


                       CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA  
                     (as revised in 1968 and amended to 1975)

                                     PREAMBLE                

          We, the people of the State of Florida, being grateful to
          Almighty God for our  constitutional  liberty,  in order to
          secure its benefits,  perfect  our government, insure
          domestic tranquility, maintain public order, and guarantee
          equal  civil  and  political  rights to all,  do ordain  and
          establish  this constitution.

                                   ARTICLE I     

                            DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

Sec. 1.   All political power is inherent in the people.  The enuncia-
          tion herein of certain rights shall not be construed to deny
          or impair others retained by the people.

Sec. 2.   All natural  persons are  equal before the law  and have in-
          alienable rights,  among which  are the  right to  enjoy and
          defend life and liberty, to pursue happiness, to be rewarded
          for industry, and to acquire, possess and protect  property;
          except  that  the  ownership,  inheritance,  disposition and
          possession of real property  by aliens ineligible for  citi-
          zenship may be  regulated or prohibited  by law.   No person
          shall be deprived of any right because of race, religion  or
          physical handicap.

Sec.  3.  There shall be no law respecting the establishment of relig-
          ion or prohibiting or penalizing the free exercise  thereof.
          Religious freedom shall  not justify practices  inconsistent
          with public morals, peace or safety. No revenue of the state
          or any political subdivision or agency thereof shall ever be
          taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid
          of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid  of
          any sectarian institution.

Sec. 4.   Every person may speak, write and publish his sentiments  on
          all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of  that
          right.  No  law shall be  passed to restrain  or abridge the
          liberty of speech or of the press.  In all criminal prosecu-
          tions  and  civil  actions  for  defamation the truth may be
          given in evidence.  If  the matter charged as defamatory  is
          true and was published with good motives, the party shall be
          acquitted or exonerated.

 Sec. 5.  The people shall have the right to peaceably to assemble, to
          instruct their representatives, and to petition for  redress
          of grievances.

 Sec. 6.  The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged
          on account  of membership  or non-  membership in  any labor
          union or labor organization.  The right of employees, by and
          through a labor organization, to bargain collectively  shall
          not be denied or abridged.  Public employees shall not  have
          the right to strike.

 Sec. 7.  The military shall be subordinate to the civil.

Sec. 8.   The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense  of
          themselves and of  the lawful authority  of the state  shall
          not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may
          be regulated by law.

Sec. 9.   No person  shall be  deprived of life, liberty,  or property
          without due process of law, or be twice put in jeopardy  for
          the same offense, or be compelled in any crimianl matter  to
          be a witness against himself.

Sec. 10.  No bill of attainder  or ex post facto law or law  impairing
          the obligation of contracts shall be passed.

Sec. 11.  No person shall  be imprisoned for debt, except in  cases of
          fraud.

Sec. 12.  The  right  of the  people to  be secure  in their  persons,
          houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and
          seizures, and against the unreasonable interception of  pri-
          vate communications by any means, shall not be violated.  No
          warrants shall  be issued  except upon  probable cause, sup-
          ported by  affidavit, particularly  describing the  place or
          places  to  be  searched,  the  person  or persons, thing or
          things to  be seized,  the communication  to be intercepted,
          and the nature of evidence  to be obtained. Articles or  in-
          formation obtained in violation  of this right shall  not be
          admissible in evidence.

Sec. 13.  The writ of habeas corpus shall be grantable of right, free-
          ly and without cost.  It shall be returnable without  delay,
          and shall never be suspended unless, in case of rebellion or
          invasion, suspension is essential to the public safety.

Sec. 14.  Until adjudged guilty, every person charged with a crime  or
          violation of municipal or county ordinance shall be entitled
          to release on reasonable bail with sufficient surety  unless
          charged with a capital  offense or an offense  punishable by
          life imprisonment and the proof  of guilt is evident or  the
          presumption great.

Sec. 15.  (a) No  person  shall  be tried  for capital  crime  without
          presentment  or  indictment  by  a  grand jury, or for other
          felony  without  such  presentment  or  indictment or an in-
          formation under oath filed by the prosecuting officer or the
          court, except  persons on  active duty  in the  militia when
          tried by  courts martial.   (b) When  authorized by  law, a
          child as therein defined may be charged with a violation  of
          law as  an act  of delinquency  instead of  crime and  tried
          without a jury or other requirements applicable to  criminal
          cases. Any child so charged shall, upon demand made as  pro-
          vided by  law before  a trial  in a  juvenile proceeding, be
          tried in an  appropriate court as  an adult.   A child found
          delinquent shall be disiplined as provided by law.

Sec. 16.  In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall, upon demand,
          be  informed  of  the  nature  and  cause  of the accusation
          against him, and shall be  furnished a copy of the  charges,
          and  shall  have  the  right  to have compulsory process for
          witnesses, to  confront at  trial adverse  witnesses, to  be
          heard in person,  by counsel or  both, and to  have a speedy
          and public trial by impartial  jury in the county where  the
          crime was committed.   If the county  is not known,  the in-
          dictment  or  information  may  charge  venue in two or more
          counties conjunctively  and proof  that the  crime was  com-
          mitted in that area shall be sufficient; but before pleading
          the accused may elect in which of those counties he will  be
          tried.  Venue for prosecution of crimes committed beyond the
          boundaries of the state shall be fixed by law.

Sec. 17.  Excessive  fines,  cruel or  unusual punishment,  attainder,
          forfeiture  of  estate,  indefinite  imprisonment,  and  un-
          reasonable detention of witnesses are forbidden.

Sec. 18.  No administrative agency shall impose a sentence of  impris-
          onment, nor shall it impose any other penalty except as pro-
          vided by law.

Sec. 19.  No person charged with crime shall be compelled to pay costs
          before a judgement of conviction has become final.

Sec. 20.  Treason agaist the  State shall consist only in levying  war
          against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid  and
          comfort, and no person shall be convicted of treason  except
          on the testimony of two  witnesses to the same overt  act or
          on confession in open court.

Sec. 21.  The courts shall be open to every person for redress of  any
          injury,  and  justice  shall  be  administered without sale,
          denial or delay.

Sec. 22.  The right of trial by jury shall be secure to all and remain
          inviolate.  The qualifications and the number of jurors, not
          fewer than six, shall be fixed by law.



