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ARTICLE IV. Legislative Department. Section 1. The legislative authority of this State shall be vested in
a Senate and Assembly, which shall be designated "The Legislature of the State
of Florida," and the sessions thereof shall be held at the seat of government
of the State. Section 2. The sessions of the Legislature shall be annual, the first
session on the second Monday of June, A. D. 1868, and thereafter on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday of January, commencing in the year A. D. 1869.
The Governor may, in the interim, convene the same in extra session by his proclamation.
Section 3. The members of the Assembly shall be chosen biennially, those
of the first Legislature on the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of May,
A. D. 1868, and thereafter on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November,
commencing with the year A. D. 1870. Section 4. Senators shall be chosen for the term of four years, at the same
time and place as members of the Assembly; Provided, That the Senators
elected at the first election from the senatorial districts designated by even
numbers shall vacate their seats at the expiration of two years, and thereafter
all senators shall be elected for the term of four years, so that one-half of
the whole number shall be elected biennially. Section 5. Senators and members of the Assembly shall be duly qualified electors
in the respective counties and districts which they represent. Section 6. Each house shall judge of the qualifications, elections,
and returns of its own members; choose its own officers, except the President
of the Senate; determine the rules of its proceedings; and may punish its members
for disorderly conduct, Section 7. Either house, during the session, may punish by imprisonment
any person not a member, who shall have been guilty of disorderly or contemptuous
conduct in its presence; but such imprisonment shall not extend beyond the final
adjournment of the session. Section 8. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to do
business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the
presence of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house
may prescribe. Section 9. Any person who shall be convicted of embezzlement or defalcation
of the funds of the State, or of having given or offered a bribe to secure his
election or appointment to office, or of having received a bribe to aid in the
procurement of office for any other person, shall be disqualified from holding
any office of honor, profit, or trust in the State; and the Legislature shall,
as soon as practicable, provide by law for the punishment of such embezzlement,
defalcation, or bribery as a felony. Section 10. Each house shall keep a journal of its own proceedings,
which shall be published, and the yeas and nays of the members of either house
on any question shall, at the desire of any three members present, be entered
on the journal. Section 11. The doors of each house shall be kept open during its session,
except the Senate while sitting in executive session; and neither shall, without
the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, or to any other
town than that in which they may be holding their session. Section 12. Any bill may originate in either house of the Legislature,
and after being passed in one house may be amended in the other. Section 13. The enacting clause of every law shall be as follows: "The
people of the State of Florida, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact
as follows." Section 14. Each law enacted in the Legislature shall embrace but one
subject, and matter properly connected therewith, which subject shall be briefly
expressed in the title, and no law shall be amended or revised by reference
to its title only; but in such case, the act as revised, or section as amended,
shall be re-enacted and published at length. Section 15. Every bill shall be read by sections on three several days
in each house, unless in case of emergency two-thirds of the house where such
bill may be pending shall deem it expedient to dispense with this rule; but
the reading of a bill by sections on its final passage shall in no case be dispensed
with; and the vote of the final passage of every bill, or joint resolution,
shall be taken by yeas and nays, to be entered in the journal of each house,
and a majority of the members present in each house shall be necessary to pass
every bill or joint resolution, and all bills or joint resolutions so passed
shall be signed by the presiding officers of the respective houses, and by the
secretary of the Senate and clerk of the Assembly. Section 16. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury except by appropriation
made by law, and accurate statements of the receipts and expenditures of the
public money shall be attached to and published with the laws passed at every
regular session of the Legislature. Section 17. The Legislature shall not pass special or local laws in
any of the following enumerated cases; that is to say, regulating the jurisdiction
and duties of any class of officers, or for the punishment of crime or misdemeanor;
regulating the practice of courts of justice; providing for changing venue of
civil and criminal cases; granting divorces; changing the names of persons;
vacating roads, town plats, streets, alleys, and public squares; summoning and
empaneling grand and petit juries, and providing for their compensation; regulating
county, township, and municipal business; regulating the election of county,
township, and municipal officers; for the assessment and collection of taxes
for State, county, and municipal purposes; providing for opening and conducting
elections for State, county, and municipal officers, and designating the places
of voting; providing for the sale of real estate belonging to minors or other
persons laboring under legal disabilities; regulating the fees of officers.
Section 18. In all cases enumerated in the preceding section, and in
all other cases where a general law can be made applicable, all laws shall be
general and of uniform operation throughout the State. Section 19. Provision may be made by general law for bringing suit against
the State as to all liabilities now existing or hereafter originating. Section 20. Lotteries are hereby prohibited in this State. Section 21. The Legislature shall establish a uniform system of county,
township, and municipal government. Section 22. The Legislature shall provide by general law for incorporating
such municipal, educational, agricultural, mechanical, mining, and other useful
companies or associations as may be deemed necessary. Section 23. No person who is not a qualified elector of this State,
or any person who shall have been convicted of bribery, forgery, perjury, larceny,
or other high crime, unless restored to civil rights, shall be permitted to
serve on juries. Section 24. Laws shall be passed regulating elections, and prohibiting,
under adequate penalties, all undue influence thereon from power, bribery, tumult,
or other improper practice. Section 25. Regular sessions of the Legislature may extend to sixty
days, but any special session convened by the Governor shall not exceed twenty
days. Section 26. All property, both real and personal, of the wife, owned
by her before marriage, or acquired afterward by gift, devise, descent, or purchase,
shall be her separate property, and not liable for the debts of her husband.
Section 27. The Legislature shall provide for the election by the people,
or appointment by the Governor, of all State, county, or municipal officers
not otherwise provided for by this Constitution, and fix by law their duties
and compensation. Section 28. Every bill which may have passed the Legislature shall,
before becoming a law, be presented to the Governor; if Section 29. The Assembly shall have the sole power of impeachment, but
a vote of two-thirds of all the members present shall be required to impeach
any officer; and all impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. When sitting
for that purpose, the senators shall be upon oath or affirmation, and no person
shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators present.
The Chief Justice shall preside at all trials by impeachment, except in the
trial of the Chief Justice, when the Lieutenant Governor shall preside. The
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the Cabinet, justices of the Supreme
Court, and judges of the circuit court shall be liable to impeachment for any
misdemeanor in office; but judgment in such cases shall extend only to removal
from office and disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust, or profit
under the State; but the party convicted or acquitted shall nevertheless be
liable to indictment, trial, and punishment according to law. All other officers
who shall have been appointed to office by the Governor, and by and with the
consent of the Senate, may be removed from office upon the recommendation of
the Governor and consent of the Senate, but they shall nevertheless be liable
to indictment, trial, and punishment according to law for any misdemeanor in
office; all other civil officers shall be tried for misdemeanor in office in
such manner as the Legislature may provide. Section 30. Laws making appropriation for the salaries of public officers,
and other current expenses of the State, shall contain provisions on no other
subject. Section 31. The Legislature shall elect United States senators in the manner prescribed by the Congress of the United States and by this Constitution.
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