CRC - 2017 P 48
By Commissioner Thurlow-Lippisch
thurlowlj-00051-17 201748__
1 A proposal to amend
2 Section 9 of Article IV of the State Constitution to
3 provide that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
4 Commission shall exercise the regulatory and executive
5 powers of the state with respect to habitats,
6 including wildlife corridors.
7
8 Be It Proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission of
9 Florida:
10
11 Section 9 of Article IV of the State Constitution is
12 amended to read:
13 ARTICLE IV
14 EXECUTIVE
15 SECTION 9. Fish and wildlife conservation commission.—There
16 shall be a fish and wildlife conservation commission, composed
17 of seven members appointed by the governor, subject to
18 confirmation by the senate for staggered terms of five years.
19 The commission shall exercise the regulatory and executive
20 powers of the state with respect to wild animal life, and fresh
21 water aquatic life, and habitats, including wildlife corridors,
22 and shall also exercise regulatory and executive powers of the
23 state with respect to marine life, except that all license fees
24 for taking wild animal life, fresh water aquatic life, and
25 marine life and penalties for violating regulations of the
26 commission shall be prescribed by general law. The commission
27 shall establish procedures to ensure adequate due process in the
28 exercise of its regulatory and executive functions. The
29 legislature may enact laws in aid of the commission, not
30 inconsistent with this section, except that there shall be no
31 special law or general law of local application pertaining to
32 hunting or fishing. The commission’s exercise of executive
33 powers in the area of planning, budgeting, personnel management,
34 and purchasing shall be as provided by law. Revenue derived from
35 license fees for the taking of wild animal life and fresh water
36 aquatic life shall be appropriated to the commission by the
37 legislature for the purposes of management, protection, and
38 conservation of wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life.
39 Revenue derived from license fees relating to marine life shall
40 be appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of
41 management, protection, and conservation of marine life as
42 provided by law. The commission shall not be a unit of any other
43 state agency and shall have its own staff, which includes
44 management, research, and enforcement. Unless provided by
45 general law, the commission shall have no authority to regulate
46 matters relating to air and water pollution.