Voter Guide on 2018 Florida Amendment 12 and 13: Restrictions on lobbyists, adds ethical standards, ends dog racing

Ahead of the general election, former U.S. Senate candidate Alex Snitker broke down the Florida amendments on the 2018 ballot for Florida Daily. Snitker then spoke with Dispatch Radio about the amendments.

UPDATE: All of the Florida Amendments passed except for Amendment One – more HERE

Check out the full audio below.

Here’s his remarks on Amendment Twelve:

Amendment 12 (Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers)-YES

Placed on the ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission.

Amendment 12 will put more restrictions and added oversight of unethical behavior of elected officials in Florida. Amendment 12 will expand the ban on former elected official from becoming lobbyists, moving it from two to six years. Amendment 12 also creates a new ethical standard for public officials using their office to obtain a disproportionate benefit for themselves. I support more restrictions and oversight on elected officials.

Amendment 13 (Ends Dog Racing)-NO

Placed on the ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission.

Amendment 13 would prohibit pari-mutual operations from racing greyhounds or any other dogs for wagering.  The actual amendment language that voters will not see would establish the “humane treatment of animals” as a “fundamental value” in the Constitution. While I do not want to see any animal abused, I have to wonder if this language could lead to future citizen amendment initiatives or laws to prohibit hunting and fishing, horseback riding or even owning a pet based on this new language.  I would like to know what will constitute “humane treatment of animals.”   I do not support Amendment 13 because I believe the ballot summary is misleading and the actual language could affect many other uses of animals that are not inhumane.

Snitker’s full guide at Florida Daily HERE

Alex Snitker is a United States Marine veteran who was the Libertarian nominee for the U.S. Senate back in 2010. He is the president of the Liberty First Network, the liberty lobbying organization based in Florida that works in Tallahassee on positive liberty legislation and educates the citizens on the political process and how they can individually make an impact.

Further analysis:

Amendment One and Two

Amendment Three

Amendment Four

Amendment Five

Amendment Six

Amendment Seven

Amendment Nine

Amendment Ten

Amendment Eleven

Amendment Twelve and Thirteen

RELATED: Election 2018  immigration  US Senate  Florida

photo/ Amber

Full breakdown: