HONORABLE W. J. REVELS, AS SHERIFF OF PUTNAM COUNTY, FLORIDA,
v.
CLAUDE DEGOYLER
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Sheriff Revels appeals the discharge of Claude DeGoyler in habeas corpus, challenging the lower court's determination that a constitutional amendment creating the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission was invalid due to improper legislative procedure. The Florida Supreme Court holds that minor variations in the amendment's language were cured by voter ratification and reverses the discharge order.
The Court held that the variation between the Senate and House versions was so slight and devoid of substantive meaning that it was cured by the electorate's ratification in 1942, and therefore the constitutional amendment was validly adopted.
“The variation is so slight in degree and devoid of meaning that it was cured by the ratification in 1942.”
Establishes the Court's holding that minor discrepancies between legislative versions are remedied by voter approval
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceDeGoyler was charged with unlawfully taking fish from the St. Johns River in violation of Rule No. 9 promulgated by the Game and Fresh Water Fish Comm…
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This is an appeal from an order discharging the petitioner in habeas corpus. Petitioner stood charged with unlawfully taking fish from the waters of the St. Johns River, north of Volusia Bar, in Putnam County in violation of Rule No. 9 as promulgated by the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
*899The lower court was of the opinion that the Constitutional Amendment, Article IV, Section 30, was never lawfully proposed by the Legislature and that the affirmative vote by the electorate in 1942 was a nullity. Therefore, without considering any other questions, an order was entered discharging the prisoner.
We will only consider the one question of whether the Joint Resolution was passed by the requisite three-fifths’ vote of the House and Senate as provided by Article XVII, Section 1, Florida Constitution.
The Senate Journal of 1941 shows that Senate Joint Resolution No. 28 was introduced to create a Game and Fresh Water Commission. Paragraph 4 reads:
“The Commission shall have the power to acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain, or otherwise, all property necessary, useful or convenient for the use of the Commission, or for the exercise of any of its powers hereunder, and in the event the right of eminent domain is exercised, it shall be exercised in the same manner as now or hereafter may be provided for the exercise of eminent domain by the State Road Department.”
After the second reading a committee substitute was offered wherein Paragraph 4 was changed to read:
“ . . . The Commission shall also have the power to acquire by purchase, gift, or otherwise, all property necessary, useful, or convenient, for the use of the Commission in the exercise of its powers hereunder.”
Upon the third reading, by unanimous consent, the above quoted phrase “or otherwise” was stricken on motion by Senator Whitaker. The Resolution as amended passed by more than a three-fifths’ vote of the Senate and was referred to the Committee on Engrossed Bills.
It was then certified to the House of Representatives, however the deleted words “or otherwise” remained. It was passed by the House retaining the words “or otherwise” and was returned to the Senate. In other words, the Resolution, as passed by the Senate, provided for the Board to acquire property by gift, purchase, “or otherwise.” It was duly published and submitted to the electorate at the general election *900in 1942, as passed by the Senate, and received the approval of the voters thereby becoming a part of our Constitution.
Counsel has, in no way, pointed out wherein the omission or inclusion of the phrase “or otherwise” is a defect of substance. The variation is so slight in degree and devoid of meaning that it was cured by the ratification in 1942. See West v. State, 50 Fla. 154, 39 So. 412; Collier v. Gray, 116 Fla. 845, 157 So. 40; State ex rel. Landis v. Thompson, 120 Fla. 860, 163 So. 270; Sylvester v. Tindall, 154 Fla. 663, 18 So. 2nd 892.
All other questions presented by the petitioner are settled adversely to him by our opinion, Beck et al. v. Gene and Fresh Water Fish Commission, this day filed.
The judgment is reversed with directions to remand the petitioner.
TERRELL, Acting Chief Justice, BUFORD, SEBRING and BARNS, JJ., concur.
THOMAS, C. J., and CHAPMAN, J., not participating.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Alford v. Finch, 155 So. 2d 790 (Fla. 1963)…ws the-paragraph is further amended by the elimination of the word “otherwise.” The Legislative history demonstrates a. clear legislative intent to deny the Commission power to acquire property except by purchase or by gift. See Revels v. De Goyler, 159 Fla. 898, 33 So. 2d 719 (1948). 372.001, F.S.A. provides for the acquisition by the Commission of lands by “purchase, gift or otherwise”, the title of such lands to be approved by the Attorney General and the deed deposited as are deeds to other State lands.…
Authorities Cited
- Sylvester v. Young Tindall, 154 Fla. 663 (Fla. 1944)
- State v. Uly O. Thompson, 120 Fla. 860 (Fla. 1935)
- West v. State, 50 Fla. 154 (Fla. 1905)
- Collier v. Gray, 116 Fla. 845 (Fla. 1934)