THE CONSTITUTION

1 THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA As revised in 1968 And subsequently amended November 2016 Published by Florida Department of State In preparation for statehood, fifty-six delegates from Florida s twenty counties assembled in the Panhandle town of Saint Joseph (near Port St. Joe) to frame the 1838 CONSTITUTION (cover). The delegates were mainly planters and lawyers from thirteen of the nation s twenty-six states and four foreign countries; only three were native Floridians. Three delegates would later become Senators; two, governors; and five, members of the state supreme court. The convention was called to order on December 3, 1838 and elected Robert Raymond Reid of St. Augustine as president. The CONSTITUTION divided the government into the traditional three branches an executive headed by the governor elected to a single four year term, a bicameral legislature that met annually, and a judiciary headed by a supreme court.

2 It banned bank officers, clergymen, and duelists from election to the legislature and governorship; and declared free men equal while at the same time preserving slavery. The CONSTITUTION was approved by popular vote in 1839 and served as Florida s CONSTITUTION from statehood in 1845 until Florida seceded from the Union in 1861. The original 1838 CONSTITUTION , signed by forty-one delegates on January 11, 1839, has disappeared. The only surviving handwritten copy is a clerk s copy signed by Reid and Joshua Knowles, convention secretary, found by the William N. Bill Galphin family in Fernandina Beach in 1982. The family inherited the copy from Galphin s grandfather William Thompson. Thompson married the niece of Judge John C. McGehee, a delegate to the 1838 convention and president of the Secession Convention of 1861.

3 The 1838 CONSTITUTION is one of many historical documents that may be found at the Florida State Archives. Located in the Gray Building in Tallahassee, the Archives is mandated by law to collect and preserve documentation of Florida s past; including photographs, state records, and private papers of individuals and organizations. This material is available in alternate format upon request. (850) 245-6200 EQPSVKVWVKQP QH VJG SVAVG QH HNQTKDA AS TGVKSGD KP 3;88 APD SWDSGSWGPVNY AMGPDGDThe CONSTITUTION of the State of Florida as revised in 1968 consisted of certain revisedarticles as proposed by three joint resolutions which were adopted during the special session ofJune 24-July 3, 1968, and ratified by the electorate on November 5, 1968, together with onearticle carried forward from the CONSTITUTION of 1885, as amended.

4 The articles proposed inHouse Joint Resolution 1-2X constituted the entire revised CONSTITUTION with the exception ofArticles V, VI, and VIII. Senate Joint Resolution 4-2X proposed Article VI, relating to suffrageand elections. Senate Joint Resolution 5-2X proposed a new Article VIII, relating to localgovernment. Article V, relating to the judiciary, was carried forward from the CONSTITUTION of 1885, as amended. Seet qnu eqorqu ni the 3;88 tex u qn haxe nq h utqt{ nqteu0 Swbueqwent ehanieu ate nf eatef b{ nqteu arrenfef tq the ahheetef ueet qnu0 Vhe nfezeu arreat ni at the bei nn niqh eaeh att e e, nqteu arreat ni at the enf qh xat qwu ueet qnu, anf ueet qn anf uwbueet qnheaf niu ate affef ef tqt a { anf ate nqt tq be eqnu fetef au ratt qh the eqnut twt qn0 3 ATVKENG K EQPSVKVWVKQP QH VJG SVAVG QH HNQTKDA ATVKENG K PTGAMDNGYe, the reqr e qh the State qh H qt fa, be ni itatehw tq A o iht{ Gqf hqt qwt eqnut twt qna bett{, n qtfet tq ueewte tu beneh tu, retheet qwt iqxetnoent, nuwte fqoeut e ttanqw t{,oa nta n rwb e qtfet, anf iwatantee eqwa e x anf rq t ea t ihtu tq a.}}}}}}

5 Fq qtfa n anfeutab uh th u eqnut twt qn0 ATVKENG K DGENATAVKQP QH TKGJVS See0 30Pq t ea rqwet0 20 Dau e t ihtu0 50Te i qwu hteefqo0 60 Hteefqo qh ureeeh anf rteuu0 50T iht tq auueob e0 80 T iht tq wqt 0 90M tat{ rqwet0 80 T iht tq beat atou0 ;0 Dwe rtqeeuu0 320 Ptqh b tef awu0 330 Kort uqnoent hqt febt0 320 Seateheu anf ue zwteu0 350 Jabeau eqtrwu0 360 Ptett a te eaue anf fetent qn0 350 Ptqueewt qn hqt et oe; qhhenueu eqoo ttef b{eh ften0 380 T ihtu qh aeewuef anf qh x et ou0 390 Gzeeuu xe rwn uhoentu0 380 Afo n uttat xe rena t eu0 3;0 Equtu0 220 Vteauqn0 230 Aeeeuu tq eqwttu0 220Vt a b{ wt{0 250 T iht qh rt xae{0 260 Aeeeuu tq rwb e teeqtfu anf oeet niu0 250 Vazra{etu' D qh T ihtu0 280E a oant'u t iht tq ha t eqorenuat qn0 290 Matt aie feh nef0 SGEVKQP 30 Pq t ea rqwet0 A rq t ea rqwet u nhetent n the reqr e0 Vhe enwne at qn hete n qh eetta nt ihtu uha nqt be eqnuttwef tq fen{ qt ora t qthetuteta nef b{ the reqr e0 SGEVKQP 20 Dau e t ihtu0 A natwta retuqnu,heoa e anf oa e a e, ate eqwa behqte the aw anfhaxe na enab e t ihtu, aoqni wh eh ate the t iht tqen q{ anf fehenf he anf bett{, tq rwtuwe harr neuu, tq be tewatfef hqt nfwutt{, anf tq aeqw te, rquueuu anf rtqteet rtqrett{.}}}}}}}}}}}}

6 Ezeert that the qwnetuh r, nhet tanee,f urqu t qn anf rquueuu qn qh tea rtqrett{ b{ a enu ne i b e hqt e t zenuh r oa{ be teiw atef qt rtqh b tefb{ aw0 Pq retuqn uha be fert xef qh an{ t iht beeawueqh taee, te i qn, nat qna qt i n, qt rh{u ea f uab t{0 J utqt{0 Ao0 S0J0T0 ;39, 3;96; afqrtef 3;96; Ao0 rtqrquef b{ Eqnut twt qnTex u qn Eqoo uu qn, Tex u qn Pq0 ;, 3;;8, h ef w th the Seetetat{ qh State Ma{ 5, 3;;8; afqrtef 3;;80 SGEVKQP 50 Te i qwu hteefqo0 Vhete uha be nq aw teureet ni the eutab uhoent qh te i qn qt rtqh b t ni qt rena z ni the htee ezete ue theteqh0Te i qwu hteefqo uha nqt wut h{ rtaet eeu neqnu utentw th rwb e oqta u, reaee qt uahet{0 Pq texenwe qh theutate qt an{ rq t ea uwbf x u qn qt aiene{ theteqh uha exet be ta en htqo the rwb e tteauwt{ f teet { qt nf teet { n a f qh an{ ehwteh, ueet, qt te i qwu fenqo nat qn qt n a f qh an{ ueetat an nut twt qn0 SGEVKQP 60 Hteefqo qh ureeeh anf rteuu0 Gxet{ retuqn oa{ urea.}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

7 Wt te anf rwb uh uent oentuqn a uwb eetu bwt uha be teurqnu b e hqt the abwue qhthat t iht0 Pq aw uha be rauuef tq teutta n qt abt fiethe bett{ qh ureeeh qt qh the rteuu0 Kn a et o na rtqueewt qnu anf e x aet qnu hqt fehaoat qn the ttwth oa{ be i xen n ex fenee0 Kh the oattet ehatief au fehaoatqt{ u ttwe anf wau rwb uhef w th iqqfoqt xeu, the ratt{ uha be aeqw ttef qt ezqnetatef0 J utqt{0 Ao0 rtqrquef b{ Eqnut twt qn Tex u qn Eqoo uu qn, Tex u qn Pq035, 3;;8, h ef w th the Seetetat{ qh State Ma{ 5, 3;;8; afqrtef 3;;80 SGEVKQP 50 T iht tq auueob e0 Vhe reqr euha haxe the t iht reaeeab { tq auueob e, tq nuttwet the t terteuentat xeu, anf tq ret t qn hqt tefteuu qh it exaneeu0 SGEVKQP 80 T iht tq wqt 0 Vhe t iht qh retuqnutq wqt uha nqt be fen ef qt abt fief qn aeeqwnt qhoeobetuh r qt nqn/oeobetuh r n an{ abqt wn qn qt abqt qtian zat qn0 Vhe t iht qh eor q{eeu, b{ anfthtqwih a abqt qtian zat qn, tq batia n eq eet xe { uha nqt be fen ef qt abt fief0 Pwb e eor q{eeu uha nqt haxe the t iht tq utt e0 SGEVKQP 90 M tat{ rqwet0 Vhe o tat{ rqwetuha be uwbqtf nate tq the e x 0 SGEVKQP 80 T iht tq beat atou0 (a)}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

8 Vhe t iht qh the reqr e tq eer anf beat atou nfehenue qh theoue xeu anf qh the awhw awthqt t{ qh theutate uha nqt be nht nief, ezeert that the oannet qhbeat ni atou oa{ be teiw atef b{ aw0 (b) Vhete uha be a oanfatqt{ ret qf qh thtee fa{u,eze wf ni wee enfu anf eia hq fa{u, between therwtehaue anf fe xet{ at teta qh an{ hanfiwn0 Hqt the rwtrqueu qh th u ueet qn, rwtehaue oeanu the ttanuhetqh oqne{ qt qthet xa wab e eqnu fetat qn tq the teta et,anf hanfiwn oeanu a h teato earab e qh be ni eatt efanf wuef b{ qne hanf, uweh au a r utq qt texq xet0Jq fetu qh a eqneea ef wearqn reto t au rteuet bef nH qt fa aw uha nqt be uwb eet tq the rtqx u qnu qh th u rataitarh0 2 ATVKENG K EQPSVKVWVKQP QH VJG SVAVG QH HNQTKDA ATVKENG K (e) Vhe ei u atwte uha enaet ei u at qn or eoent/ ni uwbueet qn (b) qh th u ueet qn, ehheet xe nq atet thanDeeeobet 53, 3;;3, wh eh uha rtqx fe that an{qnex q at ni the rtqx u qnu qh uwbueet qn (b) uha be iw t{qh a he qn{0 (f) Vh u teutt et qn uha nqt arr { tq a ttafe n qh anqthet hanfiwn0 J utqt{0 Ao0 E0S0 hqt S0J0T0 65, 3;8;; afqrtef 3;;20 SGEVKQP ;0 Dwe rtqeeuu0 Pq retuqn uha befert xef qh he, bett{ qt rtqrett{ w thqwt fwe rtqeeuuqh aw, qt be tw ee rwt n eqratf{ hqt the uaoe qhhenue,qt be eqore ef n an{ et o na oattet tq be a w tneuuaia nut qneue h0 J utqt{0 Ao0 rtqrquef b{ Eqnut twt qn Tex u qn Eqoo uu qn, Tex u qn Pq035, 3;;8, h ef w th the Seetetat{ qh State Ma{ 5, 3;;8; afqrtef 3.}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

9 80 SGEVKQP 320 Ptqh b tef awu0 Pq b qh atta n/fet, ez rqut haetq aw qt aw ora t ni the qb iat qn qheqnttaetu uha be rauuef0 SGEVKQP 330 Kort uqnoent hqt febt0 Pq ret/uqn uha be ort uqnef hqt febt, ezeert n eaueu qh htawf0 SGEVKQP 320 Seateheu anf ue zwteu0 Vhe t ihtqh the reqr e tq be ueewte n the t retuqnu, hqwueu,raretu anf ehheetu aia nut wnteauqnab e ueateheu anfue zwteu, anf aia nut the wnteauqnab e nteteert qn qhrt xate eqoown eat qnu b{ an{ oeanu, uha nqt bex q atef0 Pq wattant uha be uuwef ezeert wrqnrtqbab e eawue, uwrrqttef b{ ahh fax t, ratt ew at {feuet b ni the r aee qt r aeeu tq be ueatehef, the retuqn qt retuqnu, th ni qt th niu tq be ue zef, the eqoown eat qn tq be nteteertef, anf the natwte qhex fenee tq be qbta nef0 Vh u t iht uha be eqnuttwef n eqnhqto t{ w th the 6th Aoenfoent tq the Wn tef Stateu Eqnut twt qn, au ntetrtetef b{ the Wn tef Stateu Sw/rteoe Eqwtt0 Att e eu qt nhqtoat qn qbta nef n x q a/t qn qh th u t iht uha nqt be afo uu b e n ex fenee huweh att e eu qt nhqtoat qn wqw f be nafo uu b e wnfet fee u qnu qh the Wn tef Stateu Swrteoe Eqwtt eqnuttw/ ni the 6th Aoenfoent tq the Wn tef Stateu Eqnut tw/ t qn0 J utqt{0 Ao0 J0J0T0 53/J, 3;82; afqrtef 3.}}}}}}}

10 820 SGEVKQP 350 Jabeau eqtrwu0 Vhe wt t qh ha/ beau eqtrwu uha be itantab e qh t iht, htee { anfw thqwt equt0 Kt uha be tetwtnab e w thqwt fe a{, anfuha nexet be uwurenfef wn euu, n eaue qh tebe qn qt nxau qn, uwurenu qn u euuent a tq the rwb e uahet{0 SGEVKQP 360 Ptett a te eaue anf fetent qn0 Wn euu ehatief w th a ear ta qhhenue qt an qhhenuerwn uhab e b{ he ort uqnoent anf the rtqqh qh iw t u ex fent qt the rteuwort qn u iteat, exet{ retuqnehatief w th a et oe qt x q at qn qh own e ra qt eqwnt{qtf nanee uha be ent t ef tq rtett a te eaue qn teauqn/ab e eqnf t qnu0 Kh nq eqnf t qnu qh te eaue ean teauqn/ab { rtqteet the eqoown t{ htqo t u qh rh{u ea hato tqretuqnu, auuwte the rteuenee qh the aeewuef at tt a , qtauuwte the nteit t{ qh the wf e a rtqeeuu, the aeewuef oa{ be feta nef0 J utqt{0 Ao0 J0J0T0 65/J, 3;82; afqrtef 3;820 SGEVKQP 350 Ptqueewt qn hqt et oe.}}}}}}}}}}}}