Jim Rosica
The Florida Supreme Court has received the first handful of applications for Chief Justice Jorge Labarga’s three selections for the Constitution Revision Commission.
According to spokesman Craig Waters, the first four are:
Jason Johnson, a Panama City attorney and Florida National Guardsman.
Joseph M. Matthews, a Coral Gables attorney and business litigator.
Tyler Winik, deputy clerk of courts for Brevard County.
Debra Moss Curtis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
“I recognize that my appointments to the CRC are of the utmost importance to the people of this state,” Labarga said Monday. “That’s why I have decided to invite resumes for the three positions so we can draw from the broadest possible pool.”
Labarga, who is accepting applications through Dec. 31, will make his appointments “with the advice of his colleagues on the state’s high court,” Waters said.
The Florida Constitution allows for a “revision commission” to meet every 20 years to “examine the constitution, hold public hearings and … file its proposal, if any, of a revision of this constitution or any part of it.”
As governor, Rick Scott will choose 15 of the 37 commissioners and selects its chairperson.
In addition to Scott, the House speaker and Senate president each get nine picks. Assuming they win re-election in November, GOP state Rep. Richard Corcoran of Land O’ Lakes will be speaker in 2017 and state Sen. Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican, will be president.
Republican Pam Bondi is automatically a member as attorney general, and Labarga, as Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice, gets three picks.
Under law, the next commission is scheduled to meet 30 days before the beginning of the Legislature’s 2017 regular session. Any changes it proposes would be in the form of constitutional amendments, which would have to be approved by 60 percent of voters on a statewide ballot.
Labarga’s application instructions are here.
One comment
sandyo
October 1, 2016 at 11:06 am
We are appealing for consideration and passage by the FL legislature of :
Requiring that each piece of legislation filed GETS A HEARING BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PUBLIC in accordance with the US Constitution’s First Amendment.
(Each bill to be examined for feasibility by 5 respected, nonpartisan, objective legal experts outside the political arena.
REASON: the public and legislators must start being able to HEAR the discussions of feasible changes to the Florida Constitution. Other states value this. And no one Speaker or Senate President SHOULD DECIDE FOR THE PEOPLE what’s best for them without their input. Signed: Tired of endless public control by politicians.
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