  199         for a candidate, a minor political party, or an issue;
  200         amending s. 104.186, F.S.; providing criminal
  201         penalties for persons who compensate others based on
  202         the number of petition forms gathered, as prohibited
  203         by a specified section; amending s. 104.187, F.S.;
  204         conforming a cross-reference; creating s. 104.188,
  205         F.S.; defining the term “immediate family”; providing
  206         criminal penalties for certain persons who collect,
  207         deliver, or otherwise physically possess more than a
  208         certain number of signed petition forms other than
  209         their own or forms belonging to an immediate family
  210         member; creating s. 106.151, F.S.; defining the term
  211         “public funds”; prohibiting an entity of state
  212         government or a person acting on behalf of such entity
  213         from expending or authorizing the expenditure of
  214         public funds for political advertisements or other
  215         communications sent to electors concerning a proposed
  216         constitutional amendment or revision; providing
  217         applicability; providing construction; amending s.
  218         106.19, F.S.; providing that political committees
  219         sponsoring a constitutional amendment are liable for
  220         specified civil fines for submitting petition forms
  221         that do not provide the name and address of the
  222         petition circulator gathering such forms, regardless
  223         of whether the petition circulator is paid; amending
  224         s. 212.055, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference;
  225         amending s. 895.02, F.S.; revising the definition of
  226         the term “racketeering activity” to provide criminal
  227         and civil penalties for violations of the Florida
  228         Election Code relating to irregularities or fraud
  229         involving issue petition activities; prohibiting the
  230         verification of a signed petition form for a specified
  231         timeframe; providing construction; providing effective
  232         dates.
  233  
  234         WHEREAS, the Legislature and the Secretary of State, in
  235  their official capacities, have the duty and obligation to
  236  ensure ballot integrity and a valid election process, and
  237         WHEREAS, ballot integrity is necessary to ensure the
  238  effectiveness of the constitutionally provided initiative
  239  process, and
  240         WHEREAS, investigations conducted by the Office of Election
  241  Crimes and Security have shown that agents of political
  242  committees sponsoring initiative petitions engaged in illegal
  243  and fraudulent activities while gathering petition signatures in
  244  the lead-up to recent elections, and
  245         WHEREAS, the evidence brought forward indicates numerous
  246  instances of petition circulators being paid per signature,
  247  signing petition forms on behalf of deceased individuals,
  248  forging or misrepresenting voter signatures on petition forms,
  249  using voters’ personal identifying information without consent,
  250  committing perjury, and swearing false oaths, and
  251         WHEREAS, compensating a petition circulator based on the
  252  number of petition forms gathered is a violation of s. 104.186,
  253  Florida Statutes; signing another person’s name, whether dead or
  254  alive, or a fictitious name on a petition form is a violation of
  255  s. 104.185(2), Florida Statutes; and perjury or swearing a false
  256  oath is a violation of s. 837.02(1), Florida Statutes, and all
  257  such violations are third degree felonies under Florida law, and
  258         WHEREAS, fraudulently using another individual’s personal
  259  identification without his or her consent is a violation of s.
  260  817.568, Florida Statutes, and is, at minimum, a third degree
  261  felony, and
  262         WHEREAS, the fraudulent use of another individual’s
  263  personal identifying information becomes a second degree felony
  264  with a 3-year mandatory minimum prison sentence if the violation
  265  involves the information of more than 10 but fewer than 20
  266  persons, a 5-year mandatory minimum prison sentence if the
  267  violation involves the information of more than 20 but fewer
  268  than 30 persons, and a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence
  269  if the violation involves the information of more than 30
  270  persons, and
  271         WHEREAS, despite the fiduciary duty prescribed by Florida
  272  law, sponsors of initiative petitions have failed to cooperate
  273  with investigations and have attempted to deflect responsibility
  274  for the actions of petition circulators to contractors and
  275  subcontractors, the sponsors denying that they have custody or
  276  control of documents requested by state officials, and
  277         WHEREAS, sponsors, contractors, and petition circulators
  278  have blatantly attempted to evade investigation by delegating
  279  key aspects of petition activities to out-of-state entities, who
  280  then subcontracted with other individuals who were even further
  281  outside the reach of Florida authorities, and
  282         WHEREAS, evidence provided to the Office of Election Crimes
  283  and Security by supervisors of elections in several counties
  284  showed that petition circulators submitted petition forms on
  285  behalf of more than 50 deceased Floridians, and
  286         WHEREAS, information provided to the Office of Election
  287  Crimes and Security from multiple supervisors of elections and
  288  individual Florida voters showed that petition circulators
  289  committed perjury and swore false oaths by distributing petition
  290  forms with pre-signed attestations to groups of unregistered
  291  circulators, who then obtained signatures outside the registered
  292  circulator’s presence, and
  293         WHEREAS, investigations revealed that after petition forms
  294  were signed and submitted by voters, petition circulators
  295  tampered with the signed forms by using a website to obtain
  296  missing personal identifying information, and then filled in the
  297  incomplete petition forms, and
  298         WHEREAS, investigations indicated that some otherwise valid
  299  petition forms were obtained by fraud, with circulators
  300  misleading prospective signatories by telling them that the
  301  amendment did something other than what was described in the
  302  ballot summary or amendment language, or not showing the
  303  signatories what was on the ballot at all, and
  304         WHEREAS, evidence showed that petition circulators were
  305  able to obtain the four necessary elements of personal
  306  identifying information required on petitions — name, address,
  307  voter registration number or birthdate, and signature — using
  308  publicly available data to commit identity theft and complete
  309  dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of petitions without ever
  310  actually circulating a petition, and
  311         WHEREAS, the Office of Election Crimes and Security
  312  received complaints from many Florida voters whose information
  313  was fraudulently submitted on forms for at least four initiative
  314  petitions circulated for inclusion in the 2024 General Election,
  315  and
  316         WHEREAS, many of those complaints arose because some
  317  supervisors of elections notified a voter when a petition form
  318  bearing his or her name was rejected, which prompted such voters
  319  to contact the supervisor of elections or the Office of Election
  320  Crimes and Security to report potential fraud, and
  321         WHEREAS, Florida does not currently restrict eligibility of
  322  persons to register as petition circulators, even in cases where
  323  such persons are not United States citizens, reside in another
  324  state, or have been convicted of a felony but have not had their
  325  right to vote restored, and
  326         WHEREAS, at least one sponsor of an initiative amendment
  327  circulated during the 2024 General Election cycle settled a
  328  complaint with the Office of Election Crimes and Security for
  329  violations related to the petition process and agreed to pay
  330  $164,000 in fines, and
  331         WHEREAS, existing fines and penalties levied against
  332  petition sponsors engaging in, encouraging, or, at the very
  333  least, turning a blind eye to illegal activities related to the
  334  petition process appear to be inadequate deterrents, and
  335         WHEREAS, given its constitutional underpinnings, the right
  336  to propose an initiative by petition is inherent and absolute,
  337  but subject to reasonable regulations as necessary to ensure
  338  ballot integrity and a valid election process, NOW, THEREFORE,
  339  
  340  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  341  
  342         Section 1. (1)The Legislature finds that the power to
  343  propose an amendment to the State Constitution is reserved to
  344  the people of Florida consistent with s. 3, Article XI of the
  345  State Constitution. Evidence of fraud related to the process of
  346  gathering signatures on petitions for constitutional amendments
  347  compels the Legislature to act to protect the integrity of the
  348  ballot, ensure a valid election process, and protect the
  349  constitutionally provided initiative process.
  350         (2)It is the intent of the Legislature to update the
  351  reasonable regulations in place for petition circulators,
  352  increase transparency and accountability for sponsors of
  353  initiative petitions, provide prospective signatories with
  354  objective information regarding the impact of a proposed
  355  amendment, and deter, prevent, and penalize fraudulent
  356  activities related to initiative petitions.
  357         Section 2. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 15.21,
  358  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  359         15.21 Initiative petitions; s. 3, Art. XI, State
  360  Constitution.—
  361         (1) The Secretary of State shall immediately submit an
  362  initiative petition to the Attorney General if the sponsor has:
  363         (a) Registered as a political committee pursuant to s.
  364  106.03;
  365         (b) Submitted the ballot title, ballot summary substance,
  366  and full text of the proposed revision or amendment to the
  367  Secretary of State, who has received a financial impact
  368  statement pursuant to ss. 100.371 and 101.161; and
  369         (c) Obtained a letter from the Division of Elections
  370  confirming that the sponsor has submitted to the appropriate
  371  supervisors for verification, and the supervisors have verified,
  372  forms signed and dated equal to 25 percent of the number of
  373  electors statewide required by s. 3, Art. XI of the State
  374  Constitution in one-half of the congressional districts of the
  375  state.
  376         (2) If the Secretary of State has submitted an initiative
  377  petition to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (1) but
  378  the validity of the signatures for such initiative petition has
  379  expired pursuant to s. 100.371(14)(a) s. 100.371(11)(a) before
  380  securing ballot placement, the Secretary of State must promptly
  381  notify the Attorney General. The Secretary of State may resubmit
  382  the initiative petition to the Attorney General if the
  383  initiative petition is later circulated for placement on the
  384  ballot of a subsequent general election and the criteria under
  385  subsection (1) are satisfied.
  386         Section 3. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section 16.061,
  387  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  388         16.061 Initiative petitions.—
  389         (1) The Attorney General shall, within 30 days after
  390  receipt of a proposed revision or amendment to the State
  391  Constitution by initiative petition from the Secretary of State,
  392  petition the Supreme Court, requesting an advisory opinion
  393  regarding the compliance of the text of the proposed amendment
  394  or revision with s. 3, Art. XI of the State Constitution,
  395  whether the proposed amendment is facially invalid under the
  396  United States Constitution, and the compliance of the proposed
  397  ballot title and substance with s. 101.161, and the compliance
  398  of the financial impact statement with s. 100.371(16). The
  399  petition may enumerate any specific factual issues that the
  400  Attorney General believes would require a judicial
  401  determination.
  402         (2) A copy of the petition shall be provided to the
  403  Secretary of State and the principal officer of the sponsor of
  404  the initiative petition.
  405         (3) Any financial fiscal impact statement that the Supreme
  406  Court finds not to be in accordance with s. 100.371(16) must s.
  407  100.371 shall be remanded solely to the Financial Impact
  408  Estimating Conference for redrafting.
  409         Section 4. Effective July 1, 2025, subsection (28) of
  410  section 97.021, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  411         97.021 Definitions.—For the purposes of this code, except
  412  where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term:
  413         (28) “Petition circulator” means an entity or individual
  414  who collects signatures for compensation for the purpose of
  415  qualifying a proposed constitutional amendment for ballot
  416  placement. The term does not include a person who collects,
  417  delivers, or otherwise physically possesses no more than two
  418  signed petition forms in addition to his or her own signed
  419  petition form or a signed petition form belonging to the
  420  person’s spouse, or the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild,
  421  or sibling of the person or the person’s spouse.
  422         Section 5. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (4) of
  423  section 99.097, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (b)
  424  of subsection (1) of that section is reenacted, to read:
  425         99.097 Verification of signatures on petitions.—
  426         (1)
  427         (b) Rules and guidelines for petition verification shall be
  428  adopted by the Department of State. Rules and guidelines for a
  429  random sample method of verification may include a requirement
  430  that petitions bear an additional number of names and
  431  signatures, not to exceed 15 percent of the names and signatures
  432  otherwise required. If the petitions do not meet such criteria
  433  or if the petitions are prescribed by s. 100.371, the use of the
  434  random sample method of verification is not available to
  435  supervisors.
  436         (4)(a) The supervisor must be paid in advance the sum of 10
  437  cents for each signature checked or the actual cost of checking
  438  such signature, whichever is less, by the candidate or, in the
  439  case of a petition to have a local issue placed on the ballot,
  440  by the person or organization submitting the petition. In the
  441  case of a petition to place a statewide issue on the ballot, the
  442  person or organization submitting the petition must pay the
  443  supervisor in advance the cost posted by the supervisor pursuant
  444  to s. 100.371(14) s. 100.371(11) for the actual cost of checking
  445  signatures to place a statewide issue on the ballot.
  446         (d) Except as provided in s. 100.371(14)(d), petitions must
  447  be retained by the supervisors for a period of 1 year following
  448  the election for which the petitions were circulated.
  449         Section 6. Section 100.371, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  450  read:
  451         100.371 Initiatives; procedure for placement on ballot.—
  452         (1)(a) Constitutional amendments proposed by initiative
  453  shall be placed on the ballot for the general election, provided
  454  the initiative petition has been filed with the Secretary of
  455  State no later than February 1 of the year the general election
  456  is held. A petition shall be deemed to be filed with the
  457  Secretary of State upon the date the secretary determines that
  458  valid and verified petition forms have been signed by the
  459  constitutionally required number and distribution of voters
  460  electors under this code.
  461         (b)A sponsor of an initiative petition must obtain, at
  462  least every third election cycle, a letter pursuant to s.
  463  15.21(1)(c). Failure to obtain such letter results in expiration
  464  of the initiative petition’s signatures and disbanding of the
  465  sponsor’s political committee.
  466         (c)Initiative petition signatures expire and the sponsor’s
  467  political committee is disbanded if a constitutional amendment
  468  proposed by initiative submitted to the Secretary of State
  469  before February 1, 2022, fails to obtain a letter pursuant to s.
  470  15.21(1)(c) on or before February 1, 2026. This paragraph does
  471  not preclude such a sponsor from refiling the proposed amendment
  472  as a new petition.
  473         (2) The sponsor of an initiative amendment may not sponsor
  474  more than one amendment and must shall, before circulating any
  475  petition forms prior to obtaining any signatures, register as a
  476  political committee pursuant to s. 106.03 and submit the ballot
  477  title, ballot summary, article and section of the State
  478  Constitution being amended, and full text of the proposed
  479  amendment to the Secretary of State. The proposed amendment and
  480  all forms filed in connection with this section must, upon
  481  request, be made available in alternative formats, with the form
  482  on which the signatures will be affixed, and shall obtain the
  483  approval of the Secretary of State of such form. Upon receipt,
  484  the Secretary of State shall assign the initiative petition a
  485  petition number and submit a copy of the proposed amendment to
  486  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference for review, analysis,
  487  and estimation of the financial impact of the proposed
  488  amendment. After the review by the Financial Impact Estimating
  489  Conference, the division shall publish the forms with the
  490  information provided for in subsection (3) and on which
  491  signatures for the initiative petition will be affixed The
  492  Secretary of State shall adopt rules pursuant to s. 120.54
  493  prescribing the style and requirements of such form. Upon filing
  494  with the Secretary of State, the text of the proposed amendment
  495  and all forms filed in connection with this section must, upon
  496  request, be made available in alternative formats.
  497         (3)(a) Beginning July 1, 2025, the petition form must
  498  prominently display all of the following:
  499         1.The petition number.
  500         2.The ballot title.
  501         3.The ballot summary.
  502         4.A notice that the form becomes a public record upon
  503  receipt by the supervisor.
  504         5.A notice that it is a misdemeanor of the first degree to
  505  knowingly sign the petition more than once.
  506         6.A notice that the form will not be validated if all of
  507  the requested information is not completed.
  508         7.For a proposed amendment submitted to the Secretary of
  509  State after the effective date of this act, the financial impact
  510  statement.
  511         (b)The petition form must also include all of the
  512  following:
  513         1.The full text of the proposed amendment.
  514         2.The name and address of the sponsor.
  515         3.The date received by the Secretary of State.
  516         4.A bar code or serial number associated with the
  517  initiative petition.
  518         (c)The petition form must solicit and require all of the
  519  following information:
  520         1.The full name of the voter.
  521         2.The voter’s address and county of legal residence.
  522         3.The voter’s Florida voter registration number or date of
  523  birth.
  524         4.The voter’s Florida driver license number or the voter’s
  525  Florida identification card number issued pursuant to s.
  526  322.051, or the last four digits of the voter’s social security
  527  number.
  528         5.An attestation that the voter is a registered Florida
  529  voter and is petitioning the Secretary of State to place the
  530  proposed amendment on the ballot.
  531         6.The voter’s signature and the date on which the voter
  532  signed the form.
  533         (d)A petition form distributed by a petition circulator
  534  must also include all of the following:
  535         1.The Petition Circulator’s Affidavit with the
  536  circulator’s name, permanent address, and petition circulator
  537  number or barcode.
  538         2.The following statement, which must be signed and dated
  539  by the circulator:
  540  
  541         By my signature below, as petition circulator, I
  542         verify that the petition was completed and signed by
  543         the voter in my presence. Under penalty of perjury, I
  544         declare that I have read the foregoing Petition
  545         Circulator’s Affidavit, and that the facts stated in
  546         it are true, and that if I was paid to circulate or
  547         collect this petition, payment was not on a per
  548         signature basis.
  549  
  550         (e)A petition form distributed by a person other than a
  551  petition circulator must also include, in lieu of the Petition
  552  Circulator’s Affidavit, the following notice:
  553  
  554         This form is for PERSONAL USE only. Unless registered
  555         as a petition circulator, it is a third degree felony
  556         to collect, deliver, or otherwise physically possess
  557         more than two signed petition forms in addition to
  558         your own or those of immediate family members.
  559  
  560         (f)The petition form must be in a type not less than 10
  561  points, except for the full text of the proposed amendment,
  562  which may be in a type not less than 6 points if 10-point type
  563  would cause the length of the petition form to exceed one page
  564  front and back.
  565         (4)(a)Beginning July 1, 2025, unless registered as a
  566  petition circulator with the Secretary of State and issued a
  567  petition circulator number, a person may not collect, deliver,
  568  or otherwise physically possess more than two signed petition
  569  forms in addition to his or her own signed petition form or a
  570  signed petition form belonging to an immediate family member.
  571  For the purposes of this subsection, the term “immediate family”
  572  means a person’s spouse, or the parent, child, grandparent,
  573  grandchild, or sibling of the person or the person’s spouse
  574  signatures or initiative petitions for compensation unless the
  575  person is registered as a petition circulator with the Secretary
  576  of State.
  577         (b)A person may not collect signatures or initiative
  578  petitions if he or she:
  579         1. Has been convicted of a felony violation and has not had
  580  his or her right to vote restored.
  581         2.Is not a citizen of the United States.
  582         3.Is not a resident of this state.
  583         (b) A citizen may challenge a petition circulator’s
  584  registration under this section by filing a petition in circuit
  585  court. If the court finds that the respondent is not a
  586  registered petition circulator, the court may enjoin the
  587  respondent from collecting signatures or initiative petitions
  588  for compensation until she or he is lawfully registered.
  589         (c)(4) An application for registration must be submitted in
  590  the format required by the Secretary of State and must include
  591  the following:
  592         1.(a) The information required to be on the petition form
  593  under s. 101.161, including the ballot summary and title as
  594  received approved by the Secretary of State.
  595         2.(b) The applicant’s name, permanent address, temporary
  596  address, if applicable, and date of birth, Florida driver
  597  license or Florida identification card number, and the last four
  598  digits of his or her social security number.
  599         3.(c) An address in this state at which the applicant will
  600  accept service of process related to disputes concerning the
  601  petition process, if the applicant is not a resident of this
  602  state.
  603         4.(d) A statement that the applicant consents to the
  604  jurisdiction of the courts of this state in resolving disputes
  605  concerning the petition process.
  606         5.(e) Any information required by the Secretary of State to
  607  verify the applicant’s identity or address.
  608         6.Whether the applicant has been convicted of a felony
  609  violation and has not had his or her right to vote restored, by
  610  including the statement, “I affirm that I am not a convicted
  611  felon, or, if I am, my right to vote has been restored,” and
  612  providing a box for the applicant to check to affirm the
  613  statement.
  614         7.Whether the applicant is a citizen of the United States,
  615  by asking the question, “Are you a citizen of the United States
  616  of America?” and providing boxes for the applicant to check
  617  whether the applicant is or is not a citizen of the United
  618  States.
  619         8.Whether the applicant is a Florida resident by asking
  620  the question, “Are you a resident of the state of Florida?” and
  621  providing boxes for the applicant to check whether the applicant
  622  is or is not a resident of the state of Florida.
  623         9.The signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury
  624  for false swearing pursuant to s. 104.011, by which the
  625  applicant swears or affirms that the information contained in
  626  the application is true.
  627         (d)A citizen may challenge a petition circulator’s
  628  registration under this section by filing a petition in circuit
  629  court. If the court finds that the respondent is not a
  630  registered petition circulator, the court may enjoin the
  631  respondent from collecting signatures or initiative petitions
  632  until he or she is lawfully registered.
  633         (e)The division may revoke a petition circulator’s
  634  registration upon the written request of the sponsor of the
  635  initiative petition or if the circulator violates this section.
  636         (f)A person may not register to collect signatures or
  637  initiative petitions until he or she has completed the training
  638  concerning the requirements for petition circulators. The
  639  training must be developed by the division and must be in an
  640  electronic format available on the division’s public website.
  641  The training must, at a minimum, include the following:
  642         1.An overview of the petition-gathering process.
  643         2.An overview of the petition circulator registration
  644  requirements.
  645         3.An explanation that the sponsor of an initiative
  646  amendment serves as a fiduciary to each voter who signs a
  647  petition.
  648         4.An explanation that the Florida Election Code prohibits
  649  compensation or provision of any benefit based on the number of
  650  petition forms gathered or the time within which a number of
  651  petition forms are gathered.
  652         5.The specific criminal penalties to which a petition
  653  circulator may be subject for violating the Florida Election
  654  Code.
  655         (g)The sponsor of the initiative amendment is liable for a
  656  fine in the amount of $50,000 for each person the sponsor
  657  knowingly allows to collect petition forms on behalf of the
  658  sponsor in violation of this subsection.
  659         (5) A sponsor may not compensate a petition circulator
  660  based on the number of petition forms gathered or the time
  661  within which a number of petition forms are gathered. This
  662  prohibition includes, but is not limited to, paying a specified
  663  amount per petition form gathered, basing an hourly rate on the
  664  number of petition forms gathered over a specified period of
  665  time, or providing any other benefit or form of compensation
  666  based on the number of petition forms gathered. All petitions
  667  collected by a petition circulator must contain, in a format
  668  required by the Secretary of State, a completed Petition
  669  Circulator’s Affidavit which includes:
  670         (a) The circulator’s name and permanent address;
  671         (b) The following statement, which must be signed by the
  672  circulator:
  673  
  674         By my signature below, as petition circulator, I
  675         verify that the petition was signed in my presence.
  676         Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read
  677         the foregoing Petition Circulator’s Affidavit and the
  678         facts stated in it are true.
  679  
  680         (6) The division or the supervisor of elections shall make
  681  hard copy petition forms or electronic portable document format
  682  petition forms available to registered petition circulators. All
  683  such forms must contain information identifying the petition
  684  circulator to whom which the forms are provided. The division
  685  shall maintain a database of all registered petition circulators
  686  and the petition forms assigned to each. Each supervisor of
  687  elections shall provide to the division information on petition
  688  forms assigned to and received from petition circulators. The
  689  information must be provided in a format and at times as
  690  required by the division by rule. The division must update
  691  information on petition forms daily and make the information
  692  publicly available.
  693         (7)(a) A sponsor that collects petition forms or uses a
  694  petition circulator to collect petition forms serves as a
  695  fiduciary to the voter elector signing the petition form and
  696  shall ensure, ensuring that any petition form entrusted to the
  697  sponsor or petition circulator is shall be promptly delivered to
  698  the supervisor of elections in the county in which the voter
  699  resides within 10 30 days after the voter elector signs the
  700  form. If a petition form collected by the sponsor or any
  701  petition circulator is not promptly delivered to the supervisor
  702  of elections, the sponsor is liable for the following fines:
  703         1. A fine in the amount of $50 per each day late for each
  704  petition form received by the supervisor of elections in the
  705  county in which the voter resides more than 10 30 days after the
  706  voter elector signed the petition form or the next business day,
  707  if the office is closed. A fine in the amount of $2,500 $250 for
  708  each petition form received if the sponsor or petition
  709  circulator acted willfully.
  710         2. A fine in the amount of $100 per each day late, up to a
  711  maximum of $5,000, for each petition form collected by a sponsor
  712  or a petition circulator, signed by a voter on or before
  713  February 1 of the year the general election is held and received
  714  by the supervisor of elections in the county in which the voter
  715  resides after the deadline for such election. A fine in the
  716  amount of $5,000 for each such petition form received if the
  717  sponsor or petition circulator acted willfully.
  718         3. A fine in the amount of $500 for each petition form
  719  collected by a petition circulator which is not submitted to the
  720  supervisor of elections in the county in which the voter
  721  resides. A fine in the amount of $5,000 $1,000 for any petition
  722  form not so submitted if the sponsor or petition circulator
  723  acting on its behalf acted willfully.
  724         (b) A showing by the sponsor that the failure to deliver
  725  the petition form within the required timeframe is based upon
  726  force majeure or impossibility of performance is an affirmative
  727  defense to a violation of this subsection. The fines described
  728  in this subsection may be waived upon a showing that the failure
  729  to deliver the petition form promptly is based upon force
  730  majeure or impossibility of performance.
  731         (8)If a person collecting petition forms on behalf of a
  732  sponsor of an initiative petition signs another person’s name or
  733  a fictitious name to any petition, or fills in missing
  734  information on a signed petition, to secure a ballot position in
  735  violation of s. 104.185(2), the sponsor of the initiative
  736  petition is liable for a fine in the amount of $5,000 for each
  737  such petition.
  738         (9)If a person collecting petition forms on behalf of a
  739  sponsor of an initiative petition copies or retains a voter’s
  740  personal information, such as the voter’s Florida driver license
  741  number, Florida identification card number, social security
  742  number, or signature, for any reason other than to provide such
  743  information to the sponsor of the initiative petition, the
  744  person commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as
  745  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  746         (10)A sponsor of an initiative petition or a person
  747  collecting petition forms on behalf of a sponsor of an
  748  initiative petition may not mail or otherwise provide a petition
  749  form upon which any information about a voter has been filled in
  750  before it is provided to the voter. The sponsor of an initiative
  751  petition is liable for a fine in the amount of $50 for each
  752  petition form that is a violation of this subsection.
  753         (11)(8) If the Secretary of State reasonably believes that
  754  a person or entity has committed a violation of this section,
  755  the secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General for
  756  enforcement. The Attorney General may institute a civil action
  757  for a violation of this section or to prevent a violation of
  758  this section. An action for relief may include a permanent or
  759  temporary injunction, a restraining order, or any other
  760  appropriate order. If the sponsor of an initiative petition
  761  discovers a violation of this section and reports the violation
  762  as soon as practicable to the secretary, the sponsor may not be
  763  fined for such violation.
  764         (12)(9) The division shall adopt by rule a complaint form
  765  for a voter an elector who claims to have had his or her
  766  signature misrepresented, forged, or not delivered to the
  767  supervisor. The division shall also adopt rules to ensure the
  768  integrity of the petition form gathering process, including
  769  rules requiring sponsors to account for all petition forms used
  770  by their agents. Such rules may require a sponsor or petition
  771  circulator to provide identification information on each
  772  petition form as determined by the department as needed to
  773  assist in the accounting of petition forms.
  774         (13)(10) The date on which a voter an elector signs a
  775  petition form is presumed to be the date on which the petition
  776  circulator received or collected the petition form.
  777         (14)(a)(11)(a) An initiative petition form circulated for
  778  signature may not be bundled with or attached to any other
  779  petition. Each signature shall be dated when made and shall be
  780  valid until the next February 1 occurring in an even-numbered
  781  year for the purpose of the amendment appearing on the ballot
  782  for the general election occurring in that same year, provided
  783  all other requirements of law are met. The sponsor shall submit
  784  signed and dated forms to the supervisor of elections for the
  785  county of residence listed by the person signing the form for
  786  verification of the number of valid signatures obtained.
  787         (b)The supervisor shall record the date each submitted
  788  petition is received. If a signature on a petition is from a
  789  registered voter in another county, the supervisor must shall
  790  notify the petition sponsor and the division of the misfiled
  791  petition. The supervisor shall promptly verify the signatures
  792  within 60 days after receipt of the petition forms and payment
  793  and processing of a fee for the actual cost of signature
  794  verification incurred by the supervisor. However, for petition
  795  forms submitted less than 60 days before February 1 of an even
  796  numbered year, the supervisor shall promptly verify the
  797  signatures within 30 days after receipt of the form and payment
  798  of the fee for signature verification.
  799         (c)Beginning July 1, 2025, the supervisor shall promptly
  800  record, in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State, the
  801  date each form is received by the supervisor, and the date the
  802  signature on the form is verified as valid. The supervisor may
  803  verify that the signature on a form is valid only if:
  804         1. The form contains the original signature of the
  805  purported voter elector.
  806         2. The purported voter elector has accurately recorded on
  807  the form the date on which he or she signed the form.
  808         3. The form sets forth the purported voter’s: elector’s
  809         a.Full name;,
  810         b. Address and, city, county of residence;, and
  811         c. Voter registration number or date of birth; and
  812         d.Florida driver license or Florida identification card
  813  number issued pursuant to s. 322.051 or the last four digits of
  814  the voter’s social security number.
  815         4. The purported voter elector is, at the time he or she
  816  signs the form and at the time the form is verified, a duly
  817  qualified and registered voter elector in the state.
  818         5. The signature was obtained legally, including that if a
  819  paid petition circulator was used, the circulator was validly
  820  registered under subsection (4) (3) when the signature was
  821  obtained.
  822  
  823  The supervisor shall retain all signature forms, separating
  824  forms verified as valid from those deemed invalid, for at least
  825  1 year following the election for which the petition was
  826  circulated.
  827         (d)1.(b)On the last day of each month, or on the last day
  828  of each week from December 1 of an odd-numbered year through
  829  February 1 of the following year, each supervisor shall
  830  electronically transmit all received petition forms to the
  831  division. The digital images of the scanned petition forms must
  832  be of high enough quality that division personnel are able to
  833  accurately discern elements contained in such forms. Forms must
  834  be identified as valid or as invalid.
  835         2.Each supervisor shall retain all petition forms,
  836  identifying forms verified as valid from those deemed invalid,
  837  until all petition forms have been processed following the
  838  February 1 deadline. As soon as practicable following the
  839  processing of the last timely submitted petition form, but not
  840  later than March 15 following the February 1 deadline, the
  841  supervisor shall deliver the physical forms to the division. The
  842  division shall retain all petition forms for 1 year following
  843  the election for which the petition was circulated.
  844         (e)Beginning October 1, 2025, when the signature on the
  845  petition form is verified as valid, the supervisor shall, as
  846  soon as practicable, notify the voter by mail at the mailing
  847  address on file in the Florida Voter Registration System.
  848         1. Such notice must be sent by forwardable mail with a
  849  postage prepaid preaddressed form, which may be returned to the
  850  Office of Election Crimes and Security. The notice must include
  851  contact information for the Office of Election Crimes and
  852  Security, including the telephone number, fax number, mailing
  853  address, and e-mail address. The notice must include all of the
  854  following statements or information in substantially the
  855  following form:
  856  
  857                               NOTICE                              
  858  
  859         A petition to place a proposed constitutional
  860         amendment on the ballot for the next general election,
  861         bearing your name and signature, has been received and
  862         verified by the Supervisor of Elections Office in ...
  863         (insert county)....
  864  
  865         The petition is for ...(insert the petition serial
  866         number and ballot title)... and was signed on
  867         ...(insert the date the voter signed the petition)....
  868  
  869         Check this box ☐, sign, and return this notice to the
  870         Office of Election Crimes and Security if you believe
  871         your signature has been misrepresented or forged on a
  872         petition. The petition form in question will be
  873         invalidated and will not be counted toward the number
  874         of signatures required to place this proposed
  875         constitutional amendment on the ballot.
  876  
  877         A notice being returned must be received by the Office
  878         of Election Crimes and Security on or before February
  879         1 ... (insert the year in which the general election
  880         is held)....
  881  
  882         ...(Insert the voter’s Florida voter registration
  883         number, and if applicable, the petition circulator’s
  884         number)....
  885  
  886         By signing below, I swear or affirm that my signature
  887         was misrepresented or forged on the petition form
  888         indicated in this notice.
  889  
  890         ...(Voter’s Signature)... ...(Date)...
  891  
  892         This notice becomes a public record upon receipt by
  893         the Office of Election Crimes and Security. It is a
  894         second degree misdemeanor, punishable as provided in
  895         s. 775.082, Florida Statutes, or s. 772.083, Florida
  896         Statutes, for a person to knowingly make a false
  897         official statement pursuant to s. 837.06, Florida
  898         Statutes.
  899  
  900         2.Upon receiving a completed notice, the Office of
  901  Election Crimes and Security shall transmit a copy of such
  902  notices to the division. The division shall deem the voter’s
  903  petition form invalid.
  904         (f) Each supervisor shall post the actual cost of signature
  905  verification for petition forms received more than 60 days
  906  before February 1 of an even-numbered year and for petition
  907  forms received less than 60 days before February 1 of an even
  908  numbered year on his or her website, and may increase such cost,
  909  as necessary, annually on March 1 February 2 of each even
  910  numbered year. These costs include operating and personnel costs
  911  associated with comparing signatures, printing and all postage
  912  costs related to the verification notice required by paragraph
  913  (e), and transmitting petition forms to the division. The
  914  division shall also publish each county’s current cost on its
  915  website. The division and each supervisor shall biennially
  916  review available technology aimed at reducing verification
  917  costs.
  918         (g)(c) On the last day of each month, or on the last day of
  919  each week from December 1 of an odd-numbered year through
  920  February 1 of the following year, each supervisor shall post on
  921  his or her website the total number of signatures submitted, the
  922  total number of invalid signatures, the total number of
  923  signatures processed, and the aggregate number of verified valid
  924  signatures and the distribution of such signatures by
  925  congressional district for each proposed amendment proposed by
  926  initiative, along with the following information specific to the
  927  reporting period: the total number of signed petition forms
  928  received, the total number of signatures verified, the
  929  distribution of verified valid signatures by congressional
  930  district, and the total number of verified petition forms
  931  forwarded to the Secretary of State. For any reporting period in
  932  which the percentage of petition forms deemed invalid by the
  933  supervisor exceeds a total of 25 percent of the petition forms
  934  received by the supervisor for that reporting period, the
  935  supervisor shall notify the Office of Election Crimes and
  936  Security. The Office of Election Crimes and Security shall
  937  conduct a preliminary investigation into the activities of the
  938  sponsor, one or more petition circulators, or a person
  939  collecting petition forms on behalf of a sponsor, to determine
  940  whether the invalidated petitions are a result of fraud or any
  941  other violation of this section. As authorized by ss. 97.012(15)
  942  and 97.022(1), the Office of Elections Crimes and Security may,
  943  if warranted, report findings to the statewide prosecutor or the
  944  state attorney for the judicial circuit in which the alleged
  945  violation occurred for prosecution.
  946         (h)A signed petition form submitted by an ineligible or
  947  unregistered petition circulator must be invalidated and may not
  948  be counted toward the number of necessary signatures for
  949  placement on the ballot.
  950         (15)(12) The Secretary of State shall determine from the
  951  signatures verified by the supervisors of elections the total
  952  number of verified valid signatures, less any signatures that
  953  were invalidated pursuant to subsection (14), and the
  954  distribution of such signatures by congressional districts, and
  955  the division shall post such information on its website at the
  956  same intervals specified in paragraph (14)(g) (11)(c). Upon a
  957  determination that the requisite number and distribution of
  958  valid signatures have been obtained, the secretary shall issue a
  959  certificate of ballot position for that proposed amendment and
  960  shall assign a designating number pursuant to s. 101.161. The
  961  secretary must rescind the certificate of ballot position if an
  962  advisory opinion issued by the Supreme Court pursuant to s.
  963  16.061(1) deems the initiative petition invalid.
  964         (16)(a)(13)(a)Upon receipt of a proposed revision or
  965  amendment from the Secretary of State, the coordinator of the
  966  Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall contact the
  967  person identified as the sponsor to request an official list of
  968  all persons authorized to speak on behalf of the named sponsor
  969  and, if there is one, the sponsoring organization at meetings
  970  held by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference. All other
  971  persons must be deemed interested parties or proponents or
  972  opponents of the initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating
  973  Conference shall provide an opportunity for any representative
  974  of the sponsor, interested parties, and proponents or opponents
  975  of the initiative to submit information and may solicit
  976  information or analysis from any other entities or agencies,
  977  including the Office of Economic and Demographic Research At the
  978  same time the Secretary of State submits an initiative petition
  979  to the Attorney General pursuant to s. 15.21, the secretary
  980  shall submit a copy of the initiative petition to the Financial
  981  Impact Estimating Conference.
  982         (b) Within 75 days after receipt of a proposed revision or
  983  amendment to the State Constitution by initiative petition from
  984  the Secretary of State, the Financial Impact Estimating
  985  Conference shall complete an analysis and financial impact
  986  statement to be placed on the ballot of the estimated increase
  987  or decrease in any revenues or costs to state or local
  988  governments and the overall impact to the state budget resulting
  989  from the proposed initiative. The 75-day time limit is tolled
  990  when the Legislature is in session. The Financial Impact
  991  Estimating Conference shall submit the financial impact
  992  statement to the Attorney General and Secretary of State. If the
  993  initiative petition has been submitted to the Financial Impact
  994  Estimating Conference but the validity of signatures has expired
  995  and the initiative petition no longer qualifies for ballot
  996  placement at the ensuing general election, the Secretary of
  997  State must notify the Financial Impact Estimating Conference.
  998  The Financial Impact Estimating Conference does is not required
  999  to complete an analysis and financial impact statement for an
 1000  initiative petition that fails to meet the requirements of
 1001  subsection (1) for placement on the ballot before the 75-day
 1002  time limit, including any tolling period, expires, the ballot
 1003  must include the statement required by s. 101.161(1)(e). The
 1004  initiative petition may be resubmitted to the Financial Impact
 1005  Estimating Conference if the initiative petition meets the
 1006  requisite criteria for a subsequent general election cycle. A
 1007  new Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall be established
 1008  at such time as the initiative petition again satisfies the
 1009  criteria in s. 15.21(1).
 1010         (b) Immediately upon receipt of a proposed revision or
 1011  amendment from the Secretary of State, the coordinator of the
 1012  Office of Economic and Demographic Research shall contact the
 1013  person identified as the sponsor to request an official list of
 1014  all persons authorized to speak on behalf of the named sponsor
 1015  and, if there is one, the sponsoring organization at meetings
 1016  held by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference. All other
 1017  persons shall be deemed interested parties or proponents or
 1018  opponents of the initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating
 1019  Conference shall provide an opportunity for any representatives
 1020  of the sponsor, interested parties, proponents, or opponents of
 1021  the initiative to submit information and may solicit information
 1022  or analysis from any other entities or agencies, including the
 1023  Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
 1024         (c) The Financial Impact Estimating Conference may be
 1025  convened only by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of
 1026  the House of Representatives, jointly. All meetings of the
 1027  Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall be open to the
 1028  public. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
 1029  of Representatives, jointly, shall be the sole judge for the
 1030  interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of this
 1031  subsection.
 1032         1. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference is
 1033  established to review, analyze, and estimate the financial
 1034  impact of amendments to or revisions of the State Constitution
 1035  proposed by initiative. The Financial Impact Estimating
 1036  Conference shall be composed consist of four principals: one
 1037  person from the professional staff of the Executive Office of
 1038  the Governor or from a state agency, designated by the Governor;
 1039  the coordinator of the Office of Economic and Demographic
 1040  Research, or his or her designee; one person from the
 1041  professional staff of the Senate, designated by the President of
 1042  the Senate; and one person from the professional staff of the
 1043  House of Representatives, designated by the Speaker of the House
 1044  of Representatives. Each principal shall have appropriate fiscal
 1045  expertise in the subject matter of the initiative. A Financial
 1046  Impact Estimating Conference may be appointed for each
 1047  initiative.
 1048         2. Principals of the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
 1049  shall reach a consensus or majority concurrence on a clear and
 1050  unambiguous financial impact statement, no more than 150 words
 1051  in length, and immediately submit the statement to the Attorney
 1052  General. Nothing in this subsection prohibits the Financial
 1053  Impact Estimating Conference from setting forth a range of
 1054  potential impacts in the financial impact statement. Any
 1055  financial impact statement that a court finds not to be in
 1056  accordance with this section shall be remanded solely to the
 1057  Financial Impact Estimating Conference for redrafting. The
 1058  Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall redraft the
 1059  financial impact statement within 15 days.
 1060         3. If the Supreme Court has rejected the initial submission
 1061  by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference and no redraft has
 1062  been approved by the Supreme Court by 5 p.m. on the 75th day
 1063  before the election, the following statement shall appear on the
 1064  ballot: “The impact of this measure, if any, has not been
 1065  determined at this time.”
 1066         (d) The financial impact statement must be separately
 1067  contained on the petition form and the ballot and be set forth
 1068  after the ballot summary as required in s. 101.161(1).
 1069         1. If the financial impact statement projects a net
 1070  negative impact on the state budget, the ballot must include the
 1071  statement required by s. 101.161(1)(b).
 1072         2. If the financial impact statement projects a net
 1073  positive impact on the state budget, the ballot must include the
 1074  statement required by s. 101.161(1)(c).
 1075         3. If the financial impact statement estimates an
 1076  indeterminate financial impact or if the members of the
 1077  Financial Impact Estimating Conference are unable to agree on
 1078  the statement required by this subsection, the ballot must
 1079  include the statement required by s. 101.161(1)(d).
 1080         4.If the financial impact statement was not produced or if
 1081  the Financial Impact Estimating Conference did not meet to
 1082  produce the financial statement, the ballot must include the
 1083  statement required by s. 101.161(1)(e).
 1084         (e)1. Any financial impact statement that the Supreme Court
 1085  finds not to be in accordance with this subsection shall be
 1086  remanded solely to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
 1087  for redrafting, provided the court’s advisory opinion is
 1088  rendered at least 75 days before the election at which the
 1089  question of ratifying the amendment will be presented. The
 1090  Financial Impact Estimating Conference shall prepare and adopt a
 1091  revised financial impact statement no later than 5 p.m. on the
 1092  15th day after the date of the court’s opinion. The sponsor of
 1093  the initiative must refile the petition with the revised
 1094  financial impact statement with the Secretary of State as a new
 1095  petition.
 1096         2. If, by 5 p.m. on the 75th day before the election, the
 1097  Supreme Court has not issued an advisory opinion on the initial
 1098  financial impact statement prepared by the Financial Impact
 1099  Estimating Conference for an initiative amendment that otherwise
 1100  meets the legal requirements for ballot placement, the financial
 1101  impact statement shall be deemed approved for placement on the
 1102  ballot.
 1103         (f)3. In addition to the financial impact statement
 1104  required by this subsection, the Financial Impact Estimating
 1105  Conference shall draft an initiative financial information
 1106  statement. The initiative financial information statement should
 1107  describe in greater detail than the financial impact statement
 1108  any projected increase or decrease in revenues or costs that the
 1109  state or local governments would likely experience if the ballot
 1110  measure were approved. If appropriate, the initiative financial
 1111  information statement may include both estimated dollar amounts
 1112  and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into
 1113  context. The initiative financial information statement must
 1114  include both a summary of not more than 500 words and additional
 1115  detailed information that includes the assumptions that were
 1116  made to develop the financial impacts, workpapers, and any other
 1117  information deemed relevant by the Financial Impact Estimating
 1118  Conference.
 1119         (g)4. The Department of State shall have printed, and shall
 1120  furnish to each supervisor of elections, a copy of the summary
 1121  from the initiative financial information statements. The
 1122  supervisors shall have the summary from the initiative financial
 1123  information statements available at each polling place and at
 1124  the main office of the supervisor of elections upon request.
 1125         (h)5. The Secretary of State and the Office of Economic and
 1126  Demographic Research shall make available on the Internet each
 1127  initiative financial information statement in its entirety. In
 1128  addition, each supervisor of elections whose office has a
 1129  website shall post the summary from each initiative financial
 1130  information statement on the website. Each supervisor shall
 1131  include a copy of each summary from the initiative financial
 1132  information statements and the Internet addresses for the
 1133  information statements on the Secretary of State’s and the
 1134  Office of Economic and Demographic Research’s websites in the
 1135  publication or mailing required by s. 101.20.
 1136         (17)(14) The Department of State may adopt rules in
 1137  accordance with s. 120.54 to implement this section carry out
 1138  the provisions of subsections (1)-(14).
 1139         (18)(15) No provision of this code shall be deemed to
 1140  prohibit a private person exercising lawful control over
 1141  privately owned property, including property held open to the
 1142  public for the purposes of a commercial enterprise, from
 1143  excluding from such property persons seeking to engage in
 1144  activity supporting or opposing initiative amendments.
 1145         Section 7. (1)By July 1, 2025, the Department of State
 1146  shall update the forms as required by the amendments made to s.
 1147  100.371(3), Florida Statutes, for any proposed amendments
 1148  received before July 1, 2025.
 1149         (2)(a)By June 1, 2025, the Department of State shall make
 1150  available a new petition circulator application to incorporate
 1151  the amendments made to s. 100.371(4), Florida Statutes.
 1152         (b)1.Effective July 1, 2025, the registration of each
 1153  petition circulator expires.
 1154         2.No later than 7 days after this section becomes law, the
 1155  Department of State shall notify each petition circulator that
 1156  his or her registration expires on July 1, 2025, and that he or
 1157  she may reregister by completing a new application that will be
 1158  available before the current registration expires.
 1159         (c)By June 1, 2025, the Department of State shall develop
 1160  the training required by s. 100.371(4)(f), Florida Statutes.
 1161         (3)No later than October 1, 2025, a supervisor of
 1162  elections may increase the cost of signature verification
 1163  pursuant to the amendments made to s. 100.371(14)(f), Florida
 1164  Statutes. A supervisor shall post the cost of signature
 1165  verification on his or her publicly available website as soon as
 1166  such cost is determined.
 1167         Section 8. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
 1168  101.161, Florida Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (e) is
 1169  added to that subsection, to read:
 1170         101.161 Referenda; ballots.—
 1171         (1) Whenever a constitutional amendment or other public
 1172  measure is submitted to the vote of the people, a ballot summary
 1173  of such amendment or other public measure shall be printed in
 1174  clear and unambiguous language on the ballot after the list of
 1175  candidates, followed by the word “yes” and also by the word
 1176  “no,” and shall be styled in such a manner that a “yes” vote
 1177  will indicate approval of the proposal and a “no” vote will
 1178  indicate rejection. The ballot summary of the amendment or other
 1179  public measure and the ballot title to appear on the ballot
 1180  shall be embodied in the constitutional revision commission
 1181  proposal, constitutional convention proposal, taxation and
 1182  budget reform commission proposal, or enabling resolution or
 1183  ordinance. The ballot summary of the amendment or other public
 1184  measure shall be an explanatory statement, not exceeding 75
 1185  words in length, of the chief purpose of the measure. In
 1186  addition, for every constitutional amendment proposed by
 1187  initiative, the ballot shall include, following the ballot
 1188  summary, in the following order:
 1189         (a) A separate financial impact statement concerning the
 1190  measure prepared by the Financial Impact Estimating Conference
 1191  in accordance with s. 100.371(16) s. 100.371(13).
 1192         (e)If the financial impact statement was not produced or
 1193  if the Financial Impact Estimating Conference did not meet to
 1194  produce the financial impact statement, the following statement
 1195  in bold print:
 1196  
 1197         THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THIS AMENDMENT, IF ANY, HAS
 1198         NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME.
 1199  
 1200  The ballot title shall consist of a caption, not exceeding 15
 1201  words in length, by which the measure is commonly referred to or
 1202  spoken of. This subsection does not apply to constitutional
 1203  amendments or revisions proposed by joint resolution.
 1204         Section 9. Subsection (2) of section 102.111, Florida
 1205  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1206         102.111 Elections Canvassing Commission.—
 1207         (2) The Elections Canvassing Commission shall meet at 8
 1208  a.m. on the 9th day after a primary election and at 8 a.m. on
 1209  the 14th day after a general election to certify the returns of
 1210  the election for each federal, state, and multicounty office and
 1211  for each constitutional amendment. If a member of a county
 1212  canvassing board that was constituted pursuant to s. 102.141
 1213  determines, within 5 days after the certification by the
 1214  Elections Canvassing Commission, that a typographical error
 1215  occurred in the official returns of the county, the correction
 1216  of which could result in a change in the outcome of an election,
 1217  the county canvassing board must certify corrected returns to
 1218  the Department of State within 24 hours, and the Elections
 1219  Canvassing Commission must correct and recertify the election
 1220  returns as soon as practicable.
 1221         Section 10. Section 102.121, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1222  to read:
 1223         102.121 Elections Canvassing Commission to issue
 1224  certificates.—The Elections Canvassing Commission shall make and
 1225  sign separate certificates of the result of the election for
 1226  federal officers, and state officers, and constitutional
 1227  amendments, which certificates must shall be written and contain
 1228  the total number of votes cast for and against each person for
 1229  each office and the total number of votes cast for and against
 1230  each constitutional amendment. The certificates, the one
 1231  including the result of the election for presidential electors
 1232  and representatives to Congress, and the other including the
 1233  result of the election for state officers, shall be recorded in
 1234  the Department of State in a book to be kept for that purpose.
 1235         Section 11. Subsections (1), (3), and (4) of section
 1236  102.168, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
 1237         102.168 Contest of election.—
 1238         (1) Except as provided in s. 102.171, the certification of
 1239  election or nomination of any person to office, or of the
 1240  adoption of a constitutional amendment or the result on any
 1241  question submitted by referendum, may be contested in the
 1242  circuit court by any unsuccessful candidate for such office or
 1243  nomination thereto or by any voter elector qualified to vote in
 1244  the election related to such candidacy or constitutional
 1245  amendment, or by any taxpayer, respectively.
 1246         (3) The complaint must shall set forth the grounds on which
 1247  the contestant intends to establish his or her right to such
 1248  office; or set aside the result of the election on a submitted
 1249  referendum or constitutional amendment. The grounds for
 1250  contesting an election or a constitutional amendment under this
 1251  section are:
 1252         (a) Misconduct, fraud, or corruption on the part of any
 1253  election official or any member of the canvassing board
 1254  sufficient to change or place in doubt the result of the
 1255  election.
 1256         (b) Ineligibility of the successful candidate for the
 1257  nomination or office in dispute or of the proposed
 1258  constitutional amendment for placement on the ballot.
 1259         (c) Receipt of a number of illegal votes or rejection of a
 1260  number of legal votes sufficient to change or place in doubt the
 1261  result of the election.
 1262         (d) Proof that any voter elector, election official, or
 1263  canvassing board member was given or offered a bribe or reward
 1264  in money, property, or any other thing of value for the purpose
 1265  of procuring the successful candidate’s nomination or election
 1266  or determining the result on any question submitted by
 1267  referendum or constitutional amendment.
 1268         (4) The canvassing board responsible for canvassing the
 1269  election is an indispensable party defendant in county and local
 1270  elections. The Elections Canvassing Commission is an
 1271  indispensable party defendant in federal, state, and multicounty
 1272  elections, in elections for constitutional amendments, and in
 1273  elections for justice of the Supreme Court, judge of a district
 1274  court of appeal, and judge of a circuit court. The successful
 1275  candidate is an indispensable party to any action brought to
 1276  contest the election or nomination of a candidate. The sponsor
 1277  of a constitutional amendment proposed by initiative petition,
 1278  identified pursuant to s. 100.371, is an indispensable party to
 1279  any action brought to contest such election.
 1280         Section 12. Subsection (2) of section 104.185, Florida
 1281  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1282         104.185 Petitions; knowingly signing more than once;
 1283  signing another person’s name or a fictitious name.—
 1284         (2) A person who signs another person’s name or a
 1285  fictitious name to any petition, or who fills in missing
 1286  information on a signed petition, to secure ballot position for
 1287  a candidate, a minor political party, or an issue commits a
 1288  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
 1289  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
 1290         Section 13. Section 104.186, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1291  to read:
 1292         104.186 Initiative petitions; violations.—A person who
 1293  compensates a petition circulator as defined in s. 97.021 based
 1294  on the number of petition forms gathered, as prohibited by s.
 1295  100.371(5), commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as
 1296  provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. This section
 1297  does not prohibit employment relationships that do not base
 1298  payment on the number of signatures collected.
 1299         Section 14. Section 104.187, Florida Statutes, is amended
 1300  to read:
 1301         104.187 Initiative petitions; registration.—A person who
 1302  violates s. 100.371(4)(a) s. 100.371(3) commits a misdemeanor of
 1303  the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
 1304  775.083.
 1305         Section 15. Effective July 1, 2025, section 104.188,
 1306  Florida Statutes, is created to read:
 1307         104.188 Petition forms gathered from immediate family;
 1308  violations.—
 1309         (1)For the purposes of this section, the term “immediate
 1310  family” means a person’s spouse or the parent, child,
 1311  grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the person or the
 1312  person’s spouse.
 1313         (2)A person who collects, delivers, or otherwise
 1314  physically possesses more than two signed petition forms in
 1315  addition to his or her own signed petition form or a signed
 1316  petition form belonging to an immediate family member, and who
 1317  is not registered as a petition circulator pursuant to s.
 1318  100.371(4)(a), commits a felony of the third degree, punishable
 1319  as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
 1320         Section 16. Section 106.151, Florida Statutes, is created
 1321  to read:
 1322         106.151 Use of public funds prohibited.—
 1323         (1)As used in this section, the term “public funds” means
 1324  all moneys under the jurisdiction or control of the state
 1325  government.
 1326         (2)The state government or any person acting on behalf of
 1327  the state government may not expend or authorize the expenditure
 1328  of, and a person or group may not accept, public funds for a
 1329  political advertisement or any other communication sent to
 1330  electors concerning any proposed constitutional amendment or
 1331  revision that is subject to a vote of the electors. This
 1332  subsection applies to a communication initiated by the state
 1333  government or a person acting on behalf of the state government,
 1334  irrespective of whether the communication is limited to factual
 1335  information or advocates for the passage or defeat of a proposed
 1336  constitutional amendment or revision. This subsection does not
 1337  preclude the state government or a person acting on behalf of
 1338  the state government from reporting on official actions of the
 1339  state government in an accurate, fair, and impartial manner;
 1340  posting factual information on a government website or in
 1341  printed materials; hosting and providing information at a public
 1342  forum; providing factual information in response to an inquiry;
 1343  or providing information as otherwise authorized or required by
 1344  law.
 1345         (3)With the exception of the prohibitions specified in
 1346  subsection (2), this section does not preclude an elected
 1347  official of the state government from expressing an opinion on
 1348  any issue at any time.
 1349         Section 17. Subsection (3) of section 106.19, Florida
 1350  Statutes, is amended to read:
 1351         106.19 Violations by candidates, persons connected with
 1352  campaigns, and political committees.—
 1353         (3) A political committee sponsoring a constitutional
 1354  amendment proposed by initiative which submits a petition form
 1355  gathered by a paid petition circulator which does not provide
 1356  the name and address of the paid petition circulator on the form
 1357  is subject to the civil penalties prescribed in s. 106.265.
 1358         Section 18. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
 1359  212.055, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
 1360         212.055 Discretionary sales surtaxes; legislative intent;
 1361  authorization and use of proceeds.—It is the legislative intent
 1362  that any authorization for imposition of a discretionary sales
 1363  surtax shall be published in the Florida Statutes as a
 1364  subsection of this section, irrespective of the duration of the
 1365  levy. Each enactment shall specify the types of counties
 1366  authorized to levy; the rate or rates which may be imposed; the
 1367  maximum length of time the surtax may be imposed, if any; the
 1368  procedure which must be followed to secure voter approval, if
 1369  required; the purpose for which the proceeds may be expended;
 1370  and such other requirements as the Legislature may provide.
 1371  Taxable transactions and administrative procedures shall be as
 1372  provided in s. 212.054.
 1373         (1) CHARTER COUNTY AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
 1374  SURTAX.—
 1375         (c)1. The proposal to adopt a discretionary sales surtax as
 1376  provided in this subsection and to create a trust fund within
 1377  the county accounts must shall be placed on the ballot in
 1378  accordance with law and must be approved in a referendum held at
 1379  a general election in accordance with subsection (10).
 1380         2. If the proposal to adopt a surtax is by initiative, the
 1381  petition sponsor must, at least 180 days before the proposed
 1382  referendum, comply with all of the following:
 1383         a. Provide a copy of the final resolution or ordinance to
 1384  the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
 1385  Accountability. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and
 1386  Government Accountability shall procure a certified public
 1387  accountant in accordance with subsection (11) for the
 1388  performance audit.
 1389         b. File the initiative petition and its required valid
 1390  signatures with the supervisor of elections. The supervisor of
 1391  elections shall verify signatures and retain signature forms in
 1392  the same manner as required for initiatives under s. 100.371(14)
 1393  s. 100.371(11).
 1394         3. The failure of an initiative sponsor to comply with the
 1395  requirements of subparagraph 2. renders any referendum held
 1396  void.
 1397         Section 19. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (8) of
 1398  section 895.02, Florida Statutes, to read:
 1399         895.02 Definitions.—As used in ss. 895.01-895.08, the term:
 1400         (8) “Racketeering activity” means to commit, to attempt to
 1401  commit, to conspire to commit, or to solicit, coerce, or
 1402  intimidate another person to commit:
 1403         (d)A violation of the Florida Election Code relating to
 1404  irregularities or fraud involving issue petition activities.
 1405         Section 20. (1)To ensure uniformity and integrity in the
 1406  initiative process, a signed petition form may not be verified
 1407  between July 1, 2025, and September 30, 2025.
 1408         (2)A petition form gathered after July 1, 2025, must be
 1409  delivered as provided in this act to the appropriate entity. The
 1410  processing hold described in subsection (1) does not toll any
 1411  timeframe requirements that petition circulators are required to
 1412  meet and may not be used as a defense to any fine imposed for
 1413  the late submission of any petition forms to the appropriate
 1414  entity.
 1415         Section 21. Except as otherwise provided in this act, this
 1416  act shall take effect upon becoming a law.