There will be six statewide amendments and one countywide amendment on the November 4th election ballot. The following is a summary of the amendments. (Please note that Amendments 5, 7 and 9 have been removed from ballot):
Amendment 1: Relating to Property Rights/Ineligible Aliens
This measure proposes an amendment to the State Constitution to delete provisions authorizing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real property by aliens that are ineligible for citizenship.
This amendment will remove an early 1900's law that was designed to prohibit ineligible Asian-American immigrants from owning land. Currently, Florida and New Mexico are the only two states that still maintain these racially biased provisions in their constitutions. Both states have amendments on the November ballot to remove these provisions.
Amendment 2: Florida Marriage Protection Amendment
This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.
A Florida statute now prohibits marriages other than those between a woman and a man. This ballot initiative was proposed by a citizen group in the event that the statute might be declared unconstitutional. It is the only citizens' initiative on the ballot.
Amendment 3: Changes and Improvements Not Affecting the Assessed Value of Residential Real Property
This proposal allows the Legislature to prohibit the consideration of wind-damage resistant changes and improvements and the installation of renewable energy source devices in the determination of the assessed value of residential property, and repeals existing renewable energy source device exemptions no longer in effect.
Basically, this amendment prevents local governments from increasing property values and taxes as a result of the installation of hurricane-resistance and/or renewable energy home improvements. This will prevent any property tax increases based on "home-hardening" improvements that could result in higher assessments.
This amendment provides a tax exemption for property with conservation easements or conservation protection. Property that is used for conservation in perpetuity would not be taxed. For property that is not encumbered perpetually, this amendment requires the Legislature to classify and assess land used for conservation purposes solely on the basis of character or use - agriculture is an example. This amendment encourages the preservation of Florida's ecosystems. Click here to learn more about this Amendment.
Amendment 6: Assessment of Working Waterfront Property Based Upon Current Use
This amendment provides for assessment of certain working waterfront properties to be assessed based on current use instead of highest and best use. Properties include commercial fishing facilities, marinas, boat ramps, and other water-dependent businesses.
Amendment 8: Local Option Community College Funding
This amendment will provide local communities the ability to increase the local sales tax to fund community colleges. If the amendment is approved, each county would need to approve the tax by referendum. The tax would sunset after 5 years but may be re-approved by voters.
Palm Beach County Local Referendum: Require both county and municipal approval of charter amendments affecting municipal power or function
The Board of County Commissioners placed this countywide question on the ballot which asks:
Shall the Palm Beach County Charter be amended to have charter amendments that are approved by a majority of Palm Beach County voters take effect in a municipality only if the amendment is also approved by a majority of voters in that municipality, when the proposed amendment transfers or limits a municipal service, function, power or authority?
The Charter is the "constitution" of the county and can only be changed by voters residing in unincorporated sections of the county. This amendment will provide the residents of local municipalities the ability to vote on future charter amendments affecting a city's function, services or authority.