| YEAR | AMENDMENT | SUMMARY | STATUS | COMMENTS |
| 1978 CRC 5. (Public Service Commission and Public Counsel) | Amended Article IV, Section 10 and Article V, Section 3(b)(3) to provide that the Florida State Public Service Commission be appointed by the Governor from a list of not fewer that three persons submitted by a nominating commission, and that such members shall be confirmed by the Senate. The provision also established a public counsel to represent the people of the State before the Public Service Commission. |
Rejected: For:772,066 Against:2,147,614 |
Prior to 1978, members of the PSC were elected. At the time the CRC proposed amending the constitution to provide for an appointed PSC, the Legislature made the change by general law. Today, members of the PSC are appointed by the Governor from a list provided by the PSC nominating council as provided by Chapter 350, Florida Statutes. | |
| 1978 CRC 6. (merit selection and retention of county and circuit court judges). | Extends merit selection and retention from justices of the supreme court and judges of the district courts of appeal to trial judges. (Missouri Plan). |
Rejected: For:1,058,574 Against:1,095,736 |
Merit selection and retention has a long history in Florida. In 1976, the voters of Florida adopted an amendment applying merit selection and retention to justices of the supreme court and judges of the district courts of appeal. Since the 1978 defeat of merit selection and retention at the trial level, measures have been introduced annually in the Florida Legislature without sucess. | |
| 1978 CRC 7. (finance and taxation). | Amendment 7 was a series of amendments relating to the financial article. |
Rejected: For:779,389 Against:1,368,346 |