In Re Advisory Opinion to the Governor

63 So. 2d 321, 1953 Fla. LEXIS 1102
Supreme Court of Florida·Decided February 18, 1953·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

63 So.2d 321 (1953)

In re ADVISORY OPINION TO THE GOVERNOR.

Supreme Court of Florida, en Banc.

February 18, 1953.

*322 PER CURIAM.

Supreme Court of Florida

T. Frank Hobson, Chief Justice

Tallahassee

February 13, 1953

Division A Division B Justices Justices Glenn Terrell Elwyn Thomas Harold L. Sebring B.K. Roberts John E. Mathews E. Harris Drew Guyte P. McCord D.B. Mayo, Jr. Clerk Marshal The Honorable Dan McCarty Governor of the State of Florida Tallahassee, Florida

Dear Sir:

We have your request of February 9, 1953, for our opinion affecting your executive powers and duties as follows:

"February 9, 1953 "Honorable T. Frank Hobson, Chief Justice, and the Justices of the Supreme Court of Florida Tallahassee, Florida "Re: Hotel and Restaurant Commissioner — An officer or employee — Term of office — Duty of the Governor

"Gentlemen:

"It is my duty under Section 6 of Article 4 of the Constitution of the State to take care that the laws of the State are faithfully executed, and I am authorized under Section 13 of Article 4 to request the written opinion of the Justices of the Supreme Court as to the interpretation of any portion of the State Constitution upon any question affecting my executive powers and duties.

*323 "Section 27 of Article 3 of the Constitution of the State is as follows:

"`The Legislature shall provide for the election by the people or appointment by the Governor of all State and county officers not otherwise provided for by this Constitution, and fix by law their duties and compensation.'

"Section 7 of Article 16 of the State Constitution is as follows:

"`The Legislature shall not create any office, the term of which shall be longer than four years.'

"Prior to the session of the Legislature in 1951, Section 509.02, F.S.A., provided for the appointment of a hotel commissioner as follows:

"`The governor shall appoint a hotel commissioner whose term of office shall begin and run concurrently with the regular terms of office of the successive governors of this state and who shall give bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars for the faithful performance of his duties, to be approved by the governor. He shall receive a salary of forty-two hundred dollars per annum and shall be reimbursed to the extent of his traveling expenses incurred in the performance of his duties.' As amended Laws 1941, c. 20299, Sec. 1.

"Chapters 509, 510, 511, 512 and 513 prescribe various powers and duties of the hotel commissioner.

"In 1951 there was enacted Chapter 26945 by the Legislature, which became effective July 1, 1951.

"Section 1 of the aforementioned Act created the Florida Hotel and Restaurant Commission, and provided:

"`* * * and all powers, functions and duties heretofore carried on by the state hotel commissioner under and in accordance with existing law shall be vested in and carried on by the Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner.'

"Said Chapter 26945 further provided in Section 2 thereof that `The governor and the state cabinet shall employ a Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner who shall administer the affairs of said commission. * * * The said commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and the state cabinet.'

"After the effective date of said Chapter 26945, the Governor and the State Cabinet took action thereunder and employed Honorable James T. Landon as the Florida Hotel and Restaurant Commissioner and under the terms of the Act the commissioner would serve `at the pleasure of the governor and the state cabinet.'

"Section 4 of said chapter provides:

"`The said commissioner shall carry out and execute all of the provisions of this act and all other laws now in force or which may hereafter be enacted relating to the inspection or regulation of hotels, apartment houses, rooming houses, restaurants, motels or motor courts. * * *'

"Section 8 of the Act is as follows:

"`The entire provisions of chapters 510, 511, 513, Florida Statutes, and any other laws now in effect pertaining to the state hotel commission and to the state hotel commissioner and other than those in conflict with the provisions of this act, shall remain in force and effect and shall be administered and shall apply to the Florida hotel and restaurant commission and to the Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner the same as if the Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner were mentioned in all places [where] the words "Hotel commission" and "hotel commissioner" are used.'

"Section 9 of the Act is as follows:

"`All of Chapter 509, Florida Statutes, being section 509.01 and including section 509.05, Florida Statutes, together with 511.28 are hereby repealed.'

"Section 10 of the Act provides:

"`If any part or parts of this act shall be held unconstitutional, such unconstitutionality shall not effect the validity of the remaining parts of this act. The legislature hereby declares that it would have passed the remaining parts of this act if it had known that *324 such part or parts would have been declared unconstitutional.'

"I am in doubt as to my constitutional powers and duties in view of the law with reference to this subject as it existed prior to 1951 and as it exists under Chapter 26945, Laws of Florida 1951. The 1951 Act changed the title from `hotel commissioner' to `hotel and restaurant commissioner' and then provided that the said commissioner shall not only carry out the provisions of the 1951 Act, but also "all other laws now in force or which may hereafter be enacted relating to the inspection or regulation of hotels, apartment houses, rooming houses, restaurants, motels or motor courts'.

"It would appear that under Section 509.02 et seq., Florida Statutes Annotated, the commissioner was an officer and his appointment by the Governor was provided for as contemplated by Section 27 of Article 3 of the State Constitution. The 1951 Act repeals that provision of the prior law providing for the appointment by the Governor and inserts in lieu thereof the provision that `the governor and the state cabinet shall employ a Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner.'

"Section 509.02 specifically provides that `term of office' of the commissioner shall begin and run concurrently with the regular terms of office of the successive governors of this state, which term would be four years.

"Section 2 of the 1951 Act provides that `The said commissioner shall serve at the pleasure of the governor and the state cabinet.'

"In view of the provisions of the Constitution, laws and facts which I have heretofore related and of the grave doubt which exists with reference to my powers and duties as Governor, I therefore have the honor to request your written opinion on the following questions:

"1. Is the Florida hotel and restaurant commissioner an officer as contemplated by Section 27 of Article 3 of the Constitution of the State?

"2. If the answer to the first question is in the affirmative, does Chapter 26945 violate Section 27 of Article 3 of the State Constitution by requiring that such officer be employed by the Governor and the state cabinet, in lieu of the requirement of an election by the people or an appointment by the Governor?

"3. If the answe

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

In Re Advisory Opinion to the Governor, 63 So. 2d 321, 1953 Fla. LEXIS 1102 (Fla. 1953).

63 So. 2d 321 (In Re Advisory Opinion to the Governor) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Ago
Florida Attorney General Reports, 1984
State Ex Rel. Boyd v. Green
355 So. 2d 789 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1978)
In Re the Florida Bar-Code of Judicial Conduct
281 So. 2d 21 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1973)
Hill v. State
238 So. 2d 608 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1970)
In Re Opinion to the Governor
239 So. 2d 1 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1970)
Robbin v. Brewer
236 So. 2d 448 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1970)
In re Advisory Opinion to the Governor
113 So. 2d 703 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1959)
In re Smith
74 So. 2d 353 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1954)