                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

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

Section  2.    All  natural  persons  are  equal  before  the  law  and  have 
inalienable  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 
citizenship  may  be  regulated  or prohibited by law.  No  person  shall  be 
deprived of any right because of race, religion or physical handicap.

Section  3.    There shall be no law respecting the establishment of religion 
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.

Section 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 prosecutions 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.

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

Section 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.

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

Section  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.

Section  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.

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

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

Section 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 private communications by any means,  shall 
not  be  violated.  No  warrant shall be issued except upon  probable  cause, 
supported  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  information  obtained in violation of this right shall  not  be 
admissible in evidence.

Section  13.   The writ of habeas corpus shall be grantable of right,  freely 
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.

Section  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.

Section  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  information  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 
provided  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.

Section 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  indictment or information may charge venue in two  or  more 
counties  conjunctively  and proof that the crime was committed 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.

Section  17.   Excessive  fines,  cruel  or  unusual  punishment,  attainder, 
forfeiture of estate, indefinite imprisonment,  and unreasonable detention of 
witnesses are forbidden.

Section   18.    No   administrative  agency  shall  impose  a  sentence   of 
imprisonment,  nor  shall  it impose any other penalty except as provided  by 
law.

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

Section  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.

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

Section  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.

