A SUMMARY OF THE 2012 PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

1. Health Care Services: This allows Florida to opt out of the federal Affordable Health Care Act, prohibits laws or rules compelling any person or employer to provide health care coverage or participate in any health care system. 

2. Veterans Disabled Due to Combat Injury Homestead Property Tax Discount: This amendment expands the current homestead exemption available to disabled veterans to those who were not Florida residents at the time they entered military service. 

3. State Government Revenue Limitation: This amendment has two parts. First, it replaces the existing revenue limitation adopted about 10 years ago because of the impact of inflation and population changes. Excess revenue would be placed in the state’s “rainy day” fund, and once the fund reaches 10 percent of the prior year’s total budget, the state Legislature would be required to vote to either provide tax relief or reduce property taxes. Second, the Legislature may increase the revenue limitation by a bill approved by a two-thirds majority. 

4. Property Tax Limitation; Property Value Decline; Reduction for Non-Homestead Assessment Increases; Delay of Scheduled Repeal: This reduces the annual growth in assessment limitation on business and rental properties and second homes from 10 percent to 5 percent and prohibits increase in the assessed value of homestead property when the market value of the property decreases. This also gives “first-time homesteaders” an additional tax exemption.

5. State Courts: In several parts, this amendment adds a requirement for a state Supreme Court justice appointed by the governor also to be confirmed by the Senate. It also authorizes repeal of a court rule by a simple majority of the Legislature instead of the current two-thirds majority, prohibits re-enactment of any repealed rule and allows the Speaker of the House of Representatives to review all files of the Judicial Qualification Commissions even if it isn’t related to impeachment considerations. 

6. Prohibition of Public Funding of Abortions; Construction of Abortion Rights: This prohibits the use of public funds for abortions with the exception of rape, incest or to save the pregnant woman’s life. This stipulates that the state Constitution cannot be interpreted to include broader rights to abortion than those contained in the U.S. Constitution. 

8. Religious Freedom: This deletes the current provision in the state Constitution that prohibits taxpayer funding of religious institutions and would allow the state to use public money to fund religious institutions and schools. 

9. Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouse of Military Veteran or First Responder: This grants full homestead property relief to surviving spouses of military veterans who die from service-connected causes while on active duty or first responders killed in the line of duty. 

10. Tangible Personal Property Exemption: This gives businesses an additional exemption on tangible property such as furniture and equipment used for the business, increasing it from the current $25,000 to $50,000. 

11. Additional Homestead Exemption for Low-Income Seniors Who Maintain Long-Term Residency on Property; Equal to Assessed Valuation: This gives counties and cities authority to grant full homestead property exemptions to low-income seniors (age 65 and older) who have lived in their home for at least 25 years and whose home has a just value of less than $250,000. 

12. Appointment of Student Body President to Board of Governors of State University System: This creates a new council composed of student body presidents and requires that the chair of that council replace the current Florida Student Association member on the Board of Governors.