Speaker slams constitution panel schedule

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O' Lakes, chided the chairman of the Constitution Revision Commission on Thursday for scheduling public hearings during the legislative session --- setting up potential conflicts for lawmakers Corcoran named to the 37-member panel. Commission Chairman Carlos Beruff announced this week that at least four public hearings would be held during the session, including one Wednesday in Orange County. The others are April 6 in Miami-Dade County; April 7 in Palm Beach County; and April 12 in Escambia County. That would put a crimp in the schedules of five lawmakers named to the panel, all by Corcoran: Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa; Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg; Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami; Rep. Jeanette Nunez, R-Miami; and Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor. Asked about the meetings conflicting with the legislative session, Corcoran did little to hide his unhappiness. "Obviously ... especially when you have such a once-in-20-year august body dealing with something that is of the highest impact, which is our Constitution, and you only have a limited number of members, 37, and immediately the first action is to disenfranchise one-sixth, I don't think that's a good start," he said. The commission is set to adopt recommended changes to the Florida Constitution that will go before voters in the November 2018 elections.