Florida Constitutional Amendments up for consideration - 2004

[sidestreamer]

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/initiatives/initiativelistBallot.asp

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF A MINOR'S TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Reference:
Article X, Section 22


Summary: (View Full Text)
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize the Legislature to require by general law for notification to a parent or guardian of a minor before the termination of the minor's pregnancy. The amendment provides that the Legislature shall not limit or deny the privacy rights guaranteed to minors under the United States Supreme Court. The Legislature shall provide exceptions to such requirement for notification and shall create a process for judicial waiver of the requirement for notification.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE

Reference:
ARTICLE IV, SECTION 10 and ARTICLE XI, SECTION 5


Summary: (View Full Text)
Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require the sponsor of a constitutional amendment proposed by citizen initiative to file the initiative petition with the Secretary of State by February 1 of the year of a general election in order to have the measure submitted to the electors for approval or rejection at the following November's general election, and to require the Florida Supreme Court to render an advisory opinion addressing the validity of an initiative petition by April 1 of the year in which the amendment is to be submitted to the electors.

The Medical Liability Claimant's Compensation Amendment

Reference:
Article I, Section 26


Summary: (View Full Text)
Proposes to amend the State Constitution to provide that an injured claimant who enters into a contingency fee agreement with an attorney in a claim for medical liability is entitled to no less than 70% of the first $250,000.00 in all damages received by the claimant, and 90% of damages in excess of $250,000.00, exclusive of reasonable and customary costs and regardless of the number of defendants. This amendment is intended to be self-executing.

Authorizes Miami-Dade and Broward County Voters to Approve Slot Machines in Parimutuel Facilities

Reference:
Article X, Section 19


Summary: (View Full Text)
Authorizes Miami-Dade and Broward Counties to hold referenda on whether to authorize slot machines in existing, licensed parimutuel facilities (thoroughbred and harness racing, greyhound racing, and jai alai) that have conducted live racing or games in that county during each of the last two calendar years before effective date of this amendment. The Legislature may tax slot machine revenues, and any such taxes must supplement public education funding statewide. Requires implementing legislation.

Florida Minimum Wage Amendment

Reference:
Article X


Summary: (View Full Text)
This amendment creates a Florida minimum wage covering all employees in the state covered by the federal minimum wage. The state minimum wage will start at $6.15 per hour six months after enactment, and thereafter be indexed to inflation each year. It provides for enforcement, including double damages for unpaid wages, attorney's fees, and fines by the state. It forbids retaliation against employees for exercising this right.

Repeal of High Speed Rail Amendment

Reference:
Article X, Section 19


Summary: (View Full Text)
This amendment repeals an amendment in the Florida Constitution that requires the Legislature, the Cabinet and the Governor to proceed with the development and operation of a high speed ground transportation system by the state and/or by a private entity.



Patients' Right to Know About Adverse Medical Incidents

Reference:
Article X, Section 22


Summary: (View Full Text)
Current Florida law restricts information available to patients related to investigations of adverse medical incidents, such as medical malpractice. This amendment would give patients the right to review, upon request, records of health care facilities' or providers' adverse medical incidents, including those which could cause injury or death. Provides that patients' identities should not be disclosed.

Public Protection from Repeated Medical Malpractice

Reference:
Article X, Section 20


Summary: (View Full Text)
Current law allows medical doctors who have committed repeated malpractice to be licensed to practice medicine in Florida. This amendment prohibits medical doctors who have been found to have committed three or more incidents of medical malpractice from being licensed to practice medicine in Florida.

[No Mandate Here.]

1. Strange, There are more that make sense

than don't. With apologies to the residents, I figured they would all be neanderthal. I hope the good amendments pass.

[FloridaPat]

2. When is the election that we vote on these? Anyone know?

It's not the November one is it? The republicans are trying to take control of the state away from the people who vote. Why can't we put these creeps in jail where they belong???

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. November 2

[democrat in Tallahassee]

3. Jeb just ignores anything we pass, so what difference does it

make what we vote on?

[no_hypocrisy]

4. It is a dangerous precedent to amend a constitution to TAKE AWAY

fundamental rights.

Not only that, but the subject of such a provision, pregnant girls under the age of 18 years, are not old enough to vote to have a say in the outcome of such a proposal.

[FloridaPat]

6. What is the August 31 primary?

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. The primary is when Democrats and Republicans choose nominees

for offices like State House, State Senate, Congress, US Senate, School Board, and various county offices.

[dryan]

8. Keep high speed rail amendment....

folks, if this one is defeated, I think that it will give the GOP an opening to repeal other recently passed amendments, namely the small classroom size amendment and Amendment 11 which 're-created' the Board of Governors for the university system. I know that there are a lot of concerns about high speed rail but I feel that this is just an excuse to get rid of other laws that the Governor and his goons don't like.

[sidestreamer]

9. They'll go after those two regardless of the vote on this.

This high-speed rail idea is a fiscal trainwreck and it screws over every Panhandle and North Florida resident who won't benefit from it.

Then again, almost every amendment that makes the ballot passes anyway unless it's specific to Miami...