Meet the Commissioners Constitutional Amendment Timeline CRC In the News CRC Resources
Florida’s 20-Year Quirk: The Upcoming Constitution Revision Commission
By Christopher Emmanuel, Director of Infrastructure and Governance Policy, Florida Chamber of Commerce
The Journal of The James Madison Institute, Fall 2016
Among its many oddities, the Florida Constitution of 1968 has a provision that is as unique as the state it governs: the creation of a Constitutional Revision Commission (“CRC” or “the Commission”), to be held every 20 years, with the authority to propose revisions to the state’s Constitution. The only check on this extraordinary committee’s work is the ballot box – there is no judicial review, executive veto or legislative remedy.
In fact, there is not even a single subject requirement where the proposed measure must focus on only one topic to make it easier for voters to understand and further clarify intent. This extraordinary committee, comprised of appointments from each of the three branches of government, has unexpected yet almost total power over the way our state is structured.
How to Get Involved
In prior years, the applicants have numbered in the hundreds. Considering the breadth of possible issues, prior Governors have issued statements asking for diversity in expertise. If you would like to get involved, contact Hannah Kaplan today.