Campaign Finance

Repeal of the public financing of statewide candidates who agree to spending limits

Amendment 1 Wording

According to the Florida Department of Elections the summary of the measure reads as follows:^[3]

Proposing the repeal of the provision in the State Constitution that requires public financing of campaigns of candidates for elective statewide office who agree to campaign spending limits.

Taxes

An additional homestead property tax exemption for members of the United States military or military reserves

Amendment 2 Wording

According to the Florida Department of Elections the summary of the measure reads as follows:^[3]

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require the Legislature to provide an additional homestead property tax exemption by law for members of the United States military or military reserves, the United States Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard who receive a homestead exemption and were deployed in the previous year on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by theLegislature. The exempt amount will be based upon the number of days in the previous calendar year that the person was deployed on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the Legislature. The amendment is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2011.

Taxes

Reduces the maximum annual increase in the assessed values of nonhomestead properties to 5%

Amendment 3 Wording

According to the Florida Department of Elections the summary of the measure reads as follows:^[3]

The State Constitution generally limits the maximum annual increase in the assessed value of nonhomestead property to 10 percent annually. This proposed amendment reduces the maximum annual increase in the assessed values of those properties to 5 percent annually. This amendment also requires the Legislature to provide an additional homestead exemption for persons who have not owned a principal residence during the preceding 8 years. Under the exemption, 25 percent of the just value of a first-time homestead, up to $100,000, will be exempt from property taxes. The amount of the additional exemption will decrease in each succeeding year for 5 years by the greater of 20 percent of the initial additional exemption or the difference between the just value and the assessed value of the property. The additional exemption will not be available in the 6th and subsequent years.

Property Rights

Requires voter approval of all changes to local comprehensive land-use plans

Amendment 4 Wording

The official ballot summary is:

Establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum, following preparation by the local planning agency, consideration by the governing body and notice. Provides definitions.

Redistricting

Amends the current practice of drawing legislative district boundaries

Amendment 5 Wording

Below is the ballot summary for Amendment 5

Legislative districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. Districts shall not be drawn to deny racial or language minorities the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice. Districts must be contiguous. Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries.

Redistricting

Amends the current practice of drawing congressional district boundaries

Amendment 6 Wording

Below is the ballot summary for Amendment 6:

Congressional districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. Districts shall not be drawn to deny racial or language minorities the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice. Districts must be contiguous. Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries.

Redistricting

Would bar lawmakers from favoring any political party or incumbent when redrawing legislative and congressional districts

Amendment 7 Wording

According to the Florida Department of Elections the summary of the measure reads as follows:^[9]

In establishing congressional and legislative district boundaries or plans, the state shall apply federal requirements and balance and implement the standards in the State Constitution. The state shall take into consideration the ability of racial and language minorities to participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice, and communities of common interest other than political parties may be respected and promoted, both without subordination to any other provision of Article III of the State Constitution. Districts and plans are valid if the balancing and implementation of standards is rationally related to the standards contained in the State Constitution and is consistent with federal law.

Education

Changes the current “maximum” class sizes to school-wide “average” class sizes

Amendment 8 Wording

According to the Florida Department of Elections the summary of the measure reads as follows:^[10]

The Florida Constitution currently limits the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in public school classrooms in the following grade groupings: for prekindergarten through grade 3, 18 students; for grades 4 through 8, 22 students; and for grades 9 through 12, 25 students. Under this amendment, the current limits on the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in public school classrooms would become limits on the average number of students assigned per class to each teacher, by specified grade grouping, in each public school. This amendment also adopts new limits on the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher in an individual classroom as follows: for prekindergarten through grade 3, 21 students; for grades 4 through 8, 27 students; and for grades 9 through 12, 30 students. This amendment specifies that class size limits do not apply to virtual classes, requires the Legislature to provide sufficient funds to maintain the average number of students required by this amendment, and schedules these revisions to take effect upon approval by the electors of this state and to operate retroactively to the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.

Health Care

Prohibit rules against participating in specific health care

Amendment 9 Wording

The Florida Legislature voted on April 22, 2010 to place the proposed amendment on the statewide ballot. The measure, if approved by voters, would ban any laws that require people to participate in a health care system. A minimum of 60% of voters must approve the amendment in order for it to take effect.^[4][5][6]

Budgets

Asks whether Congress should add an amendment to the US Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget

Federal Budget Question

Florida Federal Budget Advisory Question, also known as Senate Bill 2742, will appear on the November 2, 2010 ballot in Florida as an advisory question. The question is a nonbinding referendum that asks whether Congress should add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget.^[1][2]