Three more Crist vetoes

The veto pen got a workout Tuesday.

Gov. Charlie Crist deep-sixed three bills, including a priority of the Florida Chamber of Commerce that would have required voter signatures on initiative petitions to be submitted within 30 days.

"This provision significantly burdens the right of Florida citizens to propose amendments to the Florida Constitution by increasing the likelihood that voters, through no fault of their own, will be denied the opportunity to have their voices heard," Crist wrote in a veto message on SB 900 by Sen. Bill Posey of Rockledge.

"We're disappointed," said David Daniel of the Chamber.

Crist's veto is sure to win praise from a coalition of pro-initiative organizations that fought the bill, including Common Cause, League of Women Voters, Florida PIRG, ACORN, People for the American Way and Florida AFL-CIO. Ben Wilcox of Common Cause said he believed that Crist decided "enough is enough" after a series of other changes to the ballot initiative process, such as a new revocation mechanism that allows people to have their signatures removed from petitions.

All three vetoed bills were Republican-sponsored.

Crist also axed a bill sponsored by Rep. Faye Culp, R-Tampa, that he said bypassed a management agreement for operation of the Babcock Ranch Preserve in southwest Florida. He axed a bill by Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, that Crist said made major changes to Florida's Administrative Procedures Act, which regulates state agencies and bureaucrats.   

Comments

[Paul D. Harvill]

"This provision significantly burdens the right of Florida citizens to propose amendments to the Florida Constitution by increasing the likelihood that voters, through no fault of their own, will be denied the opportunity to have their voices heard," Crist wrote in a veto message on SB 900 by Sen. Bill Posey of Rockledge."

.......

Thank you so very much, Governor Crist.

You did the right thing again!!!!!!!

Oh my God do I miss governor bush right now.

Harvill, you are either an idiot or a Democrat- likely both.

ONLY the Times could write the following:

"Crist's veto is sure to win praise from a broad coalition of pro-initiative organizations that fought the bill, including Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, Florida PIRG, ACORN and People for the American Way -- not to mention left-leaning groups like the Florida AFL-CIO."

Not to mention left-leaning groups? Is this paper on crack? Do they truly not consider the League of Women Voter, PIRG, and ACORN left leaning? This paper is a bunch of keystone cops.

Stay tuned tomorrow for when Governor Crist joins the Green Party!

I heard Crist invited Hugo Chavez to his global warming party in Miami. Can anyone verify?

Pay no mind to Paul. Most of the changes were passed in HB 537 anyway. The dirtbag signature gatherers have it harder now, and 60% is a big threshold. Florida Chamber got their wins where it counted.

We live in a representative government. Voters have every right to make their voices heard through the ballot box by electing Congress, Legislature and local officials. A constitution is a social contract of how we want to be governed as a people...statutory issues DO NOT belong in it, and any measure to limit their ability to enter should be recognized as good public policy

8:38

Amen... was hoping that thought was not lost among those reading...

I knew Crist was in the pocket of trial lawyers, but labor unions, enviro wackos, and Communist Cause? Why was he so concerned about upsetting them - is he about to pull a Bloomberg?

[terminator]

Faye Culp is a blooming idiot.

How in the hell did that woman ever get elected to the legislature?

Glad I don't live in that district.

The best news is that Crist vetoed the APA bill! What a travesty! JAPC and some out-of-control ALJ's really had their heads up each others butts (along with a few well-placed administrative law practitioners) in even fantasizing about some of the proposed changes. Litigation to figure out just what an "unadopted rule" is, at the expense of agencies who are forced to pay their attorney's fees, is bad public policy. Scott Boyd ought to resign for even suggesting that JAPC get behind it.

It's about time somebody got tough with those administrative law jocks, always bragging about their huge... knowledge of Chapter 120.

If the Legislature had the guts (and attention span) to write laws with clear and concise language that agencies could then implement, "unadopted rules" wouldn't be an issue. The problem is with them, not the agencies.

ALJs who "wannabe-Art.V-judges-but-aren't" also share some of the blame. Has anyone read the ALJ's Final Order in Capital Collateral v. DFS? Let's hope the 1st DCA straightens out the goofy hearing officer responsible for that tortured and ridiculous piece of garbage with a stern rebuke, unless, of course, they are too busy filing JQC complaints against each other.

[MN]

Is Charlie ready yet to switch parties. I mean, for the love...

Communist Cause? Tee hee. (good one!)

Crist did the right thing... It is not only left leaning groups that benefit from using the voter initative process in FL... there are a lot of right leaning issues as well... ban on same sex marriage, abortion issues, etc... if you are a social conservative you should be happy with this veto.

I thought I voted for a Republican for Governor, I guess not.

Jeb please come back and primary this RINO.

The St. Petersburg Times won this veto. Don't want to upset the hometown paper.

Faye was only doing what her buddies over at Fowler White wanted her to do

JAPC was on a power high with that piece of legislation.

All because one agency never bothered to adopt ANY rules?

Good veto.

Leave it to a bunch of right wing King George types to beg for the good ole Jeb days. Jeb? Remember him, well. Parting shot was to sell out FL to the oil barons in order to buy favor for a future presidential run. Irony is, of course, that he'll never get elected after the disaster of Big Brother.

[RT Barry]

BTW - To the person who took a shot at Harvill ... He may be an idiot in your mind, but one thing can be said conclusively about him. He had the courage and character to sign his name. What does that say about you?

Gov. Crist, thank you for your veto of SB 900.

For all of the smart people in Tallahassee who claim Chalrie Crist wasn't smart enought for the job, look who just threw a huge bone to Stemberger and the base, single handedly saving the marraige amendment with the veto of SB900 and still he's getting the liberals to praise him for veto it. No wonder this guy has sky high approval. Everyone sees what they want and are happy. Genuis.

The irony is that the chamber's lead person on this effort is David Daniel - A longtime Democrat political hack. Of course he is disapointed in Crist... Crist is a Republican and he is a Democrat.

David Daniel is too young to be a 'longtime Democrat political hack!' And the veto of HB 7183 is something even the entrenched agency bureaucrats (who are presumably liberal Democrats) favored.

whoa Daniels is a D?! I ha dno idea.

David may be a D but he's still more of an R than Crist.

and he spend years at the Trial Bar, go figure!

For all you whiners upset because Charlie does not meet your little litmus tests for being a good Republican, you should get on your knees and give thanks he's doing what he's doing.
At least he has the great majority of voters' support, and in a time when Rs are losing like crazy, I can't believe you complain about him.
Although it is true that some people are just terminal crybabies.

9:44 nailed it.

legislatures and congress, through design or default -- issue fatigue, trying to please everyone, ineptness -- enact ambiguous legislation.

yet many legislators -- and their blogging staffers -- moan and groan when the "over-reaching" or "activist" judiciary sorts thru their mess and comes up with an interpreation they don't like.

give me a break, please.

[Steve]

I am a Republican. Actually, a libertarian Republican to be more accurate. I am glad Crist vetoed SB900.
The bar was rapidly becoming too high. Florida already has one of the most restrictive ammendment processes amoung all the states.

I do not think, however, that legislative matters belong in a constitution. The Pregnant Pig Ammendment comes to mind. Talk about embarrasing!

[Me]

Let's see if I understand open government under Crist and the state agencies:

1. The Legislature gives agencies powers but requires them to implement those powers in a way that provides for public input and legal challenge.

2. Numerous state agencies adopt policies without public notice or input, and legal challenges to these unadopted rules are available only to the rich.

3. The Legislature seeks to remedy this, and not one agency person speaks against the bill at any of the several public committee and council meetings. The bill unanimously passes both houses .

4. Behind closed doors, agencies urge Crist to veto the bill.

5. Crist vetoes the bill, and agency people anonymously attack JAPC, ALJs, and others for having the audacity to expect state agencies to obey the law and serve the people rather than themselves.

Does that about sum it up?

I understand that it is exceptionally difficult to find the Department of State's secret location for publishing proposed rules and that scheduling a public hearing can take years. Also, even though agencies can only do what the Legislature authorizes them to do, I agree that it is a really bad idea to hold them to that or expect any sort of accountability.

Meet the new executive branch -- same as the old executive branch.

[DMJ]

The Governor is quickly proving to be a flip-flop artist who is but a puppet for special interests. It is fortunate that we can rip his mask off before he fools anyone else.

[The Ronster]

Thanks Gov. Crist for your veto of SB900. Hopefully we can get the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment on the ballot in 2008. Go to floridahometowndemocracy.com to learn how we can protect Florida from overdevelopment.