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For example, in Florida they are voting for:

  • Amendment 3 · Tax exemption for totally and partially disabled first-responders Results expected after 7 PM EST
  • Amendment 5 · Tax exemption for low-income, senior, and long-term residents

I read the senate and the house already voted for those laws. So why is there a need for a referendum? And why those laws specifically and not others?

Is it possible to have an amendment that says to dismiss all taxes for everyone? Such a law would probably be passed by the public too.

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  • The taxes was just an example. I can think of many laws that the majority of people will want to pass.
    – Ronen Festinger
    Jan 25, 2017 at 8:15

1 Answer 1

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Any amendment to the state constitution has to be approved by the voters and it needs to pass with 60% of the vote to be approved.

https://ballotpedia.org/Article_XI,_Florida_Constitution#Section_5

(a) A proposed amendment to or revision of this constitution, or any part of it, shall be submitted to the electors at the next general election held more than ninety days after the joint resolution or report of revision commission, constitutional convention or taxation and budget reform commission proposing it is filed with the custodian of state records, unless, pursuant to law enacted by the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the membership of each house of the legislature and limited to a single amendment or revision, it is submitted at an earlier special election held more than ninety days after such filing.

(b) A proposed amendment or revision of this constitution, or any part of it, by initiative shall be submitted to the electors at the general election provided the initiative petition is filed with the custodian of state records no later than February 1 of the year in which the general election is held.

(c) The legislature shall provide by general law, prior to the holding of an election pursuant to this section, for the provision of a statement to the public regarding the probable financial impact of any amendment proposed by initiative pursuant to section 3.

(d) Once in the tenth week, and once in the sixth week immediately preceding the week in which the election is held, the proposed amendment or revision, with notice of the date of election at which it will be submitted to the electors, shall be published in one newspaper of general circulation in each county in which a newspaper is published.

(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided for elsewhere in this constitution, if the proposed amendment or revision is approved by vote of at least sixty percent of the electors voting on the measure, it shall be effective as an amendment to or revision of the constitution of the state on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January following the election, or on such other date as may be specified in the amendment or revision.[1]

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  • Not generally true, though it may be for Florida. Every state has different criteria. some don't allow it at all: ballotpedia.org/States_without_initiative_or_referendum
    – jamesqf
    Jul 10, 2021 at 16:53
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    @jamesqf This question is asking about Florida and it is tagged with Florida. It doesn't matter what other states do when the OP is asking about the state of Florida.
    – Joe W
    Jul 10, 2021 at 17:48

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