Limiting Florida's Constitution Revision Commission

Abstract

Every twenty years, Florida’s Constitution mandates the establishment of the Constitution Revision Commission, a 37-member body that has been the author of fifteen successful changes to Florida’s Constitution since 1998. The 2018 Constitution Revision Commission, or “CRC,” proposed seven amendments, covering seventeen unique policy areas, which were ultimately approved by Florida voters. Despite being an efficient way to amend Florida’s Constitution, the CRC has very few checks on its considerable power. Therefore, instead of waiting until the next CRC in 2038 to consider its purpose and structure, this paper outlines the CRC, discusses its utility, and suggests adding several important limitations to its powers in order to make the CRC a more credible and useful institution.

Keywords: Florida Constitutional Law, Constitution Revision Commission