Senate panel signs off on proposal to make Secretary of State member of Cabinet

A Senate panel OK’d a proposal Wednesday to make the Secretary of State a statewide elected office.

The Senate Rules committee approved a measure (SJR 1424) sponsored by Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, to make the Secretary of State a member of the Cabinet. It now heads to the full Senate for approval.

Don’t go start buying your campaign signs quite yet, though.

The proposal needs approval from three-fifths of both the House and the Senate. If lawmakers sign off on the measure, it will be placed on the November 2016 ballot, where Floridians can weigh in. If 60 percent of voters approve the constitutional amendment, the position will be on the 2018 ballot.

In 1998, Floridians voted to amend the state constitution to reduce the Cabinet from six members to three members. The Secretary of State was one of the positions that was cut. The Education Commissioner was also removed from the Cabinet. Both became positions appointed by the governor.

Several lawmakers have suggested adding the Education Commissioner back as a statewide elected office.

Among other things, the Secretary of State serves as the state’s elections chief.